Opinion ID: 1889713
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of counts one and three of the indictment

Text: Tomlin did not file his demurrer to the indictment until after the jury was empaneled. By appearing and entering a plea at his arraignment, the petitioner waived any irregularities in the indictment unless the indictment was so defective that it left the accused unaware of the nature and cause of the charges against him. Canada v. State, 421 So.2d 140, 145 (Ala.Cr.App. 1982). Omitting the formal parts of the indictment, count one charges that Tomlin: ... did unlawfully, and with malice aforethought kill Richard Brune and Cheryl Moore by, towit: On January 2, 1977, at a location on or near Interstate 10 in Mobile County, Alabama, was shot with a gun, [sic] in violation of Act Number 213, Section 2, Sub-Section J (Act # 213, § 2(j)), Acts of Alabama, Regular Session, 1975, against the peace and dignity of the State of Alabama. Petitioner's contention that count one charged no more than first degree murder of two persons is not well taken. The capital murder statute does require that the victim be killed by one or a series of acts, an allegation omitted from count one of the indictment. The omission did not, however, leave the defendant unaware of the nature and cause of the charge against him in light of the reference to the death penalty statute by act number in each count of the indictment. Count three alleged, in pertinent part, that Tomlin: ... did unlawfully, intentionally, and with malice aforethought kill Richard Brune and Cheryl Moore, by shooting them with a gun, wherein both Richard Brune and Cheryl Moore were intentionally killed by PHILLIP WAYNE TOMLIN by one or a series of acts, in violation of Act Number 213, Section 2, Sub-Section J (Act # 213, § 2(j)) and Act Number 213, Section 6, Sub-Section H (Act # 213, § 6(h)), Acts of Alabama, Regular Session, 1975, in that said killings were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel.... Count three was, if anything, overinclusive. We disagree with petitioner's argument that the State failed to prove that the murders were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel. The State introduced evidence that Tomlin had planned to kill Ricky Brune for over nine months. He traveled from Texas to Mobile with a hit man for the express purpose of carrying out his plan to kill Brune. Tomlin and Daniels apparently gained entry into the back seat of Brune's car, and then shot not only Brune but also his fifteen-year-old companion in the back with a shotgun and a pistol. We are not inclined to rule as a matter of law that the murders were not especially heinous, atrocious or cruel.