State v. Baughman

82 N.W. 452, 111 Iowa 71
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided April 13, 1900·Published·Cited by 21 cases

Opinion

Ladd, J.

1 Though not held to answer on preliminary examination, the defendant moved to set aside the indictment because a member of the grand jury returning it had previously formed and expressed an unqualified opinion of his guilt. This, a cause for challenge1 by one held to answer '(section 5243, Code), is not recognized by the statute as a sufficient reason for setting aside an indictmtent. Section 5319 of the Code enumerates five grounds, numbering them, on one or more of which the motion to set aside must be sustained. The following sections provide for obviating this by correcting an omission to indorse the names of witnesses, and section 5321 denies the fifth ground — objection to the panel — to one held to answer. In previous sections (chapter 13, title 25) the right to the exercise of challenges to the panel and to individual jurors is given a person held on preliminary examination. Had the lawmakers intended the challenge to individual jurors to1 be available to one not bound over, this would, doubtless, have been mentioned among the grounds stated for setting an indictment aside. Specifying particularly what might be the basis of such a motion, in view of prior provisions, [73] and the subsequent reference to corrections and an exception, clearly indicates the purpose of the legislature that the grounds enumerated should be exclusive of all others. Going back of indictments for facts to abate or quash them— usually because of disqualifications or misconduct of grand jurors — formierly led to . great delays and abuses; sometimes to the miscarriage of justice. Our statutes were enacted to simplify the practice as far as practicable, and do away with merely dilatory pleas. To this end objections which may be interposed, and the time, has been definitely fixed. Thus, in State v. Russell, 90 Iowa, 569, the motion to set aside, for that a brother of the injured party was a member of the panel was overruled; this not being one of the statutory grounds. The same ruling has been repeatedly made where the insufficiency or incompetency of evidence .before the grand jury was the cause assigned. State v. Tucker, 20 Iowa, 508; State v. Morris, 36 Iowa, 272; State v. Fowler, 52 Iowa, 103; State v. Smith, 74 Iowa, 584. The supreme court of Oregon has held that only the enumerated grounds were available for such a motion. State v. Whitney, 7 Or, 386. That of South Dakota has reached the same conclusion. State v. Bank, 3 S. D. 52 (51 N. W. Rep. 338). See, contra, State v. Brecht, 41 Minn 52 (42 N. W. Rep. 603). Whether the court, in furtherance of justice, has the inherent power to set aside an indict ment when procured through exceptional m|eans, not referred to in this title, — as through misconduct of the judge, mentioned in State v. Will, 97 Iowa, 58, — ought not to'be-determined until necessarily involved. The only statutory guide defining the manner of performing their duties by the grand jury is the oath prescribed, copied in subsance, from that which has long 'been administered in England, followed in many states of the Union, where it has been uniformly regarded as an examining and accusing body, rather than a judicial tribunal. Our statute makes it the duty of every member of the panel knowing or having rea[74] son to believe that a public offense has been committed, triable in the county, to inform his fellow jurors, and be sworn as a witness upon the investigation. Code, section 5260. This alone precludes the notion of an absolutely impartial trial before that body. It. is accordingly held that, the fact of a member of the panel having forinled or expressed an opinion of the guilt of the accused furnished no- objection to the validity of the indictment. State v. Fitzgerald, 63 Iowa, 270; State v. Rickey, 10 N. J. Law, 83; State v. Hamlin, 47 Conn. 95; Musick v. People, 40 Ill. 268; Lee v. State, 69 Ga. 705; U. S. v. Williams, 1 Dill. 495, Fed. Cas. No. 16,716; Com. v. Woodward, 157 Mass. 516 (32 N. E. Rep. 939). See note to State v. Russell, 28 L. R. A. 200.

2 II. The expressions “evidence has been introduced tending to show sexual intercourse between the defendant and May Baughman,” and “evidence has been introduced which tends to show that May Baughman became pregnant,” found in the instructions, gave no intimation as to an opinion of the court concerning +he issue being tried. Such evidence was before the jury, and the court could not well instruct, without making some reference to it. State v. Donovan, 61 Iowa, 370, and State v. Dorland, 103 Iowa, 174, are not in point, as in those cases the word “some,” in referring to- evidence, was condemned, in that it conveyed an intimation of the court’s view of its quantity and weight.

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State v. Baughman, 82 N.W. 452, 111 Iowa 71 (iowa 1900).

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