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State v. Cooper

STATE v. HAMP B. COOPER

State v. Cooper, 204 P. 204 (Idaho 1922)
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Court
Idaho Supreme Court · State Highest Courts
Decided
February 13, 1922
Judges
Budge, Dunn, Lee, McCarthy, Rice
Citations
204 P. 20435 Idaho 731922 Ida. LEXIS 6
Disposition
Reversed and remanded.
Headnotes
Criminal Law — Information Charging More Than One Offense — ■ Demurrer. Where an information charges more than one offense, contrary to the provisions of the statute, the action of the court in overruling a demurrer thereto, on the ground of duplicity in the in-' formation, is error.
Summary
APPEAL from tbe District Court of the Third Judicial District, for Ada County. Hon. Charles F. Reddoeh, Judge. Defendant was convicted of having' in his ■ possession intoxicating liquor. Provisions concerning indictments are applicable to informations. (C. S., see. 8812.) .The indictment must charge but one offense. (C. S., secs. 8829, 8870.) C. S., sec. 2642, permitting the prosecuting attorney to include in his information more than one offense under the laws of this state relating to the sale of intoxicating liquor refers only to offenses committed in making sales of intoxicating liquor and cannot be enlarged to include other offenses against the prohibition law. (State v. Bilboa, 33 Ida. 128, 190 Pac. 248.) The demurrer to the information was well taken and failure to sustain the same was error. (State v. Bilboa, supra; State v. Mall, 33 Ida. 135, 190 Pac. 251.) Where an information states two offenses, the error, if any, may be cured by the court’s action in compelling the state to elect at the close of the state’s case or before the defense has opened its case. (State v. Mall, 33 Ida. 135, 190 Pac, 251; State v. Bilboa, 33 Ida. 128, 190 Pae. 248; State v. Gomes, 9 Kan. App. 63, 57 Pac. 262; Moss v. State, 3 Ala. App. 189, 58 So. 62; State v. Miller, 263 Mo. 326, 172, S. W. 385; State v. Poull, 14 N. D. 557, 105 N. W. 717; State v. Poly, 128 Minn. 187, Ann. Cas. 1915D, 360, 150 N. W. 793; State v. Harris, 51 Mont. 496, 154 Pac. 198.) Neither a departure from the form or mode prescribed by the Compiled Statutes in respect to any pleading or proceeding, nor an error or mistake therein, renders it invalid unless the substantial rights of the defendant have been prejudiced. (Secs. 8835, 9084, 9191, C. S.)

Syllabus and headnotes are prepared by the reporter or publisher, not the court, and are not part of the opinion.

Opinion of the Court — Budge

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BUDGE, J.

Appellant was convicted of the crime of having in his possession intoxicating liquor. On November 29, 1918, an information was filed against him, charging transportation and possession of intoxicating liquor. A demurrer to the information, upon the ground that more- than’ one offense was charged therein, was overruled, to which ruling the defendant excepted and thereupon pleaded not guilty to the information. At the close of the state’s case, the court required the state to elect upon which charge it would stand, and the state elected to rely upon the charge of possession of intoxicating liquor, of which appellant was thereafter convicted and sentenced to serve a term in the copnty jail and to pay a fine of $150.

This appeal is from the judgment and an order denying a motion for a new trial. Appellant makes thirteen assignments of error, attacking the action of the trial court in overruling appellant’s demurrer to the information and renewals thereof at each step in the proceedings, in admitting certain exhibits, in giving two instructions,. in overruling and denying a motion in arrest of judgment and the motion for new trial.

The principal question presented by this appeal is whether the court erred in overruling appellant’s demurrer to the information.

C. S., see. 8829, provides that an indictment must charge but one offense, and by C. S., sec. 8812, it is provided that *75 the statutory provisions relating to indictments shall be applicable to informations. That more than one offense is charged in an indictment is ground for demurrer. (C. S., sec. 8870.) Appellant was charged in the same information with transportation and with possession of intoxicating liquor. The trial court should have sustained the demurrer to the information, upon the ground that it stated more than one offense. (State v. Bilboa, 33 Ida. 128 , 190 Pac. 248 .)

The offenses charged in the information, not relating to the sale of intoxicating liquor, do not come within the provisions of C. S., sec. 2642, and it was error for the court to overrule the demurrer. (State v. Hall, 33 Ida. 135 , 190 Pac. 251 .)

In view of the conclusion which we have reached, it is unnecessary to discuss,the remaining assignments of error. The judgment and order appealed from must be reversed, and the cause is remanded with directions to sustain the demurrer and make such further orders as may be found advisable.

Rice, C. J., and McCarthy, Dunn and Lee, JJ., concur.

How later courts describe this case

No later court has written an explanatory parenthetical about this case yet.

1922: 11929: 11939: 119222026peak 1922 · 1

Relies on it most ⓘ

  1. State v. Patterson88 P.2d 493 (Idaho 1939)
  2. State v. Brown211 P. 60 (Idaho 1922)
  3. State v. Fong Wee275 P. 1112 (Idaho 1929)

Most recent

  1. State v. Patterson88 P.2d 493 (Idaho 1939)
  2. State v. Fong Wee275 P. 1112 (Idaho 1929)
  3. State v. Brown211 P. 60 (Idaho 1922)

Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.

Authorities cited 2

DepthCaseCited by
State v. Bilboa, 190 P. 248 (Idaho 1920) 18
State v. Hall, 190 P. 251 (Idaho 1920) 3

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