Opinion ID: 1887553
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the trial court committed reversible error by allowing the state of mississippi to make a substantive amendment to the indictment herein without further action of the grand jury

Text: ¶ 10. The case against Miller was initiated with the following indictment: Joshua Charles Miller did wilfully, unlawfully, feloniously without authority of law and of his malice aforethought, kill and murder one Kristen Aultman, a human being, contrary to and in violation of Section 97-3-19 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended; against the peace and dignity of the State of Mississippi. ¶ 11. Upon motion by the State, the indictment was amended to read: Joshua Charles Miller did wilfully, unlawfully, feloniously without authority of law and by his deliberate design to effect the death of the person killed, or of any human being, and the defendant did shoot, kill and murder one Kristin Aultman, a human being by shooting her with a shotgun, contrary to and in violation of Section 97-3-19(1)(a) of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended; against the peace and dignity of the State of Mississippi. ¶ 12. The trial court granted the State's motion to amend, finding the change in the indictment was one of form and not substance. Miller argues the trial court erred in finding the change in the indictment was not a substantive change. ¶ 13. An indictment may not be amended to change the nature of the charge, except by action of the grand jury which returned the indictment. Greenlee v. State, 725 So.2d 816, 819 (Miss.1998) (citing Akins v. State, 493 So.2d 1321, 1322 (Miss.1986) (citing Jones v. State, 279 So.2d 650, 651 (Miss.1973))). Amendment of the indictment is permissible if the change is to the form of the indictment and not to the substance. Greenlee at 821. (citing Rhymes v. State, 638 So.2d 1270, 1275 (Miss.1994)). It is well settled in this state ... that a change in the indictment is permissible if it does not materially alter facts which are the essence of the offense on the face of the indictment as it originally stood or materially alter a defense to the indictment as it originally stood so as to prejudice the defendant's case. Greenlee at 821 (quoting Wilson v. State, 574 So.2d 1324, 1333 (Miss.1990) (quoting Ellis v. State, 469 So.2d 1256, 1258 (Miss. 1985) (quoting Shelby v. State, 246 So.2d 543, 545 (Miss.1971)))). The test for whether an amendment to the indictment will prejudice the defense is whether the defense as it originally stood would be equally available after the amendment is made. Greenlee at 822 (citing Griffin v. State, 584 So.2d 1274, 1276 (Miss.1991)). ¶ 14. The changes to the indictment sought by the State in the case sub judice are the same changes sought by the State in Greenlee. In Greenlee, we held those changes were to the form and not to the substance of the indictment. See Greenlee at 822. Miller cannot credibly claim he did not know for what crime he was to be tried, nor can Miller claim the amendment did not afford him an opportunity to prepare and present a proper defense. This assignment has no merit.