Branch v. Commonwealth

In this case the validity of the jury’s verdict is challenged because it is general in its terms when the indictment upon which it is based charged two separate crimes—one, breaking and entering in the night-time with the intent to commit larceny and another feloniously stealing, taking and carrying away goods and chattels of another to the value of $1502.75.

This is the verdict under review:

“We the jury find the accused, Rufus Branch, guilty as charged in the within indictment and fix the penalty at two years confinement in the penitentiary.” See Stapleton v. Commonwealth, 140 Va. 475, 487,…