Opinion ID: 1109157
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the indictment sufficiently informed ike farris of the conspiracy charge against him.

Text: ¶ 27. Farris claims that the indictment against him was fatally flawed for lack of a concise description of the essential facts of each alleged offense. The indictment, in pertinent part, reads as follows: Beginning from on or about August 9, 1993, and continuing through November, 1996, in Forrest County, Mississippi, and elsewhere, GREGORY ALSTON, SCOTT MORGAN, AND IKE FARRIS, the Defendants herein, did willfully, knowingly, unlawfully, and feloniously conspire and agree together and with the late Chancery Judge William Robert Taylor, the late Charles Morgan, and with persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to cheat and defraud the conservatorship of Jack Diamond out of property and money in excess of $250.00 by means which are in themselves criminal, or which, if executed, would amount to a cheat, or to obtain money or any other property or thing by false pretense, in violations of MCA 97-1-1(d), as amended. The conduct described herein also constitutes the crime of Conspiracy to commit acts which are injurious to public morals, or for the perversion or obstruction of justice, or the due administration of the laws in violation of MCA 97-1-1(f). The scheme consisted of obtaining payment for fees and services which were not reasonable, necessary, or earned, including, but not limited to, attorneys fees, conservator fees, and fees for the Guardian ad litem. The scheme further included payments to Scott Morgan, his friends, family and relatives for services, including but not limited to security services, which were not reasonable, necessary or earned. The scheme also included demands by Judge Taylor for payment of money to him for which he was not entitled nor authorized by law to receive. ¶ 28. The polestar consideration to determine the sufficiency of an indictment is Rule 7.06 of the Mississippi Uniform Rules of Circuit and County Court Practice, which provides in pertinent part: 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. Formal and technical words are not necessary in an indictment, if the offense can be substantially described without them.... Harrison v. State, 722 So.2d 681, 686 (Miss.1998). So long as a fair reading of the indictment, taken as a whole, clearly describes the nature and cause of the charge against the accused, the indictment is legally sufficient. Id. at 687 (citing Henderson v. State, 445 So.2d 1364, 1368 (Miss.1984)). ¶ 29. The indictment in this case fairly placed Farris on notice that he was charged with conspiring with others to defraud the conservatorship of Jack Diamond. The time period was stated, four of the alleged co-conspirators were named, and the offense was clearly described. The indictment tracked the language of Miss.Code Ann. § 97-1-1(1994), and sufficiently notified Farris of the charge against him, thus enabling him to prepare a defense. This issue fails.