Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

74 Mass. 382

Garvey v. Commonwealth

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1857-03-15

Three writs of error to reverse as many judgments of the court of common pleas in Middlesex on as many complaints against the plaintiff in error for unlawful sales of intoxicating liquors, in violation of St. 1855, c. 215, § 15.

Decided 1857-03-15

By the Court.

¶1This case is substantially settled by that of Tuttle v. Commonwealth, 2 Gray, 505, in which it was decided that the increased penalty provided in the St. of 1852, c. 322, § 7, for a second conviction of an unlawful sale of intoxicating liquors, could not be imposed except upon allegation and proof of a prior conviction — that being part of the character of the offence. That statute provided, that “ two or more acts of violation of the provisions of this section may be alleged in the same complaint or indictment, and be tried at the same time; and conviction thereon, or on any of them, shall operate upon the defendants in the same manner as if the actions had been upon separate complaints, and the convictions had at separate trials.”

¶2It is said that the St. of 1855, c. 215, § 15, which provides that, “ when any person is convicted of more than one offence on any such complaint or indictment, he shall be subject to the same punishments as if he had been successively convicted on as many complaints or indictments as there are offences of which he is convicted,” &c., has changed the law, by making a second and third offence liable to an increased punishment, instead of a second and third conviction. Still it must be alleged to be a second nor third offence; in order that the proof should follow the allegation, and the judgment follow both. Inasmuch as there is no such allegation in either of these complaints, the judgments are erroneous, and must be reversed.

¶3Judgments reversed, and plaintiff in error sentenced on each complaint as for a first offence.

/74/mass/382 · .json · Public domain