McGee v. State
McGee v. State
Opinion of the Court
The description given of the property, in both the information and the affidavit upon which it is based, is “ one certain pair of buckskin gloves.” The evidence describes them as sheepskin gloves.
The rule of law is, as stated by Mr. Greenleaf, that “ when a person or thing necessary to be mentioned in an indictment is described with unnecessary particularity, all the circumstances of description must be proved; for they are all made essential to the identity.” Thus, says the writer, by way of illustrating the application of the rule, “ in an indictment for stealing a black horse, the animal is necessarily mentioned, but the color need not be stated; yet, if it is stated, it is made descriptive of the particular animal stolen, and a variance in the proof of color is fatal.” 1 Greenl. on Ev., sec. 65.
Because there is a material variance between the description of the property and the evidence adduced, the judgment must be reversed. The description given in the indictment, though unnecessarily minute, being descriptive of, and made necessary to, the identity — as, buckskin gloves — the charge is not sustained by proof of the theft of sheepskin gloves; the variance is fatal to the conviction. The judgment is reversed, and the cause is remanded for such further proceedings as the law will warrant.
Remanded.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.