Arnold v. State, 5 Div. 229.

Decision Date20 May 1947
Docket Number5 Div. 229.
Citation30 So.2d 587,33 Ala.App. 146
PartiesARNOLD v. STATE.
CourtAlabama Court of Appeals

R. C. Wallace, of LaFayette, and Wilbanks &amp Wilbanks, of Dadeville, for appellant.

A A. Carmichael, Atty. Gen., and L. E. Barton, Asst. Atty Gen., for the State.

BRICKEN Presiding Judge.

The appeal here is from a judgment of conviction in the lower court for the offense denounced under Section 338, Title 14, Code of Alabama 1940, which provides:

'Any person who buys, receives, conceals, or aids in concealing any personal property whatever, knowing that it has been stolen, or having reasonable grounds for believing that it has been stolen, and not having the intent to restore it to the owner, shall, on conviction, be punished as if he had stolen it; and such offender may be tried and convicted although the person who stole the property has not been tried and convicted.'

Upon the trial numerous witnesses were examined for the prosecution, and for defendant; and the testimony was in sharp, and direct, conflict.

From the direct conflict in the testimony, as has been so often stated, jury questions were presented. The credibility and weight of the evidence and the legitimate inferences it afforded were for the jury. In other words, the weight to be given the evidence, its sufficiency in general, its probative value, or force, and the credibility of the witnesses where, upon the whole testimony, an issue of fact arises, are for the exclusive consideration and determination of the jury. The jury determine the weight to be given the testimony of the witnesses by their demeanor or conduct on the stand, their interest in the case, the probability or improbability of their testimony, its corroboration, the facts bearing on their credibility, their intelligence and knowledge, and not by the mere number of witnesses. Conflicting evidence should be reconciled by the jury, if possible, and if they can not reconcile it, they may base their verdict on that part of the testimony which they consider worthy of credit, and reject that which they deem to be unworthy of belief. Inconsistencies and contradictions in the testimony of a witness do not make it inherently improbable. The jury can not arbitrarily reject the evidence, but the testimony of a witness, which is wilfully and corruptly false, may be disregarded by the jury.

The trial in the court below was conducted without semblance of error. Two or three...

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17 cases
  • Bird v. State
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
    • February 23, 1990
    ...Id. "Inconsistencies and contradictions in the testimony of a witness do not make it inherently improbable." Arnold v. State, 33 Ala.App. 146, 147, 30 So.2d 587, 588 (1947) (quoted in Jones v. State, 469 So.2d 713, 717 (Ala.Cr.App.1985)). In United States v. Rivera, 775 F.2d 1559 (11th Cir.......
  • Burks v. State
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
    • September 20, 1991
    ...(1904). " 'Inconsistencies and contradictions in the testimony of a witness do not make it inherently improbable.' Arnold v. State, 33 Ala.App. 146, 147, 30 So.2d 587 (1947). 'It is not the law that mere contradicting statements or declarations of a witness are sufficient to raise a reasona......
  • Stokes v. State
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
    • June 5, 1979
    ...the defendant's sale of the truck with knowledge of the bank's claim. Questions of fact are for the jury to resolve. Arnold v. State, 33 Ala.App. 146, 30 So.2d 587 (1947). The State proved the elements of the offense and the issue of the defendant's guilt or innocence was properly submitted......
  • Parker v. State
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
    • June 30, 1987
    ...of the testimony which they consider worthy of credit, and reject that which they deem to be unworthy of belief.... Arnold v. State, 33 Ala.App. 146, 147, 30 So.2d 587 (1947)." Jones v. State, 469 So.2d 713, 717 As the statutory requirements were met, we find that the evidence was sufficien......
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