State v. Kleinsasser

436 N.W.2d 279, 1989 S.D. LEXIS 27, 1989 WL 11748
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 15, 1989
Docket16006
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 436 N.W.2d 279 (State v. Kleinsasser) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Kleinsasser, 436 N.W.2d 279, 1989 S.D. LEXIS 27, 1989 WL 11748 (S.D. 1989).

Opinions

MORGAN, Justice.

This appeal lies from the conviction of Edward Kleinsasser (Kleinsasser) on one count of sexual contact with a minor under the age of sixteen in violation of SDCL 22-22-7. We affirm.

The record reveals that Kleinsasser and his wife Dorothy were married in 1982 and separated in 1986. Two daughters were born of this marriage. Dorothy had physical custody of the girls after the separation. She allowed Kleinsasser visitation with the girls and it was during such visitations that Kleinsasser allegedly sexually abused the eldest daughter, then age three. Further facts will be presented as they pertain to the issues on appeal.

Kleinsasser was indicted for sexual contact with a minor under the age of sixteen in violation of SDCL 22-22-7 (Count I) and rape in violation of SDCL 22-22-1 (Count II). He was convicted on Count I and acquitted on Count II.

Prior to trial, Kleinsasser attacked the constitutionality of the indictment on the [281]*281grounds of vagueness and, in the alternative, moved for a bill of particulars. He also attacked the indictment on the grounds that it was returned based solely on hearsay evidence. He claims error on the part of the trial court in denying his motions to dismiss on those grounds. During the course of trial, State was permitted to amend the bill of particulars furnished pursuant to Kleinsasser’s alternative motion. Kleinsasser also claims that the trial court erred in denying his motion for mistrial based upon an alleged violation of a pre-trial order prohibiting testimony of another bad act, Kleinsasser’s touching the victim’s sister. And, finally, Kleinsasser predicates error on the trial court’s instruction which set out the methods of sexual penetration disjunctively. We will treat these claims of error seriatim.

Kleinsasser argues that the indictment, when read as a whole, is unconstitutionally vague because it lacks specificity concerning the date of the offense, the location of the improper touching, the manner in which the offense was committed, and fails to name the victim of the crime. He argues that the cumulative effect of this lack of specificity deprives him of his right to be appraised, with reasonable certainty of the nature of the accusations against him so that he may prepare his defense and allow him to plead the judgment as a bar to any subsequent prosecution for the same offense. The trial court denied Kleinsasser’s motion to dismiss the indictment.

It is settled law in this state that an indictment or information is sufficient if it (1) contains the elements of the offense charged, and informs him of the charge against him, and (2) enables the defendant to plead an acquittal of the conviction and bar future prosecutions. State v. Reutter, 374 N.W.2d 617 (S.D.1985); State v. Mouttet, 372 N.W.2d 121 (S.D.1985). It is no longer necessary that detailed particulars of a crime charged be stated in the indictment. An indictment is generally deemed adequate if it follows the language of the criminal statute or its equivalent. Reutter, supra; Mouttet, supra; State v. Logue, 372 N.W.2d 151 (S.D.1985). It is sufficient to allege the crime in the language of the statute and it is not necessary to state the particular details of the crime.

The decision whether to grant or deny a motion to dismiss an indictment is within the sound discretion of the trial judge. That decision will be reversed on appeal only where there has been an abuse of discretion. After a careful review of the indictment filed in this case, we find that the requirements set out above were satisfied. The indictment employs the requisite statutory language. Therefore, the trial court did not err in denying Kleinsasser’s motion to dismiss the indictment for being unconstitutionally vague, particularly in light of the fact that the trial court did grant Kleinsasser’s alternative motion for a bill of particulars.

Kleinsasser also predicates reversible error on the trial court’s denial of his motion for dismissal of the indictment upon the grounds that it was based solely on hearsay evidence presented to the grand jury. In State v. Hoekstra, 286 N.W.2d 127, 128 (S.D.1979), this court joined the “overwhelming authority [of courts which stand] for the proposition that a court cannot inquire into the legality or sufficiency of the evidence upon which an indictment is based.” As was noted therein, in Costello v. United States, 350 U.S. 359, 76 S.Ct. 406, 100 L.Ed. 397 (1956), the Supreme Court held that neither the Fifth Amendment, nor justice and the concept of a fair trial, required indictments to be open to challenge on the grounds that there was inadequate or incompetent evidence before the grand jury. We find that decision totally dispositive of this issue.

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State v. Kleinsasser
436 N.W.2d 279 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1989)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
436 N.W.2d 279, 1989 S.D. LEXIS 27, 1989 WL 11748, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-kleinsasser-sd-1989.