Baker v. State

Citations

• 82 Miss. 84

Syllabus

<p>1. Criminal Law. Rape. Evidence. Reputation for chastity.</p> <p>In a prosecution for rape it is error to permit the state to show:</p> <p>(а) That prosecutrix was a chaste woman, her general reputation in that regard not having been assailed by defendant;</p> <p>(б) That defendant ill treated members of his household, where such evidence does not tend to explain delay in the prosecution ;</p> <p>(e) That a witness not called by the defense had been told by defendant that she would have to swear lies to help him out; and</p> <p>(d) That witness had heard noises indicating distress at defendant’s house, they not knowing what made the noises or why they were made.</p> <p>2. Same. Delay in prosecution.</p> <p>Long delay in presecuting for rape demands a close scrutiny of the testimony before conviction.</p>