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28 Tex. Ct. App. 173

Coleman v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas

Decided November 6, 1889

Court of Appeals of Texas · decided 1889-11-06

Tried below before Hon. W. D. Harris, County Judge. The conviction was for unlawfully carrying a pistol, and the penalty assessed by the verdict was a fine of $25 and twenty days in jail. The State proved by its witness Pat Stevens, a policeman, that he'arrested defendant in the city of Port Worth, on November 17, 1888, and on his person found a 45-calibre Colt’s pistol. Dick Burnes was the first witness for the defense.

Decided 1889-11-06

Willson, Judge.

¶1We are of the opinion that the conviction in this case is not warranted by the evidence. We think the evidence shows that at the time the defendant carried the pistol he had x-easonable ground for fearing an unlawful attack upon his person, and that the danger was so imminent and threatening as not to admit of the arrest of the party about to make such attack upon legal process. Defendant had already been violently assaulted by such party, and a continuance of such assault was threatened and imminent. It was in the night time, and the circumstances were such that the defendant could not obtain legal process for the arrest of the attacking party in time to protect himself from the threatened danger.

¶2Our conclusion being that the evidence does not show a violation of the law by the defendant, the judgment is reversed and the cause is remanded.

¶3Reversed and remanded.

¶4Hurt, J., absent.

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