W. C. SPOONER, AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DUVAL COUNTY PRISON CAMP, PLAINTIFF IN ERROR,
v.
RALPH CURTIS, DEFENDANT IN ERROR
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This case concerns whether a criminal information sufficiently charged the unlawful possession of intoxicating liquors under Florida law. The appellate court found that the information, which alleged possession of intoxicating liquors outside of a bona fide residence, was sufficient to state an offense, reversing a lower court's discharge of the defendant.
Yes, the information sufficiently alleges a violation of the state statute. The statute makes possession unlawful, and stating the possession was not in a bona fide residence is sufficient to charge an offense, with exceptions being defensive matter for the defendant to prove.
“It was not essential to specifically allege that the possession, of intoxicating liquors charged was “unlawful”' where it is alleged that the'possession alleged was “contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided. ’ ’”
Establishes that alleging possession contrary to the statute is sufficient without explicitly stating 'unlawful'.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceRalph Curtis was convicted of possessing intoxicating liquors in Duval County, Florida. The information stated he possessed intoxicating liquors but n…
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Whitfield,. J.
Ralph. Curtis, was convicted in . the Criminal Court, of Record for. Duval County-upon an in-i' ormation .charging “that .Ralph Curtis, of-the County, of Duval and State of Florida, on the twenty-seventh-day of December.in-the year.of our-Lord, one.thousand nine.hundx’ed. and twenty-one .in .the County.,and State afqresaid. Didt-hen and there,have.in.his possession in.Duval .County, Floxdda, intoxicating liquors, he, the-said .Ralph. Curtis not then and there having the possession of said intoxicating liquors, in the bona fide residence of him the said Ralph Curtis, contrary to the form of the statute in such ease made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Florida.”
The sentence was fine or imprisonment and on habeas corpus proceedings before the Circuit Judge, Curtis was discharged from-custody, on the theory that the- “information fails to charge the violation of any law.”' A writ of error was allowed and taken by the officer under the statute.
The statute provides: “That it shall be -unlawful for any person, association of persons, or corporation, or any agent or employee of any person, association of persons, or corporation, to have in his, her, their, or its possession, custody or control, in this State, any alcoholic or intoxicating liquors or beverages, except as is hereinafter provided;” and “that in any prosecution or other proceeding-under any of the provisions of this Article, it shall not be necessary for the State or any officer, in pleading or by evidence, to negative the existence in point of fact any of the exceptions contained in Sections 5462, 5463, 5464, 5465, 5466 and 5467, hereof, but the existence of any such exceptions in point of fact shall be defensive matter in any such prosecution or other proceeding. And, in any such prosecution or other proceeding, it shall not be necessary for the State or any officer to allege or prove the particular name, kind, character or contents of any alcoholic or other intoxicating liquors or beveragesj whether spirituous, vinous or malt, or other liquors or liquids, but it shall be sufficient to allege generally and to prove that the same is alcoholic or intoxicating liquors dr beverages,. 'or other liquors of liquids^ within the prohibitions of this Article. ’’ Secs. 5460 and 5468 Rev. Gen. Stats. 1920. It was not essential to specifically allege that the possession, of intoxicating liquors charged was “unlawful”' where it is alleged that the'possession alleged was “contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided. ’ ’ See Steffanos v. State, 80 Fla. 309, 86 South. Rep. 204.
The Volstead Act of Congress enacted under the Eighteenth Amendment, does not supersede State statutes relative to the possession of intoxicating liquors and the operation of the Volstead Act does not control State statutes regulating the possession of intoxicating liquors except that in so far as the Federal Act expressly permits the possession of intoxicating liquors in the Iona fide residence of a person where such liquors were lawfully obtained and are used only for the family purposes stated in the Federal Act, the State -is by the Fourteenth Amendment forbidden to abridge the privilege expressly conferred by the Federal law. Hall v. Moran, 81 Fla. 706, 89 South. Rep. 104; Vigliotti v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 258 U. S. 403, 43 Sup. Ct. Rep. 338, 66 L. Ed. 686.
