Thomas ROYER, Jr.
v.
STATE.
Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama.
*1302 Randall O. Gladden, Huntsville, for appellant.
Don Siegelman, Atty. Gen., and Jane LeCroy Brannan, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.
Alabama Supreme Court 88-646.
McMILLAN, Judge.
The appellant, Thomas Royer, Jr., was found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol in Madison County District Court; he thereafter appealed to the Circuit Court of Madison County. He was charged with the violation of § 32-5A-191(a)(1) and (2). He was found guilty and sentenced to one year's imprisonment, suspended for two years and was fined $1,000 and costs. The trial court conditioned the suspended sentence on the priviso that the appellant serve 60 days on the Madison County Work Release Program аnd pay the fine and costs.
The prosecutor and defense counsel entered a stipulation as to the facts as follows:
"[O]n July 6, 1986, the Defendant was observed driving or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle here in Madison County. He was stopped by Troopеr Jimmy Smith. Trooper Smith would testify that he has seen intoxicated persons on several occasions and that in his opinion the Defendant was intoxicated. The Defendant was given a test with an Intoxilizer 5000 by Trooper Jimmy Smith. Trooper Smith is certified by the State Board of Health to perfоrm such a test. The Intoxilizer 5000 has been approved both by the State Board of Health and the Alabama State Troopers as a proper test to measure a person's blood alcohol content. The Defendant was under the observation of Trooper Jimmy Smith fоr 20 minutes prior to the test and the Defendant had had nothing to eat or drink during that period of time. The Trooper followed the procedure set forth by the State Board of Health, and the results of that test were .26, which is over the legal limit."
I
The defendant argues that he was illegally convicted because, he says, he "was charged with two provable parts of a criminal statute, i.e. Sections 32-5A-191(a)(1) and 32-5A-191(a)(2), Code of Alabama (1975)." The appellant argues that the complaint did not adequately confer subject matter jurisdiction or personal jurisdiction over him upon the municipal court. The Alabama Uniform Traffic Ticket and Complaint issued against the appellant indicates that the officer checked the box designating, as a description of the offense, driving under the influence of alcohol rather than controlled substances. He further mаrked in "test type" "2" and filled in a blank to indicate a blood alcohol content level of .26 percent. Further, the ticket shows that the appellant was charged with a violation of "§ 32-5A-191 2-A-1-A" of the State Code. See Collier v. State,
"A warrant does not require the same particularity which is demanded in indictments. Brazleton v. State,66 Ala. 96 , 98 (1880). Even `[a]n indictment need not set out the statute a defendant is charged under.' Canada v. State,421 So.2d 140 , 144 (Ala.Cr.App.1982). See also Ex parte Bush,431 So.2d 563 , 564 (Ala.), cert. denied, Bush v. Alabama,464 U.S. 865 ,104 S.Ct. 200 ,78 L.Ed.2d 175 (1983)."
City of Dothan v. Holloway,
Where a prosecution is based upon an affidavit and warrant, the offense may be designated by name or by words from which it may be inferred. Ex parte McElroy,
"[I]n a criminal prosecution technical accuracy in the description of the offense, either in the complaint or warrant, is not required.' Wilson v. State,18 Ala.App. 375 ,92 So. 508 (1922). A warrant must state the offense either by name or so that it can bе clearly inferred. Spraggins v. State,139 Ala. 93 ,35 So. 1000 , 1003 (1904).
"`The affidavit and warrant are far from perfect, and would be insufficient as an indictment, but the same particularity is not required in prosecutions of this character before a magistrate, and it is sufficient to designate the offense, either in the complaint оr warrant, by name only, or by words from which it may be inferred. Brown's case,
"Criminal charges brought by affidavit and warrant are `in a large measure informal.' Bonner v. State,28 Ala.App. 406 , 407,187 So. 643 (1938), cert. denied,237 Ala. 446 ,187 So. 645 (1939)."
