Legal Opinion

Pines v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama

Decided January 15, 1874PublishedCited by 2 opinions

From the Circuit Court of Henry. Tried before the Hon. J. McCaleb Wiley. The indictment in this case charged, that the defendants, Jerry Pines and Offy Sutton, “ broke into the storehouse of M. D. Hart, in which goods, merchandise, or other valuable thing, is kept for sale or deposit, with the intent to steal; against the peace,” &c. There was no objection to the indictment, and the trial was had on issue joined on the plea of not guilty.

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From the Circuit Court of Henry. Tried before the Hon. J. McCaleb Wiley. The indictment in this case charged, that the defendants, Jerry Pines and Offy Sutton, “ broke into the storehouse of M. D. Hart, in which goods, merchandise, or other valuable thing, is kept for sale or deposit, with the intent to steal; against the peace,” &c. There was no objection to the indictment, and the trial was had on issue joined on the plea of not guilty. The evidence adduced on the trial, as appears from the bill of exceptions, showed that the entrance into the store was effected through a window; but it was…

1Opinion of the CourtB. F. S Affold, J.

The indictment is fatally defective, in not charging the entering. Eev. Code, p. 811, Form No. 35.

2. The charge of the court is erroneous. Eussell says: “If a man enter into a house through a door or window which he finds open, or through a hole which was made there before, and steals goods, or draws goods out of a house through such door, window, or hole, he will not be guilty of burglary.” Euss. Crimes, vol. 1, p. 786. Blackstone says: “If a person leaves his doors or windows open, it is his own folly and negligence ; and if a man enters therein, it is no burglary.”

The judgment is reversed,…

2Cited by2 opinions

  1. Miller v. StateSupreme Court of Alabama · 1884
  2. Stehl v. StateSupreme Court of Alabama · 1968

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