State ex rel. LaFratta v. Stack

33 Fla. Supp. 64
CourtCircuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Broward County
DecidedApril 10, 1969
DocketNos. 69-2024 and 69-2058
StatusPublished

This text of 33 Fla. Supp. 64 (State ex rel. LaFratta v. Stack) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Broward County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. LaFratta v. Stack, 33 Fla. Supp. 64 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1969).

Opinion

STEPHEN R. BOOHER, Circuit Judge.

These cases came on for consideration as follows — in case no. 69-2024, on the amended petition for writ of habeas corpus, order for writ of habeas corpus, writ of habeas corpus issued thereon April 1, 1969, and respondent’s return to writ of habeas corpus; and in case no. 69-2058, on the petition for writ of habeas corpus, writ of habeas corpus issued thereon April 1,1969, and respondent’s return to writ of habeas corpus. By order entered April 1, 1969, the cases were consolidated for hearing purposes, since both challenge the detention of the petitioners resulting from their conviction on an information which they allege to be void. Both petitioners were present with their attorneys, Steadman S. Stahl, Jr., Esq., and Edward M. Kay, Esq.; and the respondent was represented by Edward G. Stephany, Esq., and Eugene F. Malin, Esq., Assistant State Attorneys; also present were James W. Geiger, Esq., County Solicitor, and James T. Moore, Esq., Assistant County Solicitor. The court, having thoroughly considered the pleadings, the testi[66]*66mony and evidence presented, and the arguments and voluminous authorities of counsel, and being otherwise duly advised in the premises, finds as follows —

1. On August 1, 1968, the Honorable Angeline G. Weir, then the county solicitor for the court of record of Broward County, filed an “Information for Selling Motor Vehicle with Removed Manufacturer’s Serial Number,” which, omitting the caption and formal parts, charged that —

“Pat LaFratta and Tom Fury on the 25th day of June, A.D. 1968, in the County and State aforesaid, did then and there unlawfully and knowingly sell a motor vehicle, to-wit: a 1966 Ford Mustang on which the manufacturer’s serial number has been destroyed, removed, covered, altered or defaced, contrary to F.S. 319.33.”

In due course a capias was issued on such information for each of the petitioners, they were arrested and posted bond, and both came on for arraignment on August 26, 1968. Each of the petitioners entered a plea of not guilty and, on motion and order, each was given twenty days to file defensive motions. Neither petitioner attacked the sufficiency of the information within the twenty-day period and it is worthy of note that the petitioners were represented at arraignment and thereafter through trial and conviction by the same firm of attorneys who represent them in these proceedings. Subsequent pertinent pleadings were filed as follows —

November 21, 1968, trial was set for March 27, 1969.

December 6, 1968, defendants’ motion for immediate trial was filed, in accordance with §915.01, Florida Statutes.

December 18, 1968, defendants’ motion for bill of particulars was filed, inquiring to whom the motor vehicle was sold; whether the serial number was destroyed, removed, covered, altered or defaced; if destroyed, the original number; and, if altered, to what number altered. This motion was never called up for hearing by the defendants, with the result that the particulars were never furnished by the state prior to trial.

January 6, 1968, defendants’ motion for immediate trial was filed, being the second demand prior to the January, 1969, term of court, in accordance with §915.01, Florida Statutes.

March 27, 1969 (the date of trial), defendants’ motion to set aside plea of not guilty and to file and argue motion to dismiss was filed, and, accompanying it, defendants’ motion to dismiss, which alleged the charge was so vague, indefinite and uncertain as to [67]*67hinder and embarrass the defendants in preparing a defense “and, in fact, so vague, indefinite and uncertain as to be void;” that in the event of conviction or acquittal, jeopardy would fail to attach; and that the information failed to set forth a crime recognized as such under the laws of the state of Florida. These are the same contentions raised in these proceedings. The trial court denied the motion to set aside plea on the ground that it was not timely filed, and the state asserts that this was not error, pursuant to §909.01 and §909.06, Florida Statutes, and Kaminski v. State, Fla. 1954, 72 So.2d 400. In the cited case the defendant attacked the propriety of the information because it had not been sworn to by the county solicitor prior to being filed — clearly a technical and not a jurisdictional defect. In the instant case, by denying the motion to set aside plea, the trial court never reached the motion to dismiss which clearly set forth a direct attack upon the jurisdiction of the trial court. It is fundamental that lack of jurisdiction of the subject matter can be raised initially at any stage of the proceedings, even on appeal. The trial court was put on notice that its jurisdiction was being challenged; the motion to set aside plea alleged as grounds that “the charges as contained in the information are void and not sufficient to vest this court with jurisdiction . . .”

