Allen v. State
Allen v. State
Opinion of the Court
This appeal is taken from a judgment rendered in a prosecution based upon an information couched in the following language, viz.: “In the name and by the authority of the State of Texas, comes R. M. Lively, county attorney in and for the county of Van Zandt and State of Texas, duly elected and qualified, now here in the county court of said county information makes that Thomas Allen, as shown by complaint of S. C. Wilson, made October 18, 1881, late of the county of Van Zandt, laborer, on the eighteenth day of October, 1881, with force and arms, in the county of Van Zandt, did then and there make an aggravated assault upon the person of S. 0. Wilson, contrary to the form of the statute in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State.”
Prior to the adoption of the common sense bill, the rule adopted and recognized with regard to indictments for aggravated assault was that “the indictment should allege some of the particular acts or circumstances which are necessary under the Penal Code to constitute the offense. This rule, however, is not applicable to indictments (or informations) for simple assaults and batteries, or to assaults with intent to murder.” (Browning v. State, 2 Texas Ct. App., 47.)
In our opinion this rule is still the law in this State, and that the form prescribed by the common sense bill for indictments and informations for aggravated assault is an infraction of the constitutional provision which guarantees to the accused in all criminal prosecutions the right “to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him.” See Williams v. State, decided at the Austin term, 1882. (12 Texas Ct. App., 395.)
Because the court erred in overruling the motion to quash the information the judgment is reversed, but the^ prosecution will not be dismissed, inasmuch as the complaint is sufficient to charge simple assault, and the prosecutor may, if he sees fit, prepare another information based upon said complaint for that offense.
Reversed and remanded.
Opinion delivered October 14, 1882.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.