Mimms v. State

The court in his general charge instructed the jury:

“If the jury is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant had the parts of the still1 or certain parts as testified to by the witnesses, and that they are parts of a still, and they are not satisfactorily explained, then you should find the defendant guilty.”

The defendant excepted to this part of the court’s charge. The “parts” testified to by the witnesses were a smoked tin lard can in defendant’s yard, a tin top with a hole in it in defendant’s kitchen, and a trough with a hole in each end just outside of defendant’s yard. It…