State v. Canady

North Carolina (plaintiff) prosecuted Canady (defendant) for voluntary manslaughter; the state's sole eyewitness testified the fatal incident happened during daylight, while Canady maintained it occurred after sunset. Canady asked the trial judge to take judicial notice, based on a local newspaper report, that the sun had set at 8:19 p.m. that day and there had been a new moon. The judge declined, the jury convicted Canady, and he appealed, arguing the refusal prejudiced his case.