State v. Curdy

Citations

• 24 Del. 208
• 1 Boyce 208
• 75 A. 868
• 1910 Del. LEXIS 19

Syllabus

<p>Criminal Law—Evidence—Burden of Proof—Credibility—Obstruction of Justice—Testimony of Accomplices—■ Weight of Evidence—Reasonable Doubt.</p> <p>1. Every person charged with crime is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt.</p> <p>2. The burden of proof of the commission of a crime rests upon the State.</p> <p>3. The jurors are the sole judges of the credibility of the witnesses and of the weight and value of their testimony.</p> <p>4. An attempt, whether successful or not, to dissuade or prevent a witness from attending or testying at the trial of a cause evidenced by distinct and unequivocal acts, is indictable as an offense.</p> <p>5. The degree of credit to be given to the testimony of an accomplice is a matter exclusively for the jury.</p> <p>6. The jury may convict upon the testimony of an accomplice, if they are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that it is true, without confirmation.</p> <p>7. When the evidence is conflicting, the jury should endeavor to reconcile it; if they cannot, they must determine whose testimony they deem most entitled to credit, taking into consideration all the facts and circumstances testified to by the several witnesses, their means of information and opportunity of knowing the facts of which they testify, and the manner in which they gave their testimony.</p> <p>8. By a reasonable doubt is not meant a mere fanciful, vague or speculative doubt, but a substantial doubt growing out of the evidence, such a doubt as reasonable, fair-minded, conscientious men would entertain under all the facts and circumstances of the case.</p>