State v. Jacobs

• Decision Date: 03 April 1899
• Citation: 21 R.I. 259,43 A. 31
• Parties: STATE v. JACOBS.
• Court: Rhode Island Supreme Court

43 A. 31

21 R.I. 259

STATE

v. JACOBS.

Supreme Court of Rhode Island.

April 3, 1899.

Nathaniel I. Jacobs was convicted of crime, and moves for new trial. Denied.

Charles F. Stearns, Asst Atty. Gen., for the State.

James A. Williams, for defendant.

TILLINGHAST, J. This is an indictment for an assault with intent to commit rape. The defendant was convicted in the common pleas division, and the case is now before us on his petition for a new trial on the grounds that the verdict was against the evidence, and that the court erred in its instructions to the jury. The evidence offered on the part of the prosecution included an alleged confession by the defendant of the commission of the crime; and the main question of law which is raised is whether the instruction relating thereto, as finally given by the court in reply to a question by the jury, was correct. The question and reply were as follows: "The Foreman: We would like to know whether we can use the confession made by the defendant, in connection with other evidence, to establish the commission of the crime? The Court: Yes, sir. Confessions are made by parties presumably understanding what they say. If it is contended that they do not so understand, then you should weigh all the circumstances surrounding the alleged confession. When a party stands before the court and pleads guilty, it is taken as a confession; and, if the court has jurisdiction, they proceed at once to sentence. If they have no jurisdiction, frequently the mere fact of the confession having been made is put in evidence here to affect the question of the guilt or innocence of the party. Whatever the party defendant voluntarily said whatever he stated in response to any questions, if there was no threat to compel him to do it and no hope held out as to his escaping or getting off with lighter punishment,—if there was nothing of that kind done,—then you have a right to weigh the confession or alleged confession; and if that, with the other testimony, would establish the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt, your duty is to use it for what it is worth, and find a verdict accordingly." The defendant's counsel duly excepted to this instruction. He contends that the corpus delicti must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, independently of and apart from any confession made by the defendant; that is to say, that the confession cannot be considered by the jury as in any degree tending to prove the body of the crime. We think this contention is untenable, and that the instruction given by the court was substantially correct. It is doubtless well settled, in the United States, at any rate, that extrajudicial confessions of a defendant in a criminal case, without other evidence of the fact that a crime has been...