Opinion ID: 1598202
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: trial court acted properly by reducing charge to attempted bribery and continuing with trial

Text: At the close of the State's case, Null moved to dismiss because of the prosecution's failure to prove a prima facie case establishing bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery. Vogel also moved to dismiss both counts for the reason that the State failed to introduce evidence on each and every element. The trial court took the motions under advisement after indicating that it was inclined to agree that the bribery charge would probably go out the window because of the lack of evidence showing that Mayor Goodman had actually been influenced in some fashion by Null or Vogel. The trial court stated that the lesser-included offense of attempted bribery still remained. Ultimately, the trial court submitted the case to the jury on the basis of attempted bribery as a lesser-included offense over Null's objections. Null argued that the case had been tried before the jury on the issue of bribery. He therefore urges that to have it changed by the trial court to attempted bribery was a disadvantage because he was far more likely to be convicted of attempted bribery than bribery. Null assigns as error the trial court's reduction of the felony bribery charge to attempted bribery as a lesser-included offense and continuance of the trial. Null's argument is premised on Neb.Rev.Stat. § 29-2018 (Reissue 1989). Section 29-2018 provides: When it shall appear at any time before the verdict that a mistake has been made in charging the proper offense, the accused shall not be discharged if there appears to be good cause to detain him in custody; but the court must recognize him to answer to the offense on the first day of the next term of such court, and shall, if necessary, likewise recognize the witnesses to appear and testify. Section 29-2018 permits a trial judge to discharge a defendant or recognize him to appear at the next term of court in the event of a formal defect in the information which cannot be remedied in conformity with the evidence. See State v. Kendall, 38 Neb. 817, 57 N.W. 525 (1894). Null argues that the trial court was required to drop the charge and recognize him to answer to the offense of attempted bribery at its next term. In State v. Foster, 230 Neb. 607, 433 N.W.2d 167 (1988), we addressed the question of what happens when the State fails to submit enough evidence to make a prima facie case for the crime charged. In Foster, the defendant argued that the trial court must direct a verdict as a matter of law. We disagreed and held that where the State fails to demonstrate a prima facie case on the crime charged, but does so on a lesser-included offense, the trial court in its discretion may direct a verdict on the crime charged and submit the evidence to the trier of fact for consideration on the lesser-included offense. To constitute a lesser-included offense, the elements of the lesser offense must be such that it is impossible to commit the greater without at the same time having committed the lesser. State v. White, 244 Neb. 577, 508 N.W.2d 554 (1993); State v. Williams, 243 Neb. 959, 503 N.W.2d 561 (1993). In determining whether a lesser offense is indeed a lesser-included one, a court initially does not look to the evidence in a particular case, but looks only to the elements of the criminal offense. It is the duty of the trial court to instruct the jury as to the law applicable to the case. White, supra . The trial court may instruct a jury, over a defendant's objection, on any lesser-included offenses supported by the evidence and the pleadings. Id.; State v. Pribil, 224 Neb. 28, 395 N.W.2d 543 (1986). The trial court acted properly by continuing with trial and by instructing the jury on the lesser-included offense of attempted bribery.