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37 Tex. 442

Terrell v. State

Texas Supreme Court

Decided July 1, 1873

Texas Supreme Court · decided 1873-07-01

Tried below before the Hon. J. D. McAdoo. Defendant was indicted by the grand jury of Marion county for aggravated assault. On the trial of the case, it appeared that the defendant had purchased a certain house at sheriff’s sale, and on going to the premises with his wife for the purpose of taking possession, he was met at the gate by the occupant, who, it seems, had rented the house from the defendant in execution, and was denied admittance.

Decided 1873-07-01

Ogden, J.

¶1The court did not err in ruling out defendant’s evidence of title as a justification for an aggravated assault and battery, in taking forcible possession of a house which he was forbidden to enter; such' title could not be used in a criminal action of this character, even in mitigation of the offense. If the defendant had purchased the house in question, and had a riglit of possession, the law would have afforded him a certain and peaceable remedy for all his wrongs, and saved him from the disgraceful necessity of making war upon a helpless woman.

¶2There may be error in the charge of the court to the jury, but, upon a careful examination of the evidence, we are unable to convince ourselves that if there was error in the charge, it could have had any effect upon the verdict of the jury, unless it was in favor of the defendant. "We can hardly believe that a jury of intelligent men could be found, that would not, under the testimony in this case, have found the defendant guilty, under almost any charge; and yet the jury in this case assessed the smallest possible fine, and only one month imprisonment.

¶3We think the appellant has no just ground of complaint, and the judgment of the District Court is therefore affirmed.

¶4Affirmed.

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