Opinion ID: 2073792
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Adequacy of Burglary Information and Instructions

Text: Stwalley claims that the State did not properly charge him. The information charging burglary alleged that Stwalley broke and entered the victim's home with intent to commit a felony. The information did not specify the felony intended and therefore was insufficient. Reed v. State (1982), Ind., 438 N.E.2d 704; Bays v. State (1959), 240 Ind. 37, 159 N.E.2d 393. Any challenge to the sufficiency of an information, however, must be made by motion to dismiss prior to arraignment. Otherwise, any error in that regard is waived. Carter v. State (1984), Ind., 467 N.E.2d 694. Inasmuch as Stwalley failed to object to the information before appeal, he has waived that error. He claims the error is fundamental and asks that we ignore the procedural default and address the merits. To rise to the level of fundamental error, the mistake must constitute a clearly blatant violation of basic and elementary principles and the harm or potential for harm therefrom must be substantial and appear prospectively. Wright v. State (1985), Ind., 474 N.E.2d 89. While the intended felony was not specified in the information, the burglary count was accompanied by the child molesting and rape charges. Child molesting and rape were separately defined as felonies in both the information and jury instructions. Both the rape and child molesting charges arose from the same act of felonious intercourse, the only criminal conduct charged aside from the burglary. Circumstantial and direct evidence showed that he broke and entered the home with the intent to commit a rape. Under these circumstances, the harm to Stwalley caused by the insufficient burglary information was not substantial. Stwalley also contends the jury was not instructed that there must be a specific intent to commit a particular felony within the dwelling. Over his objection, the trial court instructed the jury that the State must prove that the defendant (1) broke and entered (2) the building or structure of another (3) with intent to commit a felony in it. In Blackmon v. State (1983), Ind., 455 N.E.2d 586, the final burglary instructions also failed to specify the intended felony. On direct appeal, Blackmon argued that omission rendered the instructions insufficient, as they failed to inform the jury that specific intent to commit a felony within the structure was required. He characterized this as a failure to state each element of the offense charged. We held that burglary instructions may sufficiently state the elements of burglary without defining the intended felony, relying on the well-established rule that the trial court has the discretion to determine whether to give an instruction including definitions. Id. at 589. The holding in Blackmon disposes of Stwalley's claim.