Commonwealth v. Cate

Citations

• 220 Pa. 138
• 69 A. 322
• 1908 Pa. LEXIS 736

Syllabus

<p>Criminal law — Murder—Evidence of good character.</p> <p>Evidence of good character in a criminal case is not a mere makeweight, thrown in to assist in the production of a result that would happen at all events, but is positive evidence and may, of itself, by the creation of a reasonable doubt produce an acquittal.</p> <p>On the trial of an indictment for murder it is reversible error to charge that “where the jury is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of the defendant’s guilt under all the evidence, evidence of previous good character is not to overcome the conclusion which follows from that view of the case.”</p>