Opinion

Spencer v. State

  • 404 P.2d 46
  • 1965 OK CR 54
  • 1965 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 173
Court
Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
Filed
May 5, 1965
Status
Published
Author
Bussey
On the bench
Nix, Bussey, Brett
Cited by
19 cases

The opinion

BUSSEY, Presiding Judge

(specially concurring) :

I concur in the conclusion of my learned colleague, Judge Nix, that the case should be reversed and remanded for a new trial.

It is my opinion that in order to render motion pictures of the “Alcoholic Influence Test” admissible, it need only be shown that the tests were performed voluntarily by the accused. If they were performed voluntarily and the officer could describe the conduct of the accused in performing the tests, the motion pictures of the same would be admissible irrespective of whether or not the accused knew that they were being taken. And, conversely, if the tests were performed while the accused acted under compulsion and duress, neither the testimony of the officer nor the motion pictures of the tests would be admissible.

In considering the second assignment of error, while I believe it to be the better practice for officers of the law to allow the person under arrest the privilege of calling his physician in order to secure a medical examination which might 'tend to establish his sobriety, I must respectfully disagree with that portion of the' opinion that suggests that a, refusal to grant such request amounts to a denial of a constitutional right.

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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