Opinion ID: 1203175
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: ABHAN as lesser included offense

Text: Knox was indicted for second degree lynching for beating the victim with a stick in concert with two others. He pled guilty to ABHAN. He now contends ABHAN is not a lesser included offense of second degree lynching and therefore the trial court had no jurisdiction to accept the plea. We agree. Subject matter jurisdiction may be raised at any time. Johnson v. State, 319 S.C. 62, 459 S.E.2d 840 (1995). The trial court lacks subject matter jurisdiction to accept a plea unless: (1) there is an indictment that sufficiently states the offense, (2) the defendant has waived indictment, or (3) the plea is to a lesser included offense of the crime charged in the indictment. Carter v. State, 329 S.C. 355, 495 S.E.2d 773 (1998); Browning v. State, 320 S.C. 366, 465 S.E.2d 358 (1995). The test for determining when a crime is a lesser included offense is whether the greater of the two offenses includes all the elements of the lesser offense. Id. ABHAN is therefore a lesser included offense of second degree lynching only if second degree lynching contains all the elements of ABHAN. Second degree lynching is defined as any act of violence inflicted by a mob upon the body of another person and from which death does not result. S.C.Code Ann. § 16-3-220 (1985). A mob is the assemblage of two or more persons, without color or authority of law, for the premeditated purpose and with the premeditated intent of committing an act of violence upon the person of another. S.C.Code Ann. § 16-3-230 (1985). ABHAN is an unlawful act of violent injury to another person accompanied by circumstances of aggravation. State v. Easier, 327 S.C. 121, 489 S.E.2d 617 (1997). Circumstances of aggravation is an element of ABHAN not included in second degree lynching. The State argues, however, that second degree lynching does include two circumstances of aggravation that may establish ABHAN, the intent to commit a felony or the infliction of serious injury. See State v. Frazier, 302 S.C. 500, 397 S.E.2d 93 (1990). [2] This argument is without merit. A lesser offense is included in the greater only if each of its elements is always a necessary element of the greater offense. State v. Easier, supra . Since there are other circumstances of aggravation to establish ABHAN that are not included in the definition of second degree lynching, ABHAN is not a lesser included offense. Id. Accordingly, the trial court had no subject matter jurisdiction to accept Knox's plea to ABHAN.