State v. Visciani
State v. Visciani
Opinion of the Court
The above entitled proceeding is an indictment charging the respondent with • the crime of murder.
In the Superior Court the respondent filed his motion to quash said indictment. As one of the grounds of said motion the respondent questions the constitutionality of a certain provision of the statutes of this State. The constitutional question has been certified to this court for determination. It appears in' said motion as follows: “The defendant, Gaetano Visciani, moves to quash this indictment as to him because Section 23, Chap. 1677, Pub. Laws, 1918, under which said indictment is drawn is in violation of Section 7 of Article I of the Constitution of Rhode Island provided as follows: 'No person shall be held to answer for a capital or other infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment by a grand jury, except in cases of impeachment, or of such offences as are cognizable by a justice of the peace; or in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger. No person shall, after an acquittal, be tried for the same offence.' ”
Without passing upon whether it can properly be said that “said indictment is drawn” under said Section 23, it is clear that said section in no respects violates the provisions of Section 7, Article I of the Constitution of Rhode Island.
Our decision is that Section 23, Chapter 1677, Pub. Laws, 1918, does not violate Section 7, Article I of the Constitution of Rhode Island. It is ordered that the papers in the case shall be sent back to the Superior Court with this decision certified thereon.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State v. Gaetano Visciani.
- Status
- Published