Krivanek v. State

247 N.E.2d 505, 252 Ind. 277, 1969 Ind. LEXIS 349
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 19, 1969
Docket767S47
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 247 N.E.2d 505 (Krivanek v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Krivanek v. State, 247 N.E.2d 505, 252 Ind. 277, 1969 Ind. LEXIS 349 (Ind. 1969).

Opinion

Jackson, J.

Appellant was during the September Term, 1966, of the St. Joseph Circuit Court, charged by indictment filed therein with the crime of Murder in the First Degree. Such indictment was filed September 15, 1966, a warrant for the arrest of appellant on such charge was ordered issued to the Sheriff of that county. On the same day appellant, in the custody of the Sheriff appeared in open court, with counsel, and requested that arraignment on the charge be continued until September 16, 1966; the request for the continuance was granted.

*278 On September 16, 1966, appellant, with counsel, appeared and, before arraignment, filed a Motion to Quash the Indictment.

The indictment herein, omitting formal parts and names of witnesses, reads as follows:

STATE OF INDIANA vs. RICHARD ARTHUR KRIVANEK
INDICTMENT FOR MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE
The Grand Jurors of the St. Joseph County Circuit Court for the September Term, 1966, A.D., in and for the County of St. Joseph, State of Indiana, upon their oath do present:
That on or about the 20th day of August, 1966, at and in the County of St. Joseph, State of Indiana, one RICHARD ARTHUR KRIVANEK, purposely and with premeditated malice, did kill a human being, to-wit: JANET JOAN KRIVANEK, who was then and there at 607 North Michigan Street, in the City of South Bend, County and State aforesaid, he, the said RICHARD ARTHUR KRIVANEK, then and there purposely and with premediated malice, striking at and against the person and body of the said JANET JOAN KRIVANEK with a certain knife then and there had and held in his hands, then and there and thereby inflicting upon the person and body of said JANET JOAN KRIVANEK a mortal wound, and that as a proximate result of said wound, the said JANET JOAN KRIVANEK did then and there die, contrary to the form of Statute in such cases made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State of Indiana.
/a/ THOMAS J. ROEMER Thomas J. Roemer Prosecuting Attorney
Warrant ordered issued.
/a/ JOSEPH W. NYIKOS JUDGE, ST. JOSEPH CIRCUIT COURT”

The Motion to Quash, omitting heading and signature, in pertinent part reads as follows:

*279 “Comes now the Accused, Eichard Arthur Krivanek, and moves the Court to quash the Indictment herein on the following grounds:
1. The facts stated in said Indictment do not constitute a public offense.
2. Said Indictment does not state the offense charged with sufficient certainty.”

The above motion was submitted without argument on September 16, 1966, was at once overruled and appellant, at his request, was formally arraigned, following which he entered a plea of “Not guilty” and then filed an affidavit for a change of venue from the judge.

The ruling on the affidavit for change of venue from the judge reads as follows:

“And now defendant’s affidavit for change of venue from the Judge being found sufficient, the Court grants the same.
The Court is now informed that the attorneys cannot agree on a special Judge to try this cause.
The Court now nominates the Hon. E. Spencer Walton, Hon. Norman Kopec as a panel from which the parties may strike.
And now the defendant strikes the name of Judge Kopec.
And now the State of Indiana strikes the name of Judge Dempsey, leaving Judge Walton, who is now by the Court appointed Special Judge to try this case.
And now by agreement, this cause is ordered transferred to the St. Joseph Superior Court, Hon. E. Spencer Walton presiding.
And now defendant is remanded into the custody of the Sheriff.
The above and foregoing record in Cause No. Cr. 14363, State of Indiana vs. Richard Arthur Krivanek, was submitted to the presiding Judge, the Hon. Joseph W. Nyikos, upon arraignment of said Defendant, and said Judge having read the same now certifies it as a true and complete record of the proceedings had in this cause on this date. The Court now orders the same made a part of the record *280 in this cause and orders it made a part of the order book entry by the Clerk.
Dated this 16th day of September, A.D. 1966.
JOSEPH W. NYIKOS Judge, St. Joseph Circuit Court”

Thereafter, the cause was tried by a jury which found appellant guilty of murder in the first degree. The verdict of the jury reads as follows, to-wit:

“We, the Jury, find the defendant, Eichard Arthur Krivanek, Guilty as charged in the indictment of the crime of Murder in the First Degree. We further find that his true age is 33 years.
The verdict was signed by
EOBEET W. TOWNEE Foreman.”

On the 16th day of February, 1967, at the conclusion of presentation of the State’s evidence and after the State rested appellant filed a motion for a directed verdict. The record, transcript p. 74, reads as follows:

“And now the defendant files motion for a directed verdict as to Murder in the First Degree, which motion reads in the words and figures following, to wit: (HI)
And now outside of the presence of the jury, hearing is had on defendant’s motion for a directed verdict.
And now the Court overrules said motion.

The court set February 27, 1967, for disposition on the pre-sentence investigation. On that date after consideration of such report the court imposed sentence on appellant. Such judgment in pertinent part reads as follows:

“And now the Court upon finding the true age of the defendant to be 33 years of age and pursuant to the verdict of the jury, finds the defendant Guilty as charged of Murder in the First Degree and sentences the defendant to the custody and control of the warden of the Indiana State Prison for the rest of his natural life.
*281 IT IS THEREFORE CONSIDERED, ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that pursuant to the Verdict of the Jury, that the defendant, Richard Arthur Krivanek, be and hereby is Guilty as charged of Murder in the First Degree, and that he be and hereby is sentenced to the custody and control of the Warden of the Indiana State Prison for the rest of his natural life.
And now the Court orders the Sheriff to carry out the sentence of this Court.”

On March 21, 1967, appellant filed his motion for a new trial, which motion, omitting formal parts, reads as follows, to-wit:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
247 N.E.2d 505, 252 Ind. 277, 1969 Ind. LEXIS 349, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/krivanek-v-state-ind-1969.