State v. Weston

Defendant assigns as error the trial court’s denial of his motions for judgment as of nonsuit.

The often-quoted landmark case of State v. Cope, 204 N.C. 28, 167 S.E. 456, defines culpable negligence and distinguishes culpable negligence and the resulting criminal responsibility from ordinary ■actionable negligence which imports only civil liability. We quote portions of this opinion:

“5. Culpable negligence- is such recklessness or carelessness, proximately resulting in injury or death, as imports a thoughtless disregard of consequences or a heedless indifference to the safety and rights of…