GLENWOOD VON EDWARDS, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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The Florida Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Florida's burglary statute against charges that it was unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. The appellant was charged with burglary of a conveyance by taking apart a portion of a motor vehicle with intent to commit larceny therein, and challenged the statute on constitutional grounds.
The burglary statute is neither vague nor overbroad. The statutory language is sufficiently clear to convey a definite warning as to proscribed conduct measured by common understanding and practice. The requirement that there be intent to commit an offense 'therein' (within the conveyance) ensures that the statute rationally distinguishes between burglary and larceny and does not punish lesser culpable conduct as burglary.
[1] A statute is not unconstitutionally vague if its language conveys a definite warning as to the conduct proscribed, measured by common understanding and practice.
[2] A statute defining burglary of a conveyance is not unconstitutionally overbroad when interpreted to require an intent to commit an offense within the conveyance, even if…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Upon examination of the statutory language, we conclude that it is sufficient to convey a definite warning as to the conduct proscribed, measured by common understanding and practice.”
Establishes the standard for vagueness and applies it to uphold the burglary statute as sufficiently clear
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceGlenwood Von Edwards was charged with burglary of a conveyance with intent to commit larceny under Florida Statutes sections 810.02(1) and 810.011(2).…
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BOYD, Justice.
This case is before the Court on appeal from a judgment of the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, in and for St. Lucie County. The court below passed upon the constitutionality of a state law, thus vesting jurisdiction of the appeal in this Court. Art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla.Const. The appellant was informed against for the crime of burglary of a conveyance with the intent to commit larceny therein in violation of sections 810.02(1) and 810.-011(2), Florida Statutes (1977). It was alleged that he “did unlawfully enter a conveyance, to wit: by taking apart a portion of said conveyance, said conveyance being a motor vehicle . . . with the intent to commit an offense therein, to wit: larceny. .” Following the denial of his motion to dismiss, which raised the issue of the constitutionality of the burglary statute, the appellant changed his plea to nolo con-tendere reserving the right to appeal. He was adjudicated guilty and sentenced.
The appellant contends that the statute is unconstitutionally vague. Section 810.02(1) provides:
“Burglary” means entering or remaining in a structure or a conveyance with the intent to commit an offense therein, unless the premises are at the time open to [*DCCLXV] the public or the defendant is licensed to enter or remain.
Section 810.011(2) provides:
“Conveyance” means any motor vehicle, ship, vessel, railroad car, trailer, aircraft, or sleeping car; and “to enter a conveyance” includes taking apart any portion of the conveyance.
Upon examination of the statutory language, we conclude that it is sufficient to convey a definite warning as to the conduct proscribed, measured by common understanding and practice. Zachary v. State, 269 So. 2d 669 (Fla.1972).
The appellant also contends that the burglary statute is overbroad in that it proscribes and punishes as burglary unlawful conduct that is less culpable than the conduct generally sought to be prevented by the criminal laws against burglary. He argues that the language of section 810.011(2) defining entry of a conveyance to include “taking apart any portion of the conveyance” punishes as burglary conduct which would otherwise be considered larceny. Since the purpose of punishing burglary more severely than larceny is to protect the security of dwellings, buildings, and conveyances, the conduct of one who removes something from the outside of a conveyance without entering should not be treated as burglary. To do so, he contends, denies due process.
The state responds that the word “therein” in section 810.02(1) requires that when the entering of a conveyance is committed, there must be an intent to commit an offense “therein,” citing State v. Dalby, 361 So. 2d 215 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978). Thus, the legislative intent is that the removal of a portion of the conveyance must be to facilitate the commission of an offense within the conveyance. Thus the statute does not seek to punish as burglary conduct which should be treated as larceny. We agree. Since the appellant plead nolo to an information alleging that he unlawfully entered a conveyance (by taking apart a portion thereof), the property of another, with the intent to commit larceny therein, the statute cannot be said to be overbroad as applied to him. We hold that there is a rational basis for defining entering so as to include taking apart any portion of a conveyance.
The burglary statute is neither vague nor overbroad. The judgment is affirmed.
It is so ordered.
ENGLAND, C. J., and ADKINS, OVER-TON, SUNDBERG, ALDERMAN and MCDONALD, JJ., concur.
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Citator
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Drew v. State, 773 So. 2d 46 (Fla. 2000)…ircraft, or sleeping car.” In addition, “ ‘to enter a conveyance’ includes taking apart any portion of the conveyance.” § 810.011(3), Fla. Stat. (1997). This Court construed the statutory definition of entry of a conveyance in Von Edwards v. State, 377 So. 2d 684 (Fla.1979), and, based upon that construction, rejected a claim that the statutory definition of burglary was unconstitutionally vague or overbroad. In rejecting the claim of over-breadth we accepted the State’s proffered interpretation of the statu…
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State v. Ransey R. Harvey, 403 So. 2d 630 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981)…top, or from the side; he is still guilty of attempted burglary. Here, appel-lee unlawfully entered a conveyance (by attempting to take a portion thereof), the property of another, with the intent to commit larceny therein. See Von Edwards v. State, 377 So. 2d 684 (Fla.1979). Accordingly we reverse the order granting the motion to dismiss Count I and [*631] Count II. The trial court granted the dismissals on the ground that a charge of possession of burglary tools can be sustained only where there is evidenc…
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Greger v. State, 458 So. 2d 858 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)…to enter a conveyance includes taking apart any portion of the conveyance.” By the plain meaning of the burglary statute, the appellant entered the boat when he removed a portion of the boat, to-wit, the cowling and the bolts. Von Edwards v. State, 377 So. 2d 684 (Fla.1979); State v. Harvey, 403 So. 2d 630 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981); Bragg v. State, 371 So. 2d 1082 (Fla. 4th DCA 1979). We see no distinction between a motor vehicle’s engine compartment and the outboard motor bolted to a boat hull for purposes of defi…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Zachary v. State, 269 So. 2d 669 (Fla. 1972)
- State v. Dalby, 361 So. 2d 215 (Fla. 2d DCA 1978)