Court Opinion

ID: 9653105
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 17:38:52.201124+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:56.400389
License: Public Domain

PREWITT, Chief Judge,
concurring.
I believe that the information was sufficient to adequately advise defendant of the charge but I am compelled to concur by State v. Kesterson, 403 S.W.2d 606, 611 (Mo.1966). By alleging in the information that defendant obtained the property “by deceit, by misrepresenting that the defendant did not receive SSI benefits when, in fact, defendant had been and was presently receiving SSI benefits”, the information necessarily alleges reliance upon the misrepresentation.
In Kesterson the information was more general. It alleged that money was obtained “by means of deceit”, but did not set forth what the misrepresentation was. However, the opinion stated “that the information must charge that the victim relied on the misrepresentations with which defendant is charged.” I read it to require that this be specifically set forth in the information.
In view of present day discovery and procedures, I question whether such specificity should be required, but as the crime charged is basically the same now as it was at the time of Kesterson, and as a decision of the Missouri Supreme Court which this court must follow, I consider Kesterson controlling and reluctantly concur.