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5 Tex. Ct. App. 397

Jones v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas

Decided July 1, 1879

Court of Appeals of Texas · decided 1879-07-01

Tried below before the Hon. B. H. Bassett, Special Judge. The appellant and Emma Butler were jointly indicted for the murder of Sam Butler, by shooting him with a pistol, on May 11, 1878. Emma Butler was the second wife of the deceased, and it appears that she had been the occasion of contention and trouble between her husband and the appellant. They were all colored people, as were also nearly all of the witnesses. The appellant was separately tried.

Decided 1879-07-01

Ector, P. J.

¶1The appellant, Dennis Jones, was jointly indicted with one Emma Butler for the murder of Sam Butler. A severance was granted, and the appellant was alone placed on trial. He was convicted of murder in the first degree. The charge of the court submits to the jury all the degrees and grades of homicide known to the Code, but nowhere tells the jury what malice is, or draws the distinction between murder upon express and implied malice. This should have been done. For this omission in the charge of the court, the judgment must be reversed. We deem it unnecessary to notice the other errors assigned.

¶2The judgment of the District Court is reversed and the cause remanded.

¶3Reversed and remanded.

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