On March 29, 1969, after three days of trial, the jury returned guilty verdicts against both petitioners, and the trial court forthwith entered judgment and sentenced each of the petitioners to the maximum sentence of five years in the state prison and a fine of $5,000.

2. The petitioners assert that their conviction in the trial court may be attacked here by habeas corpus proceedings if the information on which they were brought to trial fails to charge an offense, contains fundamental error on its face, and is void. State ex rel. Swanboro v. Mayo, 1944, 155 Fla. 330, 19 So.2d 883; State ex rel. Kelly v. Whisnant, Fla. 1955, 80 So.2d 611; Dallas v. Wainwright, Fla. 1965, 175 So.2d 785; Kittleson v. State, 1942, 152 Fla. 242, 9 So.2d 807.

The state argues that where the sufficiency of an information is challenged by motion and no appeal is taken from a judgment of conviction, habeas corpus cannot be used as a substitute for an orderly appeal. Albritton v. Hoyt, 1943, 152 Fla. 332, 11 So.2d 474. In the instant case, the petitioners, albeit late in the proceedings, attempted to attack the sufficiency of the information, but they were not given the opportunity to do so and there is no ruling of the trial court in this regard which can be considered on appeal. Further, the decision in Albritton was based upon the authority of Jones v. Cook, 1941, 146 Fla. 253, 200 So. 856, where the Supreme [68]*68Court held that the question of whether or not habeas corpus may be successfully used to attack an insufficient information or indictment depends upon “the degree of infirmity” of the information or indictment. This is the precise question facing this court. If the information is insufficient merely because its allegations are defectively or inartfully worded or stated, habeas corpus should not be granted; if the information is so wholly insufficient as to be void, the writ should issue.

The state also argues that if the information here in question is vague, it could have been corrected by a bill of particulars. State v. Bruno, Fla. 1958, 107 So.2d 9. But, as noted in the cited case, that rule only applies where the information is not so vague as to embarrass the defendant in the preparation of his defense or to subject him to the possibility of a new prosecution on the same offense. That is the question here presented. It is the settled rule that a bill of particulars cannot save an otherwise invalid indictment or information. See: Russell v. United States, 1962, 369 U.S.749, 8 L.Ed.2d 240, 82 S.Ct. 1038, 1050; Kittleson v. State, 1942, 152 Fla. 242, 9 So.2d 807.

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Related

Russell v. United States
369 U.S. 749 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Kaminski v. State
72 So. 2d 400 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1954)
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Tracey v. State
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State v. Bruno
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State Ex Rel. Kelly v. Whisnant
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Johnson v. State Ex Rel. Fox
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State Ex Rel. Miller v. Coleman
178 So. 157 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1938)
Sweat v. Pettis
27 So. 2d 827 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1946)
Rosin v. Anderson
21 So. 2d 143 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1945)
Albritton v. Hoyt
11 So. 2d 474 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1943)
Jones v. Cook
200 So. 856 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1941)
State Ex Rel. Frazier v. Coleman
23 So. 2d 477 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1945)
Kittleson v. State
9 So. 2d 807 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1942)
State Ex Rel. Swanboro v. Mayo
19 So. 2d 883 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1944)
Sharp v. State
28 Fla. 357 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1891)
Goodson v. State
29 Fla. 511 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1892)
Sullivan v. State
44 Fla. 155 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1902)
Llerandi v. Blackburn
97 So. 2d 247 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1957)

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33 Fla. Supp. 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-lafratta-v-stack-flacirct17bro-1969.