Commonwealth v. Eyler
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Appeal, No. 79, Jan. T., 1907, by defendant, from judgment of O. & T. Adams Co., Aug. T., 1906, No. 1, on verdict of guilty of murder of the first degree in case of Commonwealth v. William Eyler. Indictment for murder. Before Swope, P. J. The opinion of the Supreme Court states the case. Verdict of guilty of murder of the first degree. Errors assigned among others were in the admission of the opinion of nonexpert witnesses as to the degree of intoxication.
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
Mr. Chief Justice Mitchell,
The killing and the manner and circumstances of it, including the weapon used, were admitted by the prisoner, appellant. The defense was intoxication and it was conceded by the commonwealth that the prisoner had been drinking. The only issue, therefore, was the degree of guilt, and that depended on the degree of intoxication.
The law as to the various grades of homicide, murder with its distinction of degrees and manslaughter, was fully and accurately explained to the jury, and then the law as to intoxication, that it is not an excuse for crime, but that…
2Cases cited12 opinions
- Commonwealth v. SturtivantMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1875
- Choice v. StateSupreme Court of Georgia · 1860
- The People v. . EastwoodNew York Court of Appeals · 1856
- Sydleman v. BeckwithSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1875
- Edwards v. City of WorcesterMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1898
7 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by40 opinions
- Commonwealth v. GravesSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1975
- Commonwealth v. HornSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1959
- Critzer Et Ux. v. DonovanSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1927
- Murray v. FrickSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1923
- Gibson v. Workers' Compensation Appeal BoardSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 2004
35 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.