Bard v. The State Of Ga.

Decision Date31 July 1875
Citation55 Ga. 319
PartiesJohn Bard, plaintiff in error. v. The State of Georgia, defendant in error.
CourtGeorgia Supreme Court

Criminal law. Indictment. Before Judge Hopkins. Fulton Superior Court. April Term, 1875.

Reported in the opinion.

*Gartrell.& Stephens; McCay & Trippe; L. J. Glenn; Howell Glenn, for plaintiff in error.

John T. Glenn, solicitor general, for the state.

Jackson, Judge.

This was an indictment for an assault with intent to murder. The indictment charged that the defendant, John Bard, "with force and arms, and a knife, a weapon likely to produce death, in and upon one William A. Spencer, in the peace of the state, did make an assault with intent unlawfully to kill the said Spencer with malice aforethought, the said Bard then and there being a person of sound memory and discretion, and with said knife the said Bard did then and there unlawfully cut, stab and wound the said Spencer." The jury returned a verdict for an assault, and the defendant moved to arrest the judgment on the ground that the assault was not charged with sufficient certainty, and particularly that the assault was not charged to have been unlawfully done.

1. We think that if the indictment had closed with the words "did make an assault, " it would have been a full description of that offense, under our Code. It was not necessary to aver that the assault was unlawful. But when the assault with intent to murder was so charged in the indictment as to have supported a verdict for that offense, had one been rendered, it is too well settled to admit of doubt that the verdict for the lesser offense of an assault will be sustained; and when the indictment further charges an unlawful cutting, stabbing and wounding with a knife, it makes that which was as clear as a sunbeam before still clearer, if it be possible.

2. If it be necessary to charge that the assault was unlawful, taking all the indictment together, it does charge it with certainty. The verdict of stabbing, of assault and battery, or of assault, either of them might have been rendered and wouldhave been sustained by this indictment, and the motion *arrest the judgment was properly overruled, and the judgment below is affirmed.

Judgment affirmed.

To continue reading

Request your trial
16 cases
  • State v. Wyatt, S14A0317.
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • June 2, 2014
    ...innumerable, and the indictment will apply to one way as well as another.Hill v. State, 63 Ga. 578, 583 (1879). See also Bard v. State, 55 Ga. 319, 320 (1875) (explaining that for purposes of an indictment for assault or assault and battery, allegations that the defendant “with force and ar......
  • Watson v. State
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • December 9, 1902
    ...offenses have been upheld under indictments for felonies. See Wilson v. State, 53 Ga. 205; Hopper v. State, 54 Ga. 389; Bard v. State, 55 Ga. 319; Trowbridge v. State, 74 Ga. 431; Malone v. State, 77 Ga. 767 (4a); Jenkins v. State, 92 Ga. 470, 17 S. E. 693. There have been numerous other de......
  • Peters v. State
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • October 12, 1933
    ...discussed in Watson v. State, 116 Ga. 607, 43 S.E. 32 , and the cases of Wilson v. State, 53 Ga. 205, Hopper v. State, 54 Ga. 389, Bard v. State, 55 Ga. 319, Trowbridge v. State, 74 Ga. 431, Malone State, 77 Ga. 767, Jenkins v. State, 92 Ga. 470, 17 S.E. 693, and Bell v. State, 103 Ga. 401,......
  • Peters v. State
    • United States
    • Georgia Supreme Court
    • October 12, 1933
    ...Ga. 607, 43 S. E. 32 [21 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1], and the cases of Wilson v. State, 53 (3a. 205, Hopper v. State, 54 Ga. 389, Bard v. State, 55 Ga. 319, Trowbridge v. State, 74 Ga. 431, Malone v. State, 77 Ga. 767, Jenkins v. State, 92 Ga. 470, 17 S. E. 693, and Bell v. State, 103 Ga. 401, 30 S......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT