Thе appellant was indicted and tried for intentional murder in violation of §
"`The indictment is for legal purposes, sufficient notice to the defendant that he may be called to defend the lesser included offenses.' Walker v. United States, 135 [U.S.] App.D.C. 280,
(1969). `(A)n indictment charging a felony or the highest grade of the offense by operation of law charges every lesser offense inсluded in the one charged.' Kitchens v. State, 418 F.2d 1116 , 27 Ala. App. 336 (1937). This does not deny a defendant his constitutional right to be informed of the nature and cause of the аccusation against him. Holesome v. State, 172 So. 297 , 40 Wis.2d 95 (1968); People v. Cooke, 161 N.W.2d 283 , 186 Colo. 44 (1974); State v. Daniels, 525 P.2d 426 , 223 Kan. 266 (1977)." 573 P.2d 607
See also Rule 15.2, Alabama Temporary Rules of Criminal Procedure. Since manslaughter is a lesser included offense of intentional murder, there was no need to have a new or amended indictment which specifically charged the appellant with manslaughter.
The appellant also argues that the indictment was defective because it failed to indicate whether he was being convicted of "ordinary manslaughter" or "manslaughter involving the use of a deadly weapon." It is well settled law that an indictment must inform an accused of all essential elements of the offense
charged. Hardy v. State,
"THE COURT: All right, Mr. Graham [attorney for appellant] and Mr. O'Neal, the indictment, the charge that you're facing today is that of manslaughter. You were originally indicted for murder, but at your trial last year, you were convicted of manslaughter undеr Count 1 in the indictment, and that is the charge that you face today, of manslaughter, which carries a punishment of not less than 1, nor more than 10 years in the penitentiary.
"MR. GRAHAM: Well, if that's to be taken as an arraignment, we plead not guilty. . . ."
As this court observed in Headley v. State,
"As to the questions and issues raised in No. II of thе [issues presented], relating to the trial court's obvious errors in the aforesaid admission of evidence offered by the state relating to the various court files (TR 306, 356 391) and the court's refusal to admit the material evidence relating to the brass knuckles, Appellant's Exhibit `2' for identification, Appellant would suffice [sic] to point out that the appellant made timely objections to these rulings by the court and when considered separately and severally, one will readily see that the effects of these evidentiary rulings by the court were very determinal [sic] to the appellant and are reversible error in and of themselves."
This court observed in Vinzant v. State,
The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur. *804
