People v. Johnson

Eoger Johnson, while at Jackson state prison, was charged with the murder of Frank Clark, a fellow inmate, on October 24,1965. The defendant does not deny that he stabbed Clark, but he claims that he acted in self-defense.

The jury found Johnson guilty of murder in the second degree. The appeal lists 6 asserted errors, 3 dealing with the court’s ruling on objections to the introduction of evidence and 3 with the claim of improper argument by the prosecutor.

The record shows that on cross-examination defendant was asked whether he “characterized” himself as a calm man or an excitable one, and he…