(a) In all prosecutions against any person for manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, keeping or having in possession for sale, bartering, exchanging, furnishing, giving away or otherwise disposing of prohibited liquors and beverages or for any one of the said acts, it shall be competent for the state to give in evidence the fact that the beverage which the evidence may tend to show the defendant had manufactured, sold, bartered, exchanged, furnished, given away or otherwise disposed of, possesses the same color, odor and general appearance or the same taste, color and general appearance of a prohibited liquor or beverage such as whiskey, rum, gin, ale, porter, beer and any other prohibited liquor or beverage. The fact that the beverage in question as above stated is of the same color, odor and general appearance or same taste, color and general appearance as beer shall constitute prima facie evidence that the beverage is a beer or a malt liquor or a substitute or device therefor and within the inhibition of the statutes of this state for the suppression of intemperance, and the like rule of evidence shall apply in respect to whiskey and the other beverages named, and, in the event the defendant claims that the beverage in question as above referred to is not within the inhibition of the statutes when it possesses the same color, odor and general appearance or the same taste, color and general appearance as a prohibited liquor or beverage, such as whiskey, beer or the other beverages named hereinabove, the burden of proof shall be upon him to establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the judge, court or jury trying the case that the beverage in question is not within the inhibition of the said statutes and that it is a beverage not prohibited by law to be manufactured, sold, offered for sale or otherwise disposed of.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Alabama Code 28-4-323

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) The same rule of evidence shall be applicable in all cases for the abatement of liquor nuisances and in all prosecutions for violations of statutes of the state for the suppression of the evils of intemperance when it becomes necessary to determine whether the liquor or beverage in question is a prohibited liquor or beverage.