Britton v. Commonwealth
Court of Appeals of Kentucky
Case 54 — PROSECUTION AGAINST WILLIAM BRITTON FOR MURDER. — Appeal from Fayette Circuit Court. Watts Parker, Circuit Judge. Defendant convicted and appeals. 1. It is a prejudicial error to permit the Commonwealth’s Attorney to ask the defendant, on cross-examination, if he has committed other crimes or been indicted for other offenses than that for which he is being tried.
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Case 54 — PROSECUTION AGAINST WILLIAM BRITTON FOR MURDER. — Appeal from Fayette Circuit Court. Watts Parker, Circuit Judge. Defendant convicted and appeals. 1. It is a prejudicial error to permit the Commonwealth’s Attorney to ask the defendant, on cross-examination, if he has committed other crimes or been indicted for other offenses than that for which he is being tried. (Parker v. Commonwealth, 21 R., 407; Baker v. Commonwealth, 20 R., 1778; Le fie v. Common-' wealth, 19 R., 1203; Saylor v. Commonwealth, 17 R., 100). 2. It .is the duty of the Attorney for the Commonwealth to represent the…
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
John D. Carroll, Commissioner —
Reversing.
On a July afternoon in 1902, James Cockrill, -while standing on the main street of the town of Jackson, in Breathitt county, was shot and fatally wounded. The same afternoon he was conveyed from Jackson to the city of Lexington, in Fayette county, where he died on the following day from the effects of the wounds. The fatal shots were fired from a window in the second story of the courthouse. In 1904, the grand .jury of Fayette county returned an indictment against the appellant, charging him with the murder of Cockrill. The indictment…
2Cases cited11 opinions
- Howard v. CommonwealthCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1901
- Saylor v. CommonwealthCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1895
- Commonwealth v. JonesCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1904
- Cupp v. CommonwealthCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1888
- Commonwealth v. WelchCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1901
6 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by9 opinions
- Tarling v. PeopleSupreme Court of Colorado · 1921
- Keene v. CommonwealthCourt of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976) · 1948
- Leach v. CommonwealthCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1908
- Consolidation Coal Co. v. VanoverCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1915
- Sparks v. CommonwealthCourt of Appeals of Kentucky · 1921
4 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.