Opinion ID: 1421674
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: did the court of appeals err when it reinstated the first-degree murder charge based on the grand jury indictment?

Text: Appellant was charged with first-degree murder. A.R.S. § 13-1105. Pursuant to 17 A.R.S. Rules of Criminal Procedure, rule 2.2(b), the state elected to commence prosecution by way of a complaint and preliminary hearing. At the hearing, a justice of the peace found probable cause to bind the appellant over for trial, but amended the state's information to charge only second-degree murder. Dissatisfied with this amendment, the state responded by seeking a first-degree murder indictment from the grand jury. After obtaining this indictment, the state filed a motion to dismiss the second-degree murder complaint. The trial court dismissed the grand jury indictment charging first-degree murder and ruled that the state must prosecute under the second-degree murder charge filed first. The state sought interlocutory review with the court of appeals. The court of appeals held for the state. It ordered the trial court to reinstate the first-degree murder indictment and to dismiss the complaint charging second-degree murder. The appellate court held that the grand jury indictment for first-degree murder controlled. The court reasoned that a grand jury indictment may be returned at any time before trial and, where the indictment is subsequent to a prior complaint, the indictment will supersede that complaint. Further, the court of appeals held that the complaint should have been dismissed since it was not within the power of the justice of the peace to amend the state's information in this fashion. Appellant's claims of double jeopardy, in this context, were also found to be without merit. State v. Sup. Ct., 137 Ariz. 534, 672 P.2d 199 (1983). Appellant, sought review of this decision by special action to this court. We declined to accept jurisdiction and appellant was subsequently tried for first-degree murder. Appellant now contends that the court of appeals erred in ordering the trial court to reinstate the grand jury indictment for first-degree murder. We do not agree with appellant's contentions. The court of appeals properly decided these issues and we approve its reasoning.