Hurley v. State
| Decision Date | 07 May 1963 |
| Docket Number | 7 Div. 681 |
| Parties | Russell H. HURLEY v. STATE. |
| Court | Alabama Court of Appeals |
Beddow, Embry & Beddow, Birmingham, Wm. S. Halsey, Jr., Heflin, for appellant.
Richmond M. Flowers, Atty. Gen., and John C. Tyson, III, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
Hurley appeals from his conviction for robbery in the Circuit Court of Cleburne County wherein a jury found him guilty and fixed his punishment at ten years in the penitentiary. He was sentenced by the trial court, and later filed a motion for new trial which, however, was not presented to the circuit clerk until the 18th day of October. Code 1940, T. 13, § 119.
The principal question presented on oral argument was whether Hurley (admittedly in the company of one Wade Hardy) was a voluntary or involuntary party, at most, to Hardy's robbing two brothers by the name of Scott.
McNeil Scott lived in Fruithurst, Alabama. In March, 1961, he was working for a sawmill across the Alabama line near Tallapoosa, Georgia. On pay day he and his brother went into Tallapoosa, Georgia, specifically to Whitey's Place. McNeil said he did not imbibe any alcoholic beverages, but his brother did. How much is in conflict--though not material to our review.
While the Scotts were there, Hurley, Hardy and Willis Vinson drove up and came in. Hardy, a witness for the State, testified on direct examination regarding the Scott brothers at Whitey's Place:
At all events Hurley was driving when he, Hardy and Vinson did pick up the two Scott brothers as they were thumbing a ride out of Tallapoosa. Upon getting into Fruithurst, Alabama, Hardy pulled a pistol and waved it at the two Scott brothers in the back seat and demanded their money. The gun he used admittedly belonged to Hurley. Hardy testified he took it from the glove compartment of the car.
Later that night the Highway Patrol arrested Hurley, Hardy and Vinson on West 10th Street in Anniston. The gun was then on the floorboard under the front seat of the automobile. Hardy having been convicted, as noted above was a witness against Hurley.
There is some contention (1) that Hardy's testimony was not corroborated, and (2) that without prior design being shown Hurley was as much terrorized as the Scotts. However, in view of the testimony by Scott and that as to the reputed conversation between Hardy and Hurley at Whitey's Place in Tallapoosa, Georgia, after one of the Scotts dropped some money, there was sufficient evidence for the jury to decide whether Hurley was or was not in an enforced role.
Accordingly, it would not be necessary to rely...
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