Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

22 Tenn. 25

Brooks v. State

Tennessee Supreme Court

Decided April 15, 1842

Tennessee Supreme Court · decided 1842-04-15

At the September term, 1841, of the circuit court of Hardin county, the grand jury returned a true bill against Baity Brooks, for the murder of John'Lowry, by shooting said Lowry with a rifle gun.. The indictment was for murder in the usual common law form. The defendant pleaded not guilty, and the cause was submitted to a jury at the February term, 1842. Judge Totten presiding.

Decided 1842-04-15

Turley, J.

¶1delivered the opinion of the court.

¶2Prisoner was indicted in the circuit court of Hardin for the crime of murder. The jury found him guilty of manslaughter, without negativing the murder, and it is insisted that this is erroneous. Blackstone is cited as authority for the proposition: he says “that one indicted formurder, may be acquitted of the murder, and found guilty of manslaughter.”

¶3*26We do not think that this was intended to mean, that the jury must return a verdict of not guilty, as to the murder, before the return of guilty of manslaughter; but that a prisoner might be found guilty of manslaughter, although indicted for murder and not for manslaughter.

¶4The prisoner will be in no danger of being again arraigned for the murder; having been once indicted therefor, and having been punished for the offence as manslaughter, he stands forever acquitted of the murder, as the law provides that no man shall be punished twice for the same offence.

¶5Judgment affirmed.

/22/tenn/25 · .json · Public domain