United States v. Miller

17 F.R.D. 486, 1955 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4142
District Court, D. Vermont·Decided June 9, 1955·No. Cr. No. 6052·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

GIBSON, District Judge.

On May 6, 1955, the Grand Jury returned a true bill against the defendant, charging him with violating Sec. 111, Title 18 U.S.C.A. The indictment consists of one count and reads as follows:

“On or about the 3rd day of May, A.D., 1955, in the State and Judicial District of Vermont, Manuel S. Mil[487]*487ler did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate and interfere with Dewey H. Perry, United States Marshal within and for the District of Vermont, while engaged in the performance of his official duties, and in the commission of such acts did use a deadly and dangerous weapon; in violation of Section 111, Title 18, United States Code.”

A motion to dismiss the indictment was filed on May 20, 1955. A hearing was held in the United States District Courtroom in Brattleboro, Vermont, on May 25, 1955.

The defendant claims that the indictment should be dismissed because it fails to charge a specific intent and because it fails to allege or identify the process or duty United States Marshal Dewey H. Perry was serving or performing on the occasion of the alleged criminal offense of Manuel S. Miller. After a careful examination of the statute in question, the cases thereunder and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S.C.A., I find that neither argument presented by the defendant has merit.

The defendant’s first contention is that the indictment is fatally defective because it does not charge that Miller specifically intended to do what it is alleged he did in the indictment.

The cases cited by the defendant to support this contention were decided before the adoption of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. F.R. 7(c) does not require the particularity in pleading which was necessary before the adoption of the Federal Rules.1

In the case of Parsons v. United States, 5 Cir., 189 F.2d 252, 253, the court held an indictment was proper against one convicted of endeavoring to corruptly influence a witness. The indictment did not allege a specific intent and did not specifically allege that the defendant knew that the person he was charged with influencing was to be a witness. The court there said:

“The cynically technical approach which formerly enshrouded the consideration of even the plainest and simplest indictments, and, in many instances, made a mockery of simple justice, no longer governs their consideration. On the contrary, the trial court and this court are enjoined to, and do, examine into, and determine, the validity of attacks •upon indictments, especially of this kind, from the broad and enlightened standpoint of common sense and right reason rather than from the narrow standpoint of petty preciosity, pettifogging, technicality or hair splitting fault finding.” Parsons v. United States, 5 Cir., 189 F.2d 252, 253.

The fact that the indictment fails ta specifically allege that the defendant specifically intended to do the acts complained of does not make the indictment fatally defective.

The defendant secondly contends that the indictment is fatally defective because it does not identify the [488]*488process the United States Marshal was serving or to allege the duties the Marshal was performing. The motion cannot be granted upon this ground. An indictment is not required to negative matters of defense, nor must it state every detail of the offense charged. Fippin v. United States, 9 Cir., 162 F.2d 128; Anderson v. United States, 6 Cir., 215 F.2d 84; Hagner v. United States, 285 U.S. 427, 52 S.Ct. 417, 76 L.Ed. 861. Neither is it necessary for the indictment to allege evidentiary matters. Wilson v. United States, 5 Cir., 158 F.2d 659; Himmelfarb v. United States, 9 Cir., 175 F.2d 924; United States v. Straitiff, D.C., 14 F.R.D. 337.

The identity of the process being served by the United States Marshal and the duties the United States Marshal was performing might be proper subjects for a Bill of Particulars but are not valid reasons for dismissing the indictment.

On the basis of defendant’s arguments, the motion to dismiss the indictment should be denied, because it is not necessary that the indictment charged that he specifically intended to do the act complained of, or that it showed what type of process the Marshal was serving.

However, the defendant should not be subjected to prosecution under a fatally defective indictment merely because he failed to make the right objection at the right time.

Under the power vested in me by F.R. 12(b) (2), I have thoroughly examined the indictment and the law applicable thereto on my own motion so that no injustice will be done.2

An indictment, so long as it adequately apprises the defendant of the charge against him and is specific enough to prevent double jeopardy, will not be dismissed unless it fails to contain the essential elements of the offense charged.

In the case of United States v. Debrow, 346 U.S. 374, 74 S.Ct. 113, 98 L.Ed. 92, the defendant was convicted of perjury as a result of testimony given before a Congressional Committee. The defendant appealed his conviction, claiming that the indictment was fatally defective because it did not contain the name of the person who administered the oath before the defendant testified. The court held that this was not an essential element of the offense charged. The court did say, however, that the essential elements of the offense must be contained in the indictment.

“ ‘The true test of the sufficiency of an indictment is not whether it could have been more definite and certain, but whether it contains the elements of the offense intended to be charged, “and sufficiently apprises the defendant of what he must be prepared to meet, and, in case any other proceedings are taken against him for a similar offence, whether the record shows with accuracy to what extent he may plead a former acquittal or conviction.” Cochran & Sayre v. United States, 157 U.S. 286, 290, 15 S.Ct. 628, 39 L.Ed. 704.’” United States v. Debrow, 346 U.S. 374, 376, 74 S.Ct. 113, 114.

In United States v. Williams, 5 Cir., 203 F.2d 572, 573, the Court held:

“The indictment must contain a definite statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged.

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United States v. Miller, 17 F.R.D. 486, 1955 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4142 (D. Vt. 1955).

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