Young v. State, 10 Ga.App. 116, 72 S.E. 935 (Ga.App.
1911)
What happened?
The
defendant, Young, was a member of a baseball team that played a baseball game
on a Saturday afternoon. The deceased, Williams,
was umpiring the game and keeping score.
Young
claimed that the opposing team had scored three runs; however, Williams had given
them five runs, leading to an argument in which “cursing followed.” Williams started toward the defendant with
his hand
in his pocket and Young reacted by pulling a gun and shooting Williams, killing him.
Young
was indicted for murder but convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced
to five years in prison.
Young
appealed the conviction, seeking a new trial.
How did the court rule?
Young’s
request for a new trial was denied and the conviction was upheld.
“Where
a baseball player and an umpire become involved in a quarrel over a point in
the game, and while the umpire is advancing toward the player with his hand in
his pocket the player pulls his pistol and kills the umpire, a verdict finding
the player guilty of voluntary manslaughter is not contrary to law, nor without
evidence to support it.”
