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Marsden v. StateMarsden v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama
Jul 6, 1984
83-292
Reporters:
Before:
Embry

The writ of certiorari was granted in this ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍case to review an order of the Court of Criminal Appeals remanding this case to the trial court for determination whether Norman F. Marsden was ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍formally arraigned. Marsden has not questioned the sufficiency of the evidence, but maintains that absent a formal arraignment his conviction cannot stand.

We hold that even ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍though Marsden was not formally arraigned he has waived arraignment by pronouncing his readiness to proceed with trial and maintaining silence thereafter. No objection ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍was made until the jury had returned its guilty verdict. This holding is on the authority of Watts v. State, 460 So.2d 204 (Ala. 1983).

REVERSED AND ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍REMANDED.

TORBERT, C.J., and MADDOX, FAULKNER, JONES, ALMON, SHORES, BEATTY and ADAMS, JJ., concur.

Case Details

Case Name: Marsden v. State
Court Name: Supreme Court of Alabama
Date Published: Jul 6, 1984
Citations: 475 So. 2d 588; 83-292
Docket Number: 83-292
Court Abbreviation: Ala.
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