Opinion ID: 2544268
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Facts of Substantial Step

Text: The problem is further compounded by the State's failure to allege facts to support the substantial step element of the crime. [A] charging document must allege sufficient facts to support every element of the crime charged. State v. Leach, 113 Wash.2d 679, 688, 782 P.2d 552 (1989). A statement of the acts constituting the offense is just as important and essential as the other requirements of the information, such as the title of the action and the names of the parties. State v. Royse, 66 Wash.2d 552, 557, 403 P.2d 838 (1965). The failure to do so is ground for reversal. Leach, 113 Wash.2d at 688, 782 P.2d 552; Royse, 66 Wash.2d at 557, 403 P.2d 838; State v. Unosawa, 29 Wash.2d 578, 188 P.2d 104 (1948); Leonard v. Territory, 2 Wash. Terr. 381, 391, 7 P. 872 (1885). In Leach the charging document notified the defendant he was accused of committing public indecency under former RCW 9A.88.010 (1975). 113 Wash.2d at 684, 782 P.2d 552. The cited statute defines both misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenses, but the complaint did not specify whether the State sought a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor conviction and it omitted the year of birth of one of the alleged victims. Id. Thus, the defendant was not put on notice that one of his victims was under the age of 14. Had he been provided with that information, he would have been able to determine that he was charged with a gross misdemeanor. The defendant appealed on the grounds that his information was constitutionally defective for failure to allege the essential elements of the charged crime. Id. Reviewing the case law supporting the essential elements rule, Leach determined that in addition to adequately identifying the crime charged, a charging document also must allege facts supporting each element of the offense. Id. at 687-89, 782 P.2d 552. Thus, the court held the district court complaint was constitutionally defective and affirmed dismissal of the defendant's public indecency conviction. Id. at 691, 782 P.2d 552. Similarly in Royse, this court reversed the conviction of a defendant accused of second degree assault with the intent to commit a felony, where the information did not specify the felony he allegedly intended to commit, did not list its necessary elements, and did not allege sufficient facts to put the defendant on notice of the attempt charge. 66 Wash.2d at 553, 403 P.2d 838. The defendant had moved repeatedly to require the State to elect which felony or felonies the defendant was charged with having intent to commit, but the trial court had denied the motion. Id. at 554, 403 P.2d 838. On appeal, the defendant argued it was prejudicial error for the trial court to deny the defendant's motion because it was impossible to prepare a defense when he did not know what felony he was defending against. Id. at 555, 403 P.2d 838. This court agreed, emphasizing the lack of factual allegations that would have enabled the defendant to prepare his defense, stating: This court has many times approved the statement by Judge Dunbar to the effect that the information must state the acts constituting the offense in ordinary and concise language, not the name of the offense, but the statement of the acts constituting the offense is just as important and essential as the other requirements of the information, such as the title of the action and the names of the parties. Id. at 557, 403 P.2d 838. In Unosawa this court reversed a manslaughter conviction, where the information failed to inform the defendant of one of the essential elements of manslaughter even though the defendant was charged additionally with committing an illegal abortion and the omitted element was alleged as one of the necessary elements of the abortion charge. 29 Wash.2d at 586, 188 P.2d 104. The dissent argued that in view of the abortion charge the defendant had notice of the omitted element of the manslaughter charge. Id. at 594, 188 P.2d 104 (Hill, J., dissenting in part). The majority disagreed, holding: [T]he common understanding rule cannot be applied in any case, unless and until it is first determined that the information itself does charge a crime. The facts stated in count No. 2 of the information, as amended, do not charge the crime of manslaughter, and appellant's motion in arrest of judgment, as to this count, should have been granted. Id. at 589, 188 P.2d 104. Finally, Leonard reversed a first degree murder conviction where the indictment which charged the assault and shooting to have been done purposely and of deliberate and premeditated malice but did not aver the killing itself to have been done purposely and of deliberate and premeditated malice and therefore did not charge the crime conformably to the definition of the statute. 2 Wash. Terr. at 391, 7 P. 872 In the current case the charging document suffered from deficiencies similar to those in the above cited cases. Not only did the State fail to allege an essential element of the attempt charge against Borrero, but it also failed to provide factual allegations that would support this element. Thus, the appropriate remedy is a reversal of Borrero's conviction for attempted murder. Leach, 113 Wash.2d at 688, 782 P.2d 552; Royse, 66 Wash.2d at 557, 403 P.2d 838; Unosawa, 29 Wash.2d at 589, 188 P.2d 104; and Leonard, 2 Wash. Terr. at 391, 7 P. 872.