Case Name: Frederick N. MITCHELL, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1975-08-15
Citations: 317 So. 2d 465
Docket Number: No. 74-646
Parties: Frederick N. MITCHELL, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee,
Judges: WALDEN, C. J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 317
Pages: 465–467

Head Matter:
Frederick N. MITCHELL, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee,
No. 74-646.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Aug. 15, 1975.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 18, 1975.
Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Martin H. Colin, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Stephen R. Koons, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
OWEN, Judge.
Appellant was convicted of breaking and entering a dwelling house with intent to commit a misdemeanor therein, to wit: petit larceny, contrary of Fla.Stat. § 810.05 (1973). The information charged that the dwelling house was the property of James Caris. The allegation of ownership in a prosecution for breaking and entering is material and must be proved as laid. Smith v. State, 96 Fla. 30, 117 So. 377 (1928); Stewart v. State, 122 So.2d 34 (2nd DCA Fla.1960). The only evidence which the State offered relative to this material allegation was the testimony of one Jeffrey Caris (who was in the dwelling at the time appellant committed the offense) to the effect that he lived in the house with his parents, brother, and sister, and that he lived there all of his life, seventeen years. This evidence is simply insufficient to prove the material allegation of ownership in James Caris, whose name was never mentioned and whose relationship, if any, to Jeffrey Caris was not shown by the record. It was error to deny appellant's motion for judgment of acquittal at the close of the State's case.
The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded with instructions to discharge appellant.
WALDEN, C. J., concurs.
MAGER, J., dissents, with opinion.