Opinion ID: 1924358
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: whether the trial court erred in overruling montana's demurrer to the indictment.

Text: ¶ 36. Montana was indicted under Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-19(1)(b), which provides: (1) The killing of a human being without the authority of law by any means or in any manner shall be murder in the following cases:       (b) When done in the commission of an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved heart, regardless of human life, although without any premeditated design to effect the death of any particular individual. ¶ 37. The indictment against Montana tracked the statutory language of § 97-3-19(b), but omitted the words although without any premeditated design to effect the death of any particular individual. The indictment charged: That JOSEPH SCOTT MONTANA ... on or about April 5, 1999, did wilfully, feloniously and without the authority of law kill and murder Rashad Holloway, a human being, while he, the said Joseph Scott Montana, was engaged in the commission of shooting into an occupied vehicle with a pistol, an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved heart, regardless of human life,... ¶ 38. Montana filed a demurrer to the indictment, arguing lack of premeditated design is an essential element, the omission of which renders the indictment fatally flawed. On appeal, Montana contends that the trial court erred in overruling the demurrer. ¶ 39. This argument is without merit. Though it is a well-established principle of law that to be sufficient an indictment must contain the essential elements of the crime charged, the lack of premeditated design is not an essential element of the offense of depraved-heart murder. Stated otherwise, the State is not required to prove lack of premeditated design in order to convict a defendant pursuant to § 97-3-19(1)(b). ¶ 40. As provided in Rule 7.06 of the Uniform Circuit and County Court Rules, an indictment shall be a plain, concise and definite written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged and shall fully notify the defendant of the nature and cause of the accusation. Formal and technical words are not necessary in an indictment, if the offense can be substantially described without them. The indictment against Montana tracks the language of § 97-3-19(1)(b), states the essential facts, and fully notified him of the nature and cause of the accusation. We find no error in the trial court's determination to overrule the demurrer.