JEFF CURINGTON, PLAINTIFF IN ERROR,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DEFENDANT IN ERROR
AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.
The Florida Supreme Court affirmed a conviction for larceny of hogs. The court held that hogs are considered 'chattels' under state law, making their theft punishable as grand larceny. The court also found sufficient evidence to support the jury's finding of felonious intent, despite the open taking and sale of the hogs.
1. Yes, hogs are considered 'chattels' under Florida Statute Section 3288, and their larceny valued at twenty dollars or more is punishable under the general larceny statute. 2. Yes, the evidence, including the defendant's admissions and inconsistent statements about ownership, was sufficient to allow a legitimate inference of felonious intent by the jury.
“Hogs are chattels within the meaning of that term as employed in this statute and the larceny of hogs of the value of twenty dollars or more is punishable under it.”
Establishes that hogs are covered under the general larceny statute.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe defendant was convicted of larceny of hogs valued over twenty dollars. He appealed, arguing that the trial court erred in excluding evidence relat…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.
Explore caselaw by topic → Browse Felonious Intent cases and more on FLexlaw
West, J.
Plaintiff in error, referred to herein as defendant, was indicted, tried and convicted upon a charge of the larceny of hogs of the value' of more than twenty dollars. After judgment imposing sentence upon him he took writ of error from this court.
The basis of the first contention of defendant is rulings of the trial court holding inadmissible-evidence of a witness for defendant to the effect that defendant’s son, Letha Curington, had-engaged the witness testifying to search the woods for his hogs, which, it was claimed, had disappeared. This evidence was objected to upon the ground that it was hearsay and was a mere attempt to bolster up the defense by something alleged to have been done by the son of defendant. There was no error in excluding this evidence. What defendant’s son may have done, or the fact that hogs of his may have disappeared,could have no material relevancy to the question of defendant’s culpability or innocence upon the trial of a charge against defendant for the theft of hogs of the person alleged in the indictment to be-the owner. If the loss of hogs by defendant’s son is relevant to the issue involved it's relevancy is not made to appear by the record. It is urged here that there was error in the order overruling defendant’s motion in arrest of judgment. As we understand the argument made under this assignment, it is that there is no statute in this State defining the offense of grand larceny of hogs and prescribing a punishment for such offense, and that therefore the sentence imposed upon defendant for the larceny of hogs of the value of more than twenty dollars was without authority. The theory is that since Sections 3302-3, General Statutes, 1906, Florida Compiled Laws, prescribe a penalty for the larceny of hogs of less value than twenty dollars only, there is no penalty for the higher offense. But this theory is not tenable. By Section 3288, General Statutes, 1906, Florida Compiled Laws, a penalty is prescribed for larceny “by stealing of the property of another, any money, goods or chattels or any banknote * * * if the property stolen is of the value of«twenty dollars or more.” Hogs are within the description of property which is the subject of larceny under the terms of this statute.
In 1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary, 315, the word “chattels” is defined as “Every species of property, movable or immovable, which is less than a freehold. * * * Personal chattels are properly things movable, which may be carried about by the owner; such as animals, household stuff, money, jewels, coin, garments, and everything else that can be put in motion and transferred from one place to another.” See also 7 Cyc. 122; 2 Words and Phrases 1093; 1 Words and Phrases (2 ed.) 653.
Hogs are chattels within the meaning of that term as employed in this statute and the larceny of hogs of the value of twenty dollars or more is punishable under it.
The order denying defendant’s motion for a new trial is assigned as error. Under this assignment the argu ment is that inasmuch as the hogs alleged to have been stolen by defendant were taken openly by him, that there was no effort to conceal them while in his possession, and that he afterwards sold and delivered them in the day time to a neighbor in whose possession they were after-wards found, there is nothing to show a felonious purpose upon the part of defendant and therefore the proof is not sufficient to establish the crime of larceny.
The rule in such cases is that where there is conflict in the evidence as to the intent with which property alleged to have been stolen was taken, or the evidence is of such a character as to legitimately,authorize,an inference of a felonious purpose,, the question should be submitted to the jury without any intimation from the trial court as to the force -of, presumptions of, fact .arising from any portion of the testimony. Wallace v. State, 76 Fla. 175, 79 South. Rep. 634; Bass v. State, 58 Fla. 1, 50 South. Rep. 531; Bird v. State, 48 Fla. 3, 37 South. Rep. 525; Long v. State, 44 Fla. 134, 32 South. Rep. 870.
Since the taking was admitted, in view of the testimony of alleged admissions of defendant that “I have hogs strolling all over the woods and I cannot go by the mark, and I just take them up with any kind of mark, and if anybody comes along and claims the ones that I got, I give them up and if they do not claim them I keep them; ’ ’ that when inquiry was made of him he claimed the hogs as his own, but subsequently said they belonged to. his son and later acquiesced in the surrender of them to the owner without any contest, we think there is sufficient proof to authorize a legitimate inference that the taking was felonious. This seems to have been the opinion of the jury who saw and heard all' the witnesses, including the defendant, who testified in his own behalf, and there is nothing-in tbe record-to indicate, that the jury were influenced by any. consideration outside the evidence. The verdict has the sanction-of the-trial judge and we will not disturb it.,
..fijhe judgment is affirmed-Browne, C. J., and Taylor, Whitfield and Ellis, J. J., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
-
Consalvo v. State, 697 So. 2d 805 (Fla. 1996)…ntent with which property alleged to have been stolen was taken ... the question should be submitted to the jury without any intimation from the trial court as to the force of presumptions of fact arising from ... the testimony.” Curington v. State, 80 Fla. 494, 497, 86 So. 344, 345 (1920). It is improper to give this instruction when its only possible effect is to allow the jury to presume that a defendant is guilty because he was in possession of the property. This goes against the presumption of innocen…
-
Dade Carnley v. State, 82 Fla. 282 (Fla. 1921)…urned. To the judgment imposing sentence upon him this writ of error was taken. To establish guilt upon this charge proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the property stolen was of the value of twenty dollars or more is required. Curington v. State, 80 Fla. 494, 86 South. Rep. 344; Whitehead v. State, 20 Fla. 841; Francis v. State, 87 Miss. 493, 39 South. Rep. 897. In the absence of such evidence 'the charge is not proved and a verdict finding the accused guilty of such crime should not be permitted to sta…
-
Khalil Burshan, M.D. v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. OF Pittsburgh, 805 So. 2d 835 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)…tels are properly things movable, which may be carried about by the owner; such as animals, household stuff, money, jewels, coin, garments, and everything else that can be put in motion and transferred from one place to another. Curington v. State, 80 Fla. 494, 86 So. 344, 345 (1920) (quoting 1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 315). A survey of Florida law reveals that the trespass cause of action has been applied to chattels such as a black mare,7 logs,8 a wagon and mule,9 clothing,10 crates of pears,11 and an a…
Previewing 3 of 7 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Bass v. State, 58 Fla. 1 (Fla. 1909)
- Tobe Wallace v. State, 76 Fla. 175 (Fla. 1918)
- Long v. State, 44 Fla. 134 (Fla. 1902)
- Bird v. State, 48 Fla. 3 (Fla. 1904)