Opinion ID: 2232432
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Charging Information

Text: McCune argues that the information against him should have been dismissed because, he claims, it shows neither that the act alleged was unlawful nor that there was a causal relationship between McCune's act and Pirtle's death. The charging words of the information read: MICHAEL BOLANDER, being duly sworn upon his oath, says that: On or about the 2nd day of June, 1983, in Madison County, State of Indiana, MICHAEL JAY McCUNE did knowingly kill Tony M. Pirtle, by stabbing Tony M. Pirtle with a sharp metal object. ALL OF WHICH IS CONTRARY to the form of the statutes in such cases made and provided, to-wit: I.C. XX-XX-X-X(1) and against the peace and dignity of the State of Indiana. The form of a charging information is governed by Ind. Code § 35-34-1-2 (Burns 1985 Repl.). The document must set forth, among other things not relevant here, the title of the action, the name of the offense, the statutory provision alleged to have been violated, the date and place of the offense, and the nature and elements of the alleged offense. An information must be sufficiently clear to protect the accused from subsequent prosecution for the same offense and to apprise him of the character of the charge against him so that he may intelligently prepare a defense. Dorsey v. State (1970), 254 Ind. 409, 260 N.E.2d 800; Banks v. U.S. (1956), 140 F. Supp. 837. McCune cannot show the document was deficient in this regard. Furthermore, his specific arguments that the information does not allege an unlawful killing and that no causal relationship is shown are without merit. First, the information against him clearly alleged an unlawful homicide. The offense named in the caption of the information is murder, which is stated in the information to be contrary to the statute and to the peace and dignity of the State. Second, it is not debatable that the causal relationship between McCune's alleged act and Pirtle's death is shown by the words McCune did ... kill ... Pirtle ... by stabbing ... with a sharp metal object. The trial judge properly denied McCune's motion to dismiss the information.