In this case the allegation is that the defendant did “have in his possession in Duval County, Florida, intoxicating liquors, he the said Ralph Curtis not then and there having the possession of said intoxicating liquors in the bona fide residence of him the said Ralph Curtis, contrary, ’ ’ &c. Under the State statute above quoted this is a sufficient allegation of the offense of unlawful possession of intoxicating liquors; and whether the possession was permitted by any of the exceptions named in the statute is ‘ ‘ defensive matter, ’’ that must be shown by the defendant. Sec. 5468 Rev. Gen. Stats. 1920; Wood v. Whitaker, 81 Fla. 653, 89 South. Rep. 118; Burrows v. Moran, 81 Fla. 662, 89 South. Rep. 111; Butler v. Perry, 67 Fla. 405, 66 South. Rep. 150; Crooke v. Van Pelt, 76 Fla. 20, 79 South. Rep. 166; McKelvey v. United States, — U. S. —, 43 Sup. Ct. Rep. 132; United States v. Cook, 17 Wall. (U. S.) 168. See Beauder v. Barnett, 255 U. S. 224.
The statute makes it unlawful to have the “possession, custody or control” of “intoxicating liquors.” ' The information charges the “possession” of “intoxicating liquors,” as an ultimate fact. This is sufficient to charge an offense, in view of all the provisions of the statute; and it is adequate to advise the defendant of “the nature and cause of the accusation againnst him.” Sec. 11, Declaration of Rights. 255 U. S. 224.
The information does not wholly fail to state an offense under the statute, and the petitioner in the Circuit Court should have been remanded. Wood v. Whitaker, supra; Burrows v. Moran, supra; Johnson v. State, 81 Fla. 783, 89 South. Rep. 114. See also In re. Robinson, 73 Fla. 1068, 75 South. Rep. 604; Dukes v. State, 81 Fla. 247, 88 South. Rep. 474; Foxworth v. Law, 77 Fla. 596, 82 South, Rep. 55; Griswold v. State, 77 Fla. 505, 82 South. Rep. 44; Crooke v. Van Pelt, 76 Fla. 20, 79 South. Rep. 166.
Reversed.
Taylor, C. J.,. and Ellis, Browne and West, J. j., concur. .
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
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Lehman v. Sawyer, 106 Fla. 396 (Fla. 1932)…but wholly failed to state any [*400] offense under the laws of the State. The writ of habeas corpus cannot be used as a substitute for a motion to quash, or a writ of error or an appeal. In re: Robinson, 73 Fla. 1068, 75 So. 604; Spooner v. Curtis, 85 Fla. 408, 96 So. 836. Upon the writ of habeas corpus, the question of the guilt or innocence of the petitioner, although the indictment is defective or inartistieally drawn, will not be considered 'by the court. The writ is designed to test solely the questi…
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Kirk v. Angus Morrison, 108 Fla. 144 (Fla. 1933)…the Grand Jury. .We cannot say on this habeas corpus proceeding that the affidavit wholly fails to state the essential elements of an offense under a valid statute, therefore unconditional relief by habeas corpus is not available. Spooner v. Curtis, 85 Fla. 408, 96 So. Rep. 836. On habeas corpus proceedings the Court will inquire whether the complaint upon which the defendant is held, or has been convicted, charges a public offense, and when it finds that to the charge preferred no criminality is attached…
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State v. Coleman, 131 Fla. 872 (Fla. 1938)…ewis v. Nelson, 62 Fla. 71, Sou. Rep. 435 ; Ex Parte Prince, 27 Fla. 196, 9 Sou. Rep. 659, 26 Am. St. Rep. 67; In re: Robinson, 73 Fla. 1068, 75 Sou. Rep. 604, L. R. A. 1918-B 1148; Griswold v. State, 77 Fla. 505, 82 Sou. Rep. 44; Spooner v. Curtis, 85 Fla. 408, 96 Sou. Rep. 836; Lehman v. Sawyer, 106 Fla. 396, 143 So. 310.” * * * “It cannot be said that such information wholly fails to charge a crime against the laws of Florida under Section 7667 C. G. L. 5509 R. G. S. assuming (but not deciding) [*881]…
Previewing 3 of 10 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited (15 total)
- McKelvey v. United States, 260 U.S. 353 (U.S. 1922)
- Griswold v. State, 77 Fla. 505 (Fla. 1919)
- In re Robinson, 73 Fla. 1068 (Fla. 1917)
- Butler v. J. W. Perry as Sheriff, 67 Fla. 405 (Fla. 1914)
- Baender v. Barnett, 255 U.S. 224 (U.S. 1921)
- United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind, 261 U.S. 204 (U.S. 1923)
- Crooke v. Van Pelt, 76 Fla. 20 (Fla. 1918)
- Johnson v. State, 81 Fla. 783 (Fla. 1921)
- Steffanos v. State, 80 Fla. 309 (Fla. 1920)
- Vigliotti v. Commonwealth of Pa., 258 U.S. 403 (U.S. 1922)