Opinion ID: 1093210
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: law i. did the trial court err in refusing to sustain appellant's demurrer to the indictment?

Text: Monk argues that his indictment failed to charge every material fact and essential element of the crime and, therefore, his demurrer to the indictment should have been sustained. [1] For this proposition he relies on Burchfield v. State, 277 So.2d 623 (Miss. 1973), which was decided prior to the adoption of the present rules and at a time when indictments were more closely scrutinized. Today the form as sufficiency of indictment is governed by Uniform Criminal Rules of Criminal Court 2.05: RULE 2.05 FORM OF THE INDICTMENT The indictment upon which the defendant is to be tried 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 against him. Formal or technical words are not necessary in an indictment, if the offense can be substantially described without them. An indictment shall also include the following: (1) The name of the accused; (2) The date on which the indictment was filed in each court; (3) A statement that the prosecution is brought in the name and by the authority of the State of Mississippi; (4) The county and judicial district in which the indictment is brought; (5) The date and if applicable the time, on which the offense was alleged to be committed. Failure to state the correct date shall not render the indictment insufficient; (6) The signature of the foreman of the grand jury issuing it; and (7) The words against the peace and dignity of the state. In the case of Harden v. State, 465 So.2d 321 (Miss. 1985), the defendant alleged that his indictment of attempted rape was defective for failing to allege an overt act. Id. at 323. This Court held that the indictment was not defective and stated the following: [R]ule 205 requires notification in fact of the nature of the charge against the defendant and out of what transaction or occurrence it has arisen. If an indictment reasonably provides the accused this actual notice and includes the seven specific items enumerated in the rule, it is sufficient. Jones v. State, 461 So.2d 686, 693-694 (Miss. 1984); Thames v. State, 454 So.2d 486, 487 (Miss. 1984); Henderson v. State, 445 So.2d 1364, (Miss. 1984). [Emphasis original] Id. at 324. This indictment did contain the seven items enumerated in Rule 2.05. Consequently, the trial court did not err in failing to sustain Monk's demurrer. Moreover, Monk's sentence to life imprisonment by the jury cured any complaint that he was not sufficiently charged with capital murder. See Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-19(2)(f) (1972).