Vital organs
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I want to tell you about the case of the State versus Morris D. Blaylock. I really enjoyed that case on the main. It was the first case I ever tried. Morris. D. Blaylock was charged with aggravated assault and attempt to commit murder with malice aforethought. You old guys, you remember that’s 2 to 20 — 2 to 25 I believe under the Penal Code, 1925.
I was hired to represent this young man, and he was charged with having taken a knife and assaulted the brand new constable in Hunt County. He just — the constable had gone into office January the 1st, and this was about the 8th or 10th or 9th or something. Anyway, the first fun Saturday night after July -d – after January 1st. Mr. Sanford was the constable. He arrested — sought to arrest my client. My client resisted arrest. The knife was produced. The end result, besides Morris D. Blaylock being charged with this terrible crime, the constable got a little nick on his earlobe right about here. It was wintertime, so he was wearing a jacket. And the jacket had about three or four slash marks starting up about the shoulder, across the heart area, and down toward the abdomen. But the only injury was to Mr. — Constable Sanford’s ear.
District Attorney had — this is still the same District Attorney, Cameron McKinney, the blind man. Anyway, he said, “Constable” — this is more or less the way the story goes.
He said, “Constable, is it a fact that the defendant was drunk?” “Yes, he was.” “In a public place?” “Yes, sir.” “You sought to arrest him for being drunk in public?” “Yes, sir.” “It was a lawful arrest?” “Yes, sir.” “And he resisted arrest?” “Yes, sir.” “And he took a knife, while he was resisting arrest, out of his pocket?” He said, “Yes, sir.” The District Attorney held up this slashed coat and said, “Now, Constable, isn’t it a fact that he took this knife and was slashing at you, slashing at your vital organs?” He says, “Oh, no, Mr. McKinney. He was trying to cut me way up here by my heart.”
Well, I’m going to leave out my Grigson stories and a bunch of others. You’ll be delighted for me to sit down, after I figure out one more or two.