Farr v. State

192 S.E.2d 500, 127 Ga. App. 120, 1972 Ga. App. LEXIS 808

Opinions

Pannell, Judge.

The defendant appeals his conviction and sentence for larceny of a motor vehicle.

Defendant’s motion for a new trial alleging the verdict is contrary to the evidence and without evidence to support it, decidedly and strongly against the weight of evidence and contrary to law and the principles of justice and equity was denied by the trial judge. The indictment charged the defendant with larceny of "a certain Ford farm-type tractor . . . painted blue . . . bearing identification No. C 238767 . . . the property of Ponce de Leon Tractor Company.”

While the tractor recovered bore No. C 238767, the uncontradicted evidence indicates that the missing tractor bore Serial No. C 238769. The identification number having been made a necessary and essential part of the description of the tractor in the indictment to distinguish it from other tractors of like make and color, proof that the serial number of the missing tractor was No. C 238769 constitutes a fatal variance between the allegation and the proof. The court erred in overruling the motion for a new trial. Fulford v. State, 50 Ga. 591, 593; Crenshaw v. State, 64 Ga. 449; Robertson v. State, 97 Ga. 206 (22 SE 974); McLendon v. State, 121 Ga. 158 (48 SE 902); Youngblood v. State, 40 Ga. App. 514 (150 SE 457); Mar tin v. State, 43 Ga. App. 287 (158 SE 635); Wright v. State, 52 Ga. App. 202 (182 SE 862).

Argued June 5, 1972 Decided September 25, 1972. Alton T. Milam, for appellant. John T. Perren, District Attorney, for appellee.

Additional assignments of error pertain more specifically to the ground that the verdict is strongly against the weight of evidence, the determination of which was within the sound province of the jury, under proper instructions of the trial judge.

Judgment reversed.

Quillian, J., concurs. Hall, P. J., concurs specially.