People v. Robinson (1861) · DecisionDepot

People v. Robinson

Name: California Superior Court Tentative Rulings
Creator: DecisionDepot
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

California Supreme Court Jul 1, 1861Published

Before: Cope

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Holding. The court held that statements made by a defendant while asleep are inadmissible as evidence of guilt because the speaker lacks the requisite consciousness to be held accountable for their words.

Issues

Whether evidence of words spoken by a defendant while asleep is admissible at trial.

Disposition. Reversed and remanded

Quotations verified verbatim against the opinion

“If the defendant was asleep, the inference is that he was not conscious of what he was saying, and words spoken by him in that condition constituted no evidence of guilt.”

Synopsis

In a criminal case, words uttered by defendant while sleeping are not admissible in evidence against him.

Cope, J. delivered the opinion of the Court Field, C. J. concurring.

The bill of exceptions in this case states that certain words uttered by the defendant while sleeping were given in evidence against him at the trial. It is difficult to see upon what principle this evidence was admitted, and we are of opinion that the objection to it should have been sustained. If the defendant was asleep, the inference is that he was not conscious of what he was saying, and words spoken by him in that condition constituted no evidence of guilt.

Judgment reversed and cause remanded for a new trial.

People v. Robinson

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