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30 Ala. 521

Baker v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama

Decided January 15, 1857

Supreme Court of Alabama · decided 1857-01-15

<p>{INDICTMENT FOR INCEST.]</p> <p>1. Sufficiency of indictment. — An indictment, charging that the prisoner, “being then and there the father of one Elizabeth B., and within the degree of consanguinity within which marriages are declared by law to be incestuous and void, and then and there knowing the said Elizabeth to be his daughter, did then and there live with the said Elizabeth in a state of adultery,”— is sufficient under the Code.</p> <p>2. Sufficiency of general m-dict of guilty. — where the defendant pleads not guilty to an indictment containing a good and a bad count, a general verdict of guilty as charged in the indictment will be referred to the good count.</p> <p>3. Punishment of incest. — The punishment of incest, as prescribed by the Code, (§ 3234,) is the same as under the former law.</p> <p>4. What constitutes incest. — Adultery, committed with a natural daughter, is within the statute, equally as if she was born in lawful wedlock.</p>

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently September 1941

2 state decisions

Relies on Noles v. State · Morgan v. State

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1857-01-15

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WALKER, J.

¶1Tbe first count in tbe indictment conforms strictly to tbe forms laid down in tbe Code, and must, therefore, be deemed good. — Noles v. The State, 24 Ala. 672.

¶2We do not decide that tbe second count in tbe indictment would or would not be maintainable on demurrer; but, conceding that it is not, tbe judgment of tbe court below must be affirmed. Tbe defendant pleaded not guilty generally to tbe entire indictment. Tbe verdict was a general one of guilty as charged in tbe indictment. It is well settled, that where an indictment contains a good and a bad count, a general finding will be referred to the good count, and sustained by it. — State v. Lassley, 7 Porter, 526; State v. Coleman, 5 Porter, 526; State v. Briley, 8 Porter, 472.

¶3It is ai’gued for tbe defendant, that tbe case ought to be reversed, because tbe indictment does not disclose whether the offense was committed.before or after tbe adoption of tbe Code. This argument is based upon tbe supposition, that tbe punishment of the offense under tbe Code is different from that prescribed in tbe antecedent law. This supposition is incorrect in point of fact. Tbe punishment is precisely tbe same under tbe Code as under tbe old law. — Clay’s Digest, 432, § 6; Code, § 3234.

¶4It is no objection to tbe indictment, that it does not disclose that tbe female with whom tbe adultery was committed was tbe daughter of tbe defendant born in lawful wedlock. Tbe crime is complete, under tbe statute, if she was bis natural daughter. — Morgan v. The State, 11 Ala. 289.

¶5Tbe judgment of tbe court below is affirmed.

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