State v. Roberts, 7214SC316

Decision Date24 May 1972
Docket NumberNo. 7214SC316,7214SC316
Citation188 S.E.2d 610,14 N.C.App. 648
PartiesSTATE of North Carolina v. James C. ROBERTS.
CourtNorth Carolina Court of Appeals

Atty. Gen. Robert Morgan and Associate Atty. Gen. Louis W. Payne, Jr., for the State.

Thomas F. Loflin, III, Durham, for defendant appellant.

HEDRICK, Judge.

The defendant assigns as error the Court's denial of his motion in arrest of judgment in the count charging the defendant with larceny.

A motion in arrest of judgment is one made after verdict and to prevent entry of judgment and is based upon the insufficiency of the indictment or some other fatal defect appearing on the face of the record. State v. Kirby, 276 N.C. 123, 171 S.E.2d 416 (1970).

The second count in the bill of indictment attempted to charge the defendant with felonious larceny in the following language:

'. . . That James Clifford Roberts, on the 4th day of August, 1971, with force and arms, at and in the County aforesaid, after having unlawfully, willfully and feloniously broken into and entered a certain dwelling house and building occupied by one Ken's Quickie Mart with intent to steal, take and carry away the merchandise, chattels, money, valuable securities and other personal property located therein, 139 cartons various brands cigarettes, 90 8-track Stereo Tapes, 1 Harrington Richardson .22 cal. pistol with holster serial #AC4851 of the value of $1,470.00 dollars, of the goods, chattels and moneys of the said Ken's Quickie Mart then and there being found unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did steal, take and carry away . . ..'

Citing State v. Thornton, 251 N.C. 658, 111 S.E.2d 901 (1960), and State v. Biller, 252 N.C. 783, 114 S.E.2d 659 (1960), defendant contends the second count of the bill of indictment charging him with felonious larceny is fatally defective because it did not sufficiently allege that the owner of the property allegedly stolen was either a natural person or a legal entity capable of owning property.

In his brief the Attorney General states, 'In short, the State cannot distinguish the cases cited by defendant, which cases appear to dictate a finding of error in this case.' An indictment for larceny which fails to allege the ownership of the property either in a natural person or a legal entity capable of owning property is fatally defective. State v. Thompson, 6 N.C.App 64, 169 S.E.2d 241 (1969); State v. Biller, Supra; State v. Thornton, Supra.

The bill of indictment in the present case does...

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11 cases
  • State v. Siers
    • United States
    • Nebraska Supreme Court
    • November 17, 1976
    ...or the like, the information must allege and prove such organization to be an entity capable of owning property. State v. Roberts, 14 N.C.App. 648, 188 S.E.2d 610 (1972); State v. Monk, 193 Or. 450, 238 P.2d 1110 (1951); 26 Am.Jur.2d, Embezzlement, § 39, p. 592. This latter rule has been mo......
  • State v. Skipper, No. COA09-161 (N.C. App. 11/3/2009)
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • November 3, 2009
    ...is fatally defective.'" State v. Cathey, 162 N.C. App. 350, 352-53, 590 S.E.2d 408, 410 (2004) (quoting State v. Roberts, 14 N.C. App. 648, 649, 188 S.E.2d 610, 611-12 (1972)). In Cathey, this Court found that a larceny indictment against the defendant for taking personal property from the ......
  • State v. Woody
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • April 6, 1999
    ...Finance Company," which clearly imported a corporation), disc. review denied, 293 N.C. 255, 236 S.E.2d 708 (1977); State v. Roberts, 14 N.C.App. 648, 188 S.E.2d 610 (1972) (indictment for larceny from "Ken's Quickie Mart" insufficient); State v. Thompson, 6 N.C.App. 64, 169 S.E.2d 241 (1969......
  • State v. Chance, No. COA07-1491 (N.C. App. 6/17/2008)
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • June 17, 2008
    ...of the property either in a natural person or a legal entity capable of owning property is fatally defective." State v. Roberts, 14 N.C. App. 648, 649, 188 S.E.2d 610, 611 (1972). Further, "a larceny indictment which does not indicate the legal entity is a corporation or the name of the leg......
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