State v. . Carivey

OlarksoN, J. Tbe defendant in bis brief says: “There was only one exception, and that was to tbe sufficiency of tbe bill of indictment. After verdict the defendant moved in arrest of judgment on tbe ground that tbe bill of indictment does not sufficiently charge defendant with tbe crime of ‘Escape,’ and does not sufficiently charge defendant with any crime under tbe law. . . . Clearly this bill does not charge an escape. It does not charge that there was an escape, and in fact there was none.” In 2 Bishop on Criminal Law, 9 ed. (1923), sec. 1065, subsec. 3, it is said: “Tbe word ‘escape’ has two separate meanings in tbe law. One is tbe allowing, voluntarily or negligently, of a prisoner lawfully *321 in custody to leave Ms confinement. The other is the going away, by the prisoner himself, from his place of lawful custody, without a breaking of prison.” In S. v. Ritchie, 107 N. C., p. 858, it is said: “An escape is defined— 'when one who is arrested gains his liberty before he is delivered in due course of law.’ 1 Buss. Crimes, 467. And by another eminent authority, tersely, as 'the departure of a prisoner from custody.’ 2 Whart. Cr. L., sec. 2606. These definitions are cited and approved by Smith, C. J., in S. v. Johnson, 94 N. C., 924.” We do not think the bill charges an escape. The only question for our decision, under the bill of indictment and evidence, is: Has defendant been convicted of any crime? It is said, In re Westfeldt, 188 N. C., p. 709: “The charge of the court not appearing in the record, it is to be presumed that the court below charged the law in accordance with the evidence.” The crime is not prison breach — that is defined in 2 Bishop, supra, see. 1065, subsec. 1, as follows: “Prison breach is a breaking and going out of prison by one lawfully confined therein.” C. S., 4404 declares: “If any person shall break prison, being lawfully confined therein, or shall escape from the custody of any superintendent, guard or officer, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.” We think the crime of which defendant is charged, and of which he has been convicted is an attempt to commit the crime of rescue. Bescue is defined in 2 Bishop, supra, 1065, subsec. 2: “Bescue is a deliverance of a prisoner from lawful custody by any third person.” If there had been a deliverance of the prisoner by defendant he would have been guilty of rescue, as the prisoner, by the admitted evidence, was in lawful custody. C. S., 4640 is as follows: “Upon the trial of any indictment the prisoner may be convicted of the crime charged therein or of a less degree of the same crime, or of an attempt to commit the crime so charged, or of an attempt to commit a less degree of the same crime.” S. v. Kline, ante, p. 180. Here, then, was an attempt to commit a crime amounting to a rescue, and C. S., 4640 permits the jury to convict a prisoner of a less degree of the same crime or of an attempt to commit the crime charged in the bill of indictment. Hoke, J., in S. v. Addor, 183 N. C., p. 688, said: “An attempt to commit a crime is an indictable offense, and as a matter of form and on proper evidence, in this jurisdiction, a conviction may be sustained on a bill of indictment making the specific charge, or one which charges a completed offense. S. v. Colvin, 90 N. C., 718; C. S., 4640. In 3 A. & E., p. 250, an unlawful attempt to commit a crime is defined *322 as an act done in part execution of a criminal design, amounting to more than mere preparation, but falling short of actual commission and possessing, except for failure to consummate, all the elements of the substantive crime; and in 16 Corpus Juris, at p. 113, it is said that an unlawful attempt is compounded of two elements: Eirst, the intent to commit it; and, second, a direct, ineffectual act done towards its commission.” The learned Justice in the Addor case cites abundant authority and reasoning to sustain the position. 1 Cyc. Criminal law (Brill, 1922), sec. 146. The language of the bill of indictment used the word “intent,” and the facts set out show an “attempt” without using the word. The words in the bill ex vi termini necessarily import an attempt to commit the crime of rescue, and are amply sufficient to give the defendant full notice of the crime with which he stands charged, and that is the chief purpose of the bill of indictment. "We think this principle is borne out in S. v. Hewett, 158 N. C., p. 629, at least not in conflict with it. C. S., 4623 is as follows: “Every criminal proceeding by warrant, indictment, information, or impeachment is sufficient in form for all intents and purposes if it express the charge against the defendant in a plain, intelligible, and explicit manner; and the same shall not be quashed, nor the judgment thereon stayed, by reason of any informality or refinement, if in the bill or proceeding, sufficient matter appears to enable the court to proceed to judgment.” “Form, technicality and refinement have given way to substance, and it is sufficient if the indictment contains the charge in a plain, intelligent, and explicit manner. S. v. Leeper, 146 N. C., 655; S. v. Hedgecock, 185 N. C., 714; S. v. Hawley, 186 N. C., 433.” S. v. Switzer, 187 N. C., 96; S. v. Jarrett, 189 N. C., 520. From the record we find No error.