14 Mo. 94 | Mo. | 1851
delivered the opinion of the court.
The 19th section of the 3rd article of an act concerning Practice and Pro. in criminal cases, provides that “no indictment can be found without the concurrence of at least twelve grand jurors; when so found, and not otherwise, the foreman of the grand jury shall certify under his hand, that such indictment is a true bill.” The indictment, upon which Mertens was tried and convicted, was endorsed “a true bill,” by the foreman of the grand jury, but not signed by him. The question is, did this omission destroy the legality of the whole proceedings under the indictment.
The endorsement upon an indictment of “billa vera,,> or “a true bill” was in England regarded as part of the indictment, and necessary to
We are unable to see any substantial reason for regarding the signature of the foreman as an essential part of the indictment.
We look upon the statute requiring this form of authentication as merely directory. After the defendant has gone to trial and been convicted upon the indictment, it is too late upon a motion in arrest, to cavil upon the omission of the signature of the foreman of the grand jury. We do not regard the omission as fatal.
Judgment reversed and caused remended.