Opinion

Williams v. State

  • 158 Fla. 415
  • 28 So. 2d 691
  • 1947 Fla. LEXIS 531
Court
Supreme Court of Florida
Filed
Jan 17, 1947
Status
Published
Author
Buford
On the bench
Adams, Buford, Chapman, Fabisinski, Terrell, Thomas
Cited by
3 cases
Authority
More cited than 37.3%

The opinion

BUFORD, J.,

dissenting:

The evidence in this case as to the guilt of the three defendants was entirely circumstantial and, therefore, the rule of law as to sufficiency of circumstantial evidence applies. In this case it was necessary to prove that the three defendants unlawfully entered the church with the intent alleged.

The jury in effect acquitted them of the charge of larceny.

Where circumstantial evidence is relied upon for conviction in a criminal case, the circumstances when taken together, must be of a conclusive nature and tendency, leading on the whole to a reasonable and moral certainty that the accused and no one else committed the offense. It is not sufficient that the facts' create a strong probability of, and be consistent with,.,guilt; they must be inconsistent with innocence. Parish v. State, 98 Fla. 977 , 124 So. 444 ; Cannon v. State, 91 Fla. 214 , 107 So. 360 ; Hall v. State, 90 Fla. 719 , 107

*418

So. 246; Asher v. State, 90 Fla. 75 , 105 So. 140 ; Lee v. State. 96 Fla. 59 , 117 So. 699 ; Davis v. State, 90 Fla. 816 , 107 So. 245 ; Smith v. State, 101 Fla. 162 , 133 So. 873 ; Simmons v. State, 99 Fla. 1216 , 128 So. 486 ; Kennedy v. State, 31 Fla. 428 , 12 So. 858 ; Gantling v. State, 40 Fla. 237 , 23 So. 857 ; Pate v. State, 72 Fla. 97 , 72 So. 517 ; Whetston v. State, 31 Fla. 240 , 12 So. 661 . Also see Solomon v. State, 115 Fla. 310 , 156 So. 401 ; Brown v. State, 127 Fla. 225 , 172 So. 921 ; Dewey v. State, 135 Fla. 443 , 186 so. 224; Free v. State, 142 Fla. 233 , 194 So. 639 ; Savage v. State, 152 Fla. 367 , 11 So. (2nd) 778 .

The evidence as to the guilt of A. C. Carlton and Dan Stocks fails to meet the test of sufficiency.

Every bit of the evidence shown'in this record may be absolutely true and all reasonable deductions there from be indulged and yet all the proof be and remain consistent with the innocence of Carlton and Stocks. The evidence was sufficient to support a suspicion of the guilt of these two defendants and no more. This is not enough. See Smith v. State, 101 Fla. 162 ; 133 So. 873 .

So the judgment against Carlton and Stocks should be reversed.

THOMAS, C. J., concurs.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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