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17 Ala. App. 479

85 So 870

Cobb v. State

Alabama Court of Appeals

Decided June 8, 1920

Alabama Court of Appeals · decided 1920-06-08

Dennis Cobb was convicted of burglary and grand larceny and he appeals. The defendant was 15 years old, and was committed to jail under a mittimus from the juvenile court, and held to await the action of the grand jury. A grand jury met, investigated many charges, and adjourned without returning an indictment against the defendant.

Cited by 6 later decisions — most recently January 1964

6 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Reversed and remanded · Decided 1920-06-08

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MERRITT, J.

¶1 The defendant was indicted by the grand jury of Montgomery county for burglary and grand larceny. He was convicted by a jury and sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of from 2 to 4 years.

¶2 [1-4] The court properly overruled the defendant’s motion to quash the indictment. This was a new charge against the defendant, and the fact that the mittimus under the former charge was.functus officio in no wise worked a discontinuance of this case. The testimony showed that the defendant was 15 years old. This being true, the confessions as made to the witness Lillian Dungee were, under Code 1907, § 6464, and the case of Bessie Felder v. State, 85 South. 868, 1 clearly not admissible against the defendant. This was the only testimony connecting the defendant with the commission of the crime.

¶3 To have allowed the testimony of the witness for the purpose of impeaching the defendant was permitting that to be done indirectly which could not be done directly.

¶4 The general affirmative charge, as requested by the defendant in writing, should have been given.

¶5 Reversed and remanded.

1

¶6 Ante, p. 458.

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