Opinion ID: 1324937
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Defendant argues that since the State's evidence showed that he participated in the kidnapping of Gamboa in Buncombe County, and the murder in Ashe County, Buncombe County is without jurisdiction in the murder case. In support of his argument, defendant erroneously relies on State v. Randolph, 312 N.C. 198, 321 S.E.2d 864 (1984). In Randolph, defendants contended that the trial court erred when it refused to dismiss the indictments against them for kidnapping and larceny. Although defendants were indicted by the Wake County Grand Jury, the indictments alleged that the crimes were committed in Cumberland County. We held that the indictments were fatally flawed since a grand jury has jurisdiction to indict only for crimes alleged to have occurred in its own county. On the authority of Randolph, we arrested judgments entered on indictments for first-degree sexual offense and rape where the indictments were returned by the Stanly County Grand Jury but alleged that the offenses occurred in Mecklenburg County. State v. Paige and Lowery, 316 N.C. 630, 343 S.E.2d 848 (1986). We so held because the indictments show on their face that the grand jury which returned them lacked jurisdiction over the offenses charged. Id. at ___, 343 S.E.2d at 854. In the instant case, the indictments returned by the Buncombe County Grand Jury in both the murder and kidnapping cases alleged that the crimes occurred in Buncombe County. Therefore, the indictments are valid on their face. Id. The problem arises here since the indictment alleges that the murder occurred in Buncombe County, but the evidence tends to show that the victim was actually pushed into the mine shaft in Ashe County. We must therefore determine whether a fatal variance exists between the allegations in the indictment and the proof at trial. Defendant was charged with and convicted of first-degree murder on the theory of felony murder. A necessary element of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule is the underlying felony. See State v. Rinck, 303 N.C. 551, 280 S.E.2d 912 (1981); State v. Hutchins, 303 N.C. 321, 279 S.E.2d 788 (1981). The underlying felony, kidnapping, undisputably took place in Buncombe County. Thus, a necessary element of the murder took place in Buncombe County. Under the law of determining jurisdiction as between states, jurisdiction lies in this state if any of the essential acts forming the crime take place in this state. See N.C.G.S. § 15-131; N.C.G.S. § 15-132; see also State v. Goldberg, 261 N.C. 181, 134 S.E.2d 334 (1964). This same rationale extends to jurisdiction of the county grand jury to indict. Since the indictment alleges that the murder occurred in Buncombe County and the evidence disclosed that the kidnapping, an essential element of the crime, occurred in Buncombe County, there was no fatal variance between the allegations in the indictment and the proof at trial. Thus we reject defendant's jurisdictional challenge to the indictment.