State v. Souders, 49109

Decision Date31 December 1985
Docket NumberNo. 49109,49109
Citation703 S.W.2d 909
PartiesSTATE of Missouri, Respondent, v. Ira SOUDERS, Appellant.
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals

Robert A. Hampe, St. Louis, for appellant.

William L. Webster, Atty. Gen., Mark A. Richardson, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, for respondent.

CRIST, Judge.

Appeal from a jury conviction for attempted stealing of an automobile, for which defendant was sentenced to serve two years' imprisonment and pay a fine of $5,000. We affirm.

A security guard at the parking lot of a Rodeway Inn in the City of St. Louis saw defendant approach a 1980 Chevrolet truck, and open the door using a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Defendant got in and began to use a "dent puller" on the ignition switch, arousing the suspicion of the guard, who then approached the vehicle. Defendant got out of the truck, ignored an order to halt, and began to run. The guard pursued, and radioed for assistance. When the guard caught up to defendant, they squared off, and defendant raised a "punch bar." The guard fired a shot into the air, and defendant dropped the bar and a bag he was carrying. The police arrived, and defendant was arrested.

Examination of the truck revealed the driver's side door lock was broken, and the cover of a radio speaker, located in the driver's side door, was lying on the ground. The ignition switch cover plate had been removed, and was lying on the floor of the truck. The ignition switch mechanism had been pulled approximately one-half inch out of position. Various tools, including a screwdriver, priers, and a dent puller, were found either in defendant's bag or in the truck. Also in defendant's bag was a can of "Freeze It" which defendant said was used to disable alarms.

Defendant challenges the information charging him with attempted stealing, claiming the original information was invalid due to lack of attestation, the amended information charged him with a different crime and did not protect defendant from being placed in double jeopardy. This was the second trial in the case, the first having ended in a mistrial. Lack of attestation of the original information was not raised until the morning of the second trial. No motion to quash appears on the record. Lack of attestation of an information is not jurisdictional, but is a formal matter which is waived if there is no timely motion to quash. State v. Rhodes, 591 S.W.2d 174, 176 (Mo.App.1979). State v. Van Sickel, 675 S.W.2d 907, 911-13 (Mo.App.1984).

The remaining points relating to the information are premised on the assertion the amended information charged a different crime than did the original information. An amendment to an information is proper if the amended information does not charge an additional or different offense than that charged in the original information. State v. Amerson, 661 S.W.2d 852 (Mo.App.1983). Here, the only changes made in the amendments specified the make of the truck the defendant was accused of attempting to steal; defendant removed the ignition switch cover, not the ignition switch; and stated the actions were directed towards "stealing a motor vehicle, to-wit: a 1980 Chevrolet Truck," not "stealing over one hundred and fifty dollars (auto), to-wit: a 1980 truck." It also alleged a prior offense. The amendments did not charge any additional or different offense.

The information before and after amendment set out the elements of attempted stealing. See State v. Olds, 603 S.W.2d 501, 508 (Mo. banc 1980). The amount or identity of the property the perpetrator attempted to steal is not a necessary element of the offense. State v. Bradshaw, 643 S.W.2d 834, 836 (Mo.App.1982). Therefore, specification of the truck as a Chevrolet, or of the attempted crime as stealing a motor vehicle, did not charge a different offense. Changing the specification of the removed part to the ignition switch cover from the ignition switch only changed the the method of commission of the offense, and did not allege a different offense. State v. Mace, 665 S.W.2d 655, 661 (Mo.App.1984).

Defendant alleges error in the trial court's denial of his motion to prevent the security guard from testifying, because the state did not disclose a report written by that guard. This report, written for the guard's employer, is not alleged to have been in the possession of the state. Rule 25.03(A)(1) requires the state to provide, upon request, the written statements of witnesses the state intends to call, if the statement is "within its possession or control." This statement was not shown to be within the possession or control of the state, and therefore the denial of sanctions for failure to produce the report was proper.

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10 cases
  • McIntyre v. Caspari
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit
    • November 23, 1994
    ...Id. Other courts of appeals in Missouri have reached the same result regarding second-degree tampering. See, e.g., State v. Souders, 703 S.W.2d 909, 911 (Mo.App.1985); State v. Gobble, 675 S.W.2d 944 (Mo.App.1984), and State v. Rivers, 663 S.W.2d 255, 256 (Mo.App.1983). When the Missouri Co......
  • State v. Winkelmann
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • November 1, 1988
    ...(Mo.App.1983); State v. St. Clair, 643 S.W.2d 605, 610 (Mo.App.1982); State v. Harris, 620 S.W.2d 349 (Mo. banc 1981); State v. Souders, 703 S.W.2d 909, 911 (Mo.App.1985); State v. Ferguson, 678 S.W.2d 873, 878 Appellant sets forth an argument that Smith should be modified when there is, as......
  • State v. Knight, 54172
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • September 27, 1988
    ...that is waived by the defendant unless attacked in a motion to quash. Walster v. State, 438 S.W.2d 1, 3 (Mo.1969); State v. Souders, 703 S.W.2d 909 (Mo.App., E.D.1985); State v. Sincup, 674 S.W.2d 689, 691 (Mo.App., E.D.1984); State v. VanSickel, 675 S.W.2d 907 (Mo.App., W.D.1984); State v.......
  • Peiffer v. State
    • United States
    • Missouri Supreme Court
    • October 8, 2002
    ...that tampering is not a lesser-included offense of stealing. The court cited to four cases to support this result: State v. Souders, 703 S.W.2d 909 (Mo.App.1985); State v. Gobble, 675 S.W.2d 944 (Mo.App.1984); State v. Rivers, 663 S.W.2d 255 (Mo.App. 1983); State v. Smith, 655 S.W.2d 626 (M......
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