Court Opinion

ID: 9570522
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:23:59.325989+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:05:41.193813
License: Public Domain

COPELAND, Justice.
Under the second question presented for review by the defendant he contends there exists a fatal variance between the date of the conspiracy alleged in the indictment, 12 December 1980, and the date of the conspiracy as shown by the State’s evidence at trial. Such a variance, the defendant argues, in light of defendant’s alibi defense, is prejudicial. We agree that the variance between the date alleged in the indictment and the date shown by the evidence at trial prejudiced defendant’s ability to present a defense to the charge of conspiring to commit larceny.
The bill of indictment alleges that “on or about the 12th day of December, 1980, in Catawba County Loran Richard Christopher, Jr. unlawfully and wilfully did feloniously agree, plan, combine, conspire and confederate with Johnny McCracken . . .” to commit felonious larceny from Mom and Pop’s Smokehouse, Inc. The indictment was undoubtedly based primarily on the statements of Johnny McCracken who admitted to stealing the ham from Mom and Pop’s Smokehouse, Inc. In a statement to the police Johnny McCracken stated that on or about 14 December 1980 he stole the hams.
As a result of the indictment and Johnny McCracken’s statement the defendant prepared his defense for trial in a manner designed to explain via an alibi the impossibility of his involvement in a conspiracy on 12 December 1980 and a theft two days later on 14 December 1980. However, at trial the State did not offer evidence that any criminal activity took place on or about 12 December 1980. Instead the State’s chief witness, McCracken, testified that the hams were taken from Mom and Pop’s Smokehouse, Inc. sometime after Christmas. As for his testimony concerning the conspiracy McCracken could be no more specific than to say he had conversations with the defendant sometime in October or November and in December. McCracken failed to pinpoint even one specific date on which the planned larceny was discussed or carried out. As a result, the defendant came to trial *649prepared to defend his innocence of a crime alleged to have happened around 12 December 1980 and was forced to defend his innocence of a crime which might have occurred over a three months period from October 1980 to January 1981.
In State v. Trippe, 222 N.C. 600, 24 S.E. 2d 340 (1943), this Court held that when the date alleged in the indictment is not of the essence of the offense charged a “variance between allegation and proof as to time is not material where no statute of limitations is involved.” 222 N.C. at 601, 24 S.E. 2d at 341; State v. Whittemore, 255 N.C. 583, 122 S.E. 2d 396 (1961). In State v. Trippe, 222 N.C. 600, 24 S.E. 2d 340, the defendant was charged with carnal knowledge of a female under sixteen years of age. For such a crime the date of the act was not essential so long as it was proven that the victim was under the age of sixteen and had no prior sexual behavior.
Much like the crime in State v. Trippe, 222 N.C. 600, 24 S.E. 2d 340, the date of the crime of conspiracy to commit larceny is “not of the essence of the offense charged.” State v. Trippe, 222 N.C. 600, 601, 24 S.E. 2d 340, 341. The crime of conspiracy is complete when there is a meeting of the minds and no overt act is necessary. State v. Gallimore, 272 N.C. 528, 158 S.E. 2d at 505 (1968). Although the crime of conspiracy is to be completed upon a meeting of the minds, it may be a continuing crime which extends over a period of years. State v. Brewer, 258 N.C. 533, 129 S.E. 2d 262 (1962).
Even though the date in the indictment for crimes like conspiracy is not ordinarily material, to have a rule that allows the State to prove a different date at trial, “cannot be used to ensnare a defendant and thereby deprive him of an opportunity to adequately present his defense.” State v. Whittemore, 255 N.C. 583, 592, 122 S.E. 2d 396, 403 (1961).
In State v. Whittemore, supra, the State presented evidence during its case in chief that the crime was committed on the date alleged in the indictment. Defendant then presented an alibi defense for the date alleged in the indictment. After defendant rested his case the State presented rebuttal evidence tending to show the crime occurred on a date different from the date alleged in the indictment or shown by the State during its case in chief. In Whittemore the defendant was clearly disadvantaged because *650he was misled by the indictment and the State’s evidence as to the dates of the alleged crime. The result being that the State was able to present alternative dates for the crime without allowing defendant an opportunity to defend his innocence as to those dates.
Although the defendant in the case sub judice has not been prejudiced in the same manner as the defendant in Whittemore, to-wit, not being allowed to explain the alternative dates, the defendant before us was nonetheless prejudiced. The wide ranging discrepancies between the indictment and the State’s evidence at trial forced this defendant to explain conversations and actions with a long time acquaintance which in some instances were more than a month from the date alleged in the indictment. The result is a trial by ambush.
We are not unmindful that conspiracy offenses are ongoing crimes which may encompass many months. However, conspiracy crimes may be of very short duration covering less than one day. The indictment suggests the conspiracy occurred on 12 December 1980 and the defense was prepared in the light of this date. However, at trial the State ignored the indictment date and offered vague evidence that the conspiracy occurred over a three months period. The vague testimony of Johnny McCracken left the jury with the impression that this conspiracy began sometime in October or November of 1980 but no specific day, week or even month could be recalled.
As a result of the State’s “bait and switch” routine the defendant was forced to defend his actions over a period of time much greater than the time specified in the indictment. Such a disparity in the dates alleged and the dates supported by the evidence at trial, considering the weak testimony offered by the State, leads to prejudicial error. We therefore grant defendant a new trial on his conviction of conspiring to commit larceny.
The defendant’s other assignments of error will not likely recur at retrial and will not be discussed.
The decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed and this case remanded to that Court for remand to the Superior Court, Catawba County for a new trial on the charge of conspiring to commit larceny.
*651Reversed and remanded.
Justice Martin did not participate in the consideration or decision of this case.