Opinion ID: 1096632
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Irregularities in the copy of the citation/affidavit

Text: ¶ 21. Palmer's argument again boils down to whether there was substantial compliance by the officer in the administration of the citation. Palmer asserts that the copy of the citation that he received was different than the original filed citation. He cites to three irregularities, two of which he admits are of relatively insignificance [3] and one that is substantial. Significantly, Palmer received a copy of citation that had a blank space or no BAC reading under subsection C of the citation. He contends that at a minimum this Court should reverse and remand as to the conviction and exclude the intoxilyzer test result. The State argues that Palmer has never asserted that he did not know with what offense he was charged and all proceedings were based upon the original ticket at the arraignment, the municipal court and the circuit court. ¶ 22. Indeed, Officer Sockwell admitted that the copy of the citation that he served upon Palmer did not have the .127 BAC result. Officer Sockwell merely checked block A and C on the citation served upon Palmer. However, Officer Sockwell also testified that he explained the test to Palmer that night and told him his test result. ¶ 23. Palmer relies in part upon Edwards v. State, 800 So.2d 454, 461 (Miss. 2001), a case dealing with statutory construction of burglary of a business as opposed to a dwelling. In Edwards, this Court stated: This Court in Reining v. State, 606 So.2d 1098, 1103 (Miss.1992), provided guidance in cases involving criminal statutes as follows: Although a statute imposing criminal penalties must be strictly construed in favor of the accused, it should not be so strict as to override common sense or statutory purpose. United States v. Brown, 333 U.S. 18, 25, 68 S.Ct. 376, 380, 92 L.Ed. 442, 448 (1948); see also State v. Burnham, 546 So.2d 690, 692 (Miss.1989). Strict construction means reasonable construction. State v. Martin, 495 So.2d 501, 502 (Miss. 1986). This Court has held that the test concerning statutory construction is whether a person of ordinary intelligence would, by reading the statute, receive fair notice of that which is required or forbidden. Burnham, 546 So.2d at 692; Roberson v. State, 501 So.2d 398, 400 (Miss.1987); Cassibry v. State, 404 So.2d 1360, 1368 (Miss. 1981). 800 So.2d at 461. Miss.Code Ann. § 63-9-21(3)(b) and (c) and § 63-9-21(6)(2001) state: (b) The traffic ticket, citation or affidavit which is issued to a person arrested for a violation of the Mississippi Implied Consent Law shall be uniform throughout all jurisdictions in the State of Mississippi. It shall contain a place for the trial judge hearing the case or accepting the guilty plea, as the case may be, to sign, stating that the person arrested either employed an attorney or waived his right to an attorney after having been properly advised of his right to have an attorney. If the person arrested employed an attorney, the name, address and telephone number of the attorney shall be written on the ticket, citation or affidavit. (c) Every traffic ticket shall show, among other necessary information, the name of the issuing officer, the name of the court in which the cause is to be heard, and the date and time such person is to appear to answer the charge. The ticket shall include information which will constitute a complaint charging the offense for which the ticket was issued, and when duly sworn to and filed with a court of competent jurisdiction, prosecution may proceed thereunder. (6) The original traffic ticket, unless the traffic ticket is filed electronically as provided under subsection (8) of this section, shall be delivered by the officer issuing the traffic ticket to the clerk of the court to which it is returnable to be retained in that court's records and the number noted on the docket. The officer issuing the traffic ticket shall also give the accused a copy of the traffic ticket. The clerk of the court shall file a copy with the State Auditor within forty-five (45) days after judgment is rendered showing the amount of the fine and cost or, in cases in which no judgment has been rendered, within one hundred twenty (120) days after issuance of the ticket. Other copies that are prescribed by the State Auditor pursuant to this section shall be filed or retained as may be designated by the State Auditor. All copies shall be retained for at least two (2) years. (emphasis added). Palmer argues that the statute requires that a copy of the information comprising a complaint, and that pursuant to § 63-9-21(6) the original ticket, are filed and the accused is given a copy of the ticket. ¶ 24. The ticket that Palmer received had the following pertinent part under section (c): [] Having an alcohol concentration of two one-hundredths percent. (.02%) or more for persons who are below the legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages under state law, to wit: _______%. While Palmer did not have an exact BAC reading listed on the copy of the citation that he received, we find that he nevertheless was aware that the second portion of Section C, concerning the BAC level allowable for individuals under the legal age to purchase alcohol, was checked by the officer. The exact BAC level was not indicated but it is clear that Palmer had to have a level above .02% to be cited for the violation. As stated in Edwards, 800 So.2d at 461, while a criminal statute that imposes a penalty is strictly construed it is not so strictly construed as to be devoid of common sense or statutory purpose. An ordinary person who reads the citation would have notice of the type of forbidden behavior. In addition, Miss.Code Ann. § 63-9-21(3)(c) provides that a ticket have adequate information which will constitute a complaint from which prosecution may proceed whereas § 63-9-21(6) provides that the ticket must be filed and a copy given to an accused. Palmer's argument is strained. Palmer was provided a copy of the ticket prior to leaving the detention center. Under Palmer's argument any accused would have to wait at a detention center or jail until such time as the clerk's office is open to file the ticket and then give a copy to the accused. Theoretically, a person arrested for a DUI on Friday night would then have to wait in jail until Monday morning when the clerk's office opens to receives his filed copy of the ticket. We find that this argument does not reflect the intent of Miss.Code Ann. § 63-9-21 when read as a whole. Accordingly, this issue is without merit.