State v. Laffer
Supreme Court of Iowa
Appeal from Keokuk District Oou/rt. The defendant was indicted jointly with one John Cattell, for causing a nuisance by keeping intoxicating liquors in a certain building in the county, with intent to sell the same contrary to law. Both defendants pleaded “ not guilty,” and Laffer also pleaded a “ former acquittal ” on the same charge. Upon a trial to a jury a verdict of guilty was rendered against Laffer, and a verdict of not guilty as to Cattell. The former appeals.
1Opinion of the Court
Miller, Ch. J.
Incriminad fenciant not a competent witness. — I. On the trial of the cause in the District Court, the appellant offered himself as a witness in his own behalf, and proposed to testify to facts showing that lie was not guilty of the offense charged in . ° J n the indictment. Ihe District-Attorney objected *423that the appellant was not competent under the law to testify in the case. The objection being sustained, appellant assigns this ruling as error.
The Eevision of 1860 enacted: “ Sec. 3978. Every human being of sufficient capacity to understand the obligation of an oath, is a…
2Cases cited1 opinion
- Middleton Savings Bank v. City of DubuqueSupreme Court of Iowa · 1865
3Cited by19 opinions
- Nix v. WhitesideSupreme Court of the United States · 1986
- Intoxicating-Liquor CasesSupreme Court of Kansas · 1881
- State v. FergusonSupreme Court of Iowa · 1939
- McNiel v. HoranSupreme Court of Iowa · 1912
- Powell v. StateCourt of Appeals of Maryland · 1941
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