State v. Miokovich, No. 19325

CourtUnited States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
Writing for the CourtLEWIS; MOSS
Citation185 S.E.2d 360,257 S.C. 225
PartiesThe STATE, Respondent, v. Gary Roy MIOKOVICH, Appellant.
Decision Date30 November 1971
Docket NumberNo. 19325

Page 360

185 S.E.2d 360
257 S.C. 225
The STATE, Respondent,
v.
Gary Roy MIOKOVICH, Appellant.
No. 19325.
Supreme Court of South Carolina.
Nov. 30, 1971.

[257 S.C. 226]

Page 361

Kneece, Kneece & Brown, Columbia, for appellant.

Solicitor John W. Foard, Jr., Columbia, for respondent.

[257 S.C. 227] LEWIS, Justice:

Appellant was convicted of assault and battery with intent to kill and received a sentence of twenty (20) years. He has appealed upon six exceptions which present the following questions for determination:

'(1) Was it error for the trial judge to refuse appellant's motion to sequester the witness?

'(2) Did the trial judge err in failing to, sua sponte, declare a mistrial when the solicitor offered a black sweater in evidence for the third time?

'(3) Did the trial judge err in refusing to permit the appellant to cross examine the State's witnesses as to whether the victim of the assault had been going out with other men on other occasions?'

Appellant's first question concerns the denial of his motion to sequester the witnesses. The motion was made after the examination of the second witness for the State had been partially completed. Upon inquiry by the court, appellant's counsel admitted that he had been furnished the prior written statements of the State's witnesses, which could be used in cross-examination for purposes of impeachment. [257 S.C. 228] Under these circumstances, the trial judge refused appellant's motion.

A motion to sequester witnesses is addressed to the discretion of the trial judge. While such motions are ordinarily granted, no abuse of discretion or prejudice has been shown from the denial of the motion in this instance. The exceptions charging error in this regard are accordingly overruled.

It is also contended that the trial judge committed error in failing on his own motion, to declare a mistrial when the solicitor offered a black sweater in evidence for the third time.

There was testimony that the appellant was seen wearing a black knit sweater at a night club prior to the alleged assault upon the prosecutrix. The son of the prosecutrix testified that he later saw appellant leaving the home, where the prosecutrix was found beaten and unconscious, and that appellant was wearing a black knit sweater at that time. A black sweater was subsequently taken from appellant's home. When the son testified, he was shown the sweater and asked to identify it. He stated that the sweater looked like the one worn by...

To continue reading

Request your trial
3 practice notes
  • McCambridge v. State, 01-84-0507-CR
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Texas
    • 29 Agosto 1985
    ...in original). See also Campbell v. Superior Court, 106 Ariz. 542, 479 P.2d 685 (1971) (following Bush v. Bright ); State v. Miller, 185 S.E.2d at 360 ("appellant urges that by the terms of [the implied consent law] he had the statutory right to refuse.... [W]e do not so construe the statute......
  • State v. Jackson, 20090
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
    • 3 Septiembre 1975
    ...trial judge refused the motion. The granting or refusal of a motion to sequester witnesses is solely discretionary. State v. Miokovich, 257 S.C. 225, 185 S.E.2d 360 (1971). The rule adopted by this Court is succinctly stated in State v. O'Neal, 210 S.C. 305, 312, 42 S.E.2d 523 The trial jud......
  • Kaminski v. Higgins, 19324
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
    • 30 Noviembre 1971
    ...of the Act by application of what has come to be known in the field of public finance in this State as the special fund doctrine. [257 S.C. 225] We reverse on the authority of Robinson v. White, S.C., 182 S.E.2d 744 (1971), in which, on similar facts, a divided court held this doctrine to b......
3 cases
  • McCambridge v. State, No. 01-84-0507-CR
    • United States
    • Court of Appeals of Texas
    • 29 Agosto 1985
    ...in original). See also Campbell v. Superior Court, 106 Ariz. 542, 479 P.2d 685 (1971) (following Bush v. Bright ); State v. Miller, 185 S.E.2d at 360 ("appellant urges that by the terms of [the implied consent law] he had the statutory right to refuse.... [W]e do not so construe the st......
  • State v. Jackson, No. 20090
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
    • 3 Septiembre 1975
    ...trial judge refused the motion. The granting or refusal of a motion to sequester witnesses is solely discretionary. State v. Miokovich, 257 S.C. 225, 185 S.E.2d 360 (1971). The rule adopted by this Court is succinctly stated in State v. O'Neal, 210 S.C. 305, 312, 42 S.E.2d 523 The trial jud......
  • Kaminski v. Higgins, No. 19324
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of South Carolina
    • 30 Noviembre 1971
    ...of the Act by application of what has come to be known in the field of public finance in this State as the special fund doctrine. [257 S.C. 225] We reverse on the authority of Robinson v. White, S.C., 182 S.E.2d 744 (1971), in which, on similar facts, a divided court held this doctrine to b......

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT