People v. Murray

Citations

• 41 Cal. 66

Syllabus

<p>Impeachment of Witness. —Where the defendant introduces witnesses to impeach the credibility of one of plaintiff’s witnesses, it is not an abuse of discretion in the Court to limit him to eight witnesses, provided the plaintiff introduces no witnesses to sustain his credibility.</p> <p>Instructions to Jury. — Where an instruction asked has already been given substantially by the Court, it is not error to refuse it, but in a criminal case the better course is to give it.</p> <p>Inference of Guilt from Circumstantial Evidence.—The law does not require, in order to justify the inference of legal guilt in cases of circumstantial evidence, that the existence of the inculpatory facts must be absolutely incompatible with the innocence of the accused, and incapable of explanation upon any other reasonable hypothesis than that of guilt. The true rule is, that the facts shall not only be consistent with the guilt of the accused, but inconsistent with any other rational conclusion.</p>