Cheshire v. State

Jun 17, 1913
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Pelham
PELHAM, J.

— The defendant is indicted for obtaining an insurance policy by ‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‍falsely pretending to own certain property. This is the only false pretense alleged, and it is not shown whose signature was thus obtained. This ‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‍defect in the indictment was pointed out by demurrers that should have been sustained.

Moreover, the indictment, as set out in the record before us, ‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‍does not state the facts constituting the offense in ordinary and concise language in such a manner as to enable a person of common ‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‍understanding to know with any degree of certainty what is intended to be charged. — Code, § 7134. In fact, it is not (as set ‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‍out in the record) an intelligible statement of any offense.

Reversed and remanded.