State v. Creighton

Jan 16, 1904
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Emery
Emery, J.

The respondent demurs to the indictment against him for assault and battery, and shows ‍​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‍for cause of demurrer (1) that the indictment does not describe the act charged as “unlawful;” and (2) that it does not describe the act as done in a “wanton, ‍​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‍wilful, angry or insulting manner, having an intention and existing ability to do some violence;” these being words contained in the statute defining the offenses of assault and of assault ‍​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‍and battery. R. S. (1883), c. 118, § 28.

The words omitted are not necessary to the validity of the indictment. They are all implied in the word “assault.” The statute is ‍​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‍merely declaratory of the common law. It adds nothing to the common law definition of assault, and requires no additional allegations in an indictment. Cent. Dict. ; 3 Bl. Com. 120; Hays v. The People, 1 ‍​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‍Hill, 351; U. S. v. Lunt, 1 Sprague, 311; State v. Dearborn, 54 Maine, 442.

Exceptions overruled. Respondent to plead, anew as per stipulation.