State v. McNeill

The principal question for decision is whether the court prejudiced the defendant’s case by ordering his witness into custody in the presence of the jury without assigning any reason therefor.

It is freely conceded that the court may not impeach or disparage the testimony of a material witness for the defendant in a criminal prosecution. The authorities are to the effect that no judge at any time during the trial of a cause is permitted to east doubt upon the testimony of a *667witness or to impeach bis credibility. G.S. 1-180; S. v. Perry, ante, 467; S. v. Cantrell, 230 N.C. 46, 51 S.E. 2d 887;…