Jones v. State,
The incorrect citation of a Code section does not void an indictment which otherwise states an offense, and, "in the absence of a showing of actual prejudice to the defendant, reference to the erroneous Code section will be treated as mere surplusage." Ex parte Bush,
This court in Corum v. City of Huntsville,
*1304 This court in Knight v. City of Gardendale,
II
The appellant argues that the complaint issued against him in circuit court was unsworn and unverified and that he was charged with "the new charge of being in actual physical control of a vehicle." The complaint brought against the appellant in circuit court for a trial de novo was signed by the District Attorney. "A prosecution under a state statute on trial de novo requires that the complaint be signed by the District Attorney. Section 12-22-113, Code of Alabama (1975); Williamson v. City of Greenville,
The appellant argues that he was charged with a different offense at circuit court, in that the U.T.T.C. charged the appellant with a violation of "§ 32-5A-191 2A-1A," whereas the complaint at circuit court charged him with a violation of §§ 32-5A-191(a)(1) and § 32-5A-191(a)(2). The original complaint charged the appellant with driving while under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content of .26%. The complaint in the circuit court on appeal charged that the appellant "did unlawfully drive or was in actual control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol" and "did unlawfully drive or was in actual control of a vehicle while there was 0.10% or more by weight of alcohol in his blood."
This additionаl language constituted an amendment prohibited by Rule 15.5, Alabama Temporary Rules of Criminal Procedure.
"The fact that the amendment was in violation of the rule does not, however, mandate automatic reversal. Rule 45, A.R.A.P., provides:
"`No judgment may be reversed or set aside, nor new trial granted in any civil or criminal case on the ground of misdirection of the jury, the giving or refusal of special charges or the improper admission or rejection of evidence, nor for error as to any matter of pleading or procedure, unless in the opinion of the court to which the appeal is taken or appliсation is made, after an examination of the entire cause, it should appear that the error complained of has probably injuriously affected substantial rights of the parties.'"
Mason v. City of Vestavia Hills,
The appellant was not harmed by the amendment in this case, because he went to trial on a stipulation of the facts and presented no defense. Thus, he was not misled to his detriment by the additional language. "Similarly because the State's evidence proved both allegations, there was no variance between the charge and the proof, as existed in Ex parte Hightower,
"An indictment must specify the conduct sought to be condemned so that the defendant may have an opportunity to prepare a defense if оne is available." Ex parte Hightower,
III
The appellant argues that the trial court should not have allowed the amendment of the complaint from a violation of "§ 32-5A-191 2-A-1-A" to a violation of § 32-5A-191(a)(1) and 32-5A-191(a)(2). Rule 15.5(a), Alabama Temporary Rules of Criminal Procedure, reads:
"A charge may be amended by order of the court with the consent of the defendant in all cases except to change the offense or to charge new offenses not included in the original indictment, information or complaint."
However, Rule 15.5(c)(2) states:
"No charge shall be deemed invalid, nor shall the trial, judgment, or other proceedings thereon be stayed, rested, or in any manner affected, for any defect or imperfection in the charge which does not tend to prejudice the substantial rights of the defendant upon the merits."
The substantial rights of the appellant were not prejudiced by the amendment. See Griffin v. State,
IV
The appellant argues that the circuit court failed to have jurisdiction in that the district court indicаted that the appellant was found "guilty as charged" on the back of the U.T.T.C., but did not fill in the blank stating that he was found "guilty of ______." The appellant notes that, according to Rule 8(a), Alabama Temporary Rules of Criminal Procedure:
"Judgment shall be pronounced in open court, shall be rеduced to writing signed by the judge, filed, and recorded. A judgment of conviction shall set forth the plea, the verdict, and findings, if any, and the adjudication. If the defendant is found not guilty, or for any other reason is entitled to be discharged, judgment shall be entered accordingly."
The U.T.T.C. shows that the appеllant pleaded guilty as charged and that under "Finding of the Court" the block marked "guilty of ______" was marked. It was thereafter ordered by the court that the appellant serve 60 days in jail and pay $1,000 and costs of $44. Also included in the record is a notice of appeal from district court to circuit court stating:
"Notice is hereby given that Thomas Dean Royer, Jr. appeals to the Circuit *1306 Court of Madison County, Alabama from the judgment of conviction entered by the District Court in this case on (Date) 1/22/87, adjuding the defendant to be guilty of the offense of D.U.I. and as punishment therefore sentencing the defendant as follows: sixty days m.c. jail, $1,000 fine, court costs."
Moreover, the appellant's attorney signed this notice of appeal and thereby acknowledged the appellant's conviction.
The U.T.T.C. contained a writing signed by the judge, setting forth the appellant's plea, the verdict of guilt, and the pronouncement of sentence. Thus, the material requirements of Rule 8(a), Alabama Temporary Rules of Criminal Procedure, were satisfied.
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
ON APPLICATION FOR REHEARING
McMILLAN, Judge.
Aftеr this Court's original opinion in this case, the Alabama Supreme Court released Sisson v. State,
OPINION EXTENDED; APPLICATION FOR REHEARING OVERRULED.
All Judges concur.
