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45 Ala. App. 125

Smith v. State

Alabama Court of Appeals

Decided September 9, 1969

Alabama Court of Appeals · decided 1969-09-09

Cited by 12 later decisions — most recently August 1978

12 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“lawfully charged by indictment or by information filed by a prosecuting officer and supported by affidavit as to the facts, or by affidavit made before a magistrate in that state, with having committed a crime under the laws of that state, or that he has been convicted of crime in that state and has escaped from confinement or broken his parole.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including 354 So. 2d 851 - Hagamaker v. State

“recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issue.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including 354 So. 2d 851 - Hagamaker v. State

Relies on Harris v. State · 187 So. 2d 798 - Hebert v. Blankenship · 30 Ala. App. 184 - Watson v. State

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1969-09-09

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

ALMON, Judge.

¶1This is an appeal from a judgment of the Law and Equity Court of Houston County denying appellant’s petition for writ of habeas corpus.

¶2The sheriff’s return asserts that appellant was held under authority of a rendition warrant issued by the Governor of Alabama upon request of the Governor of Georgia and a copy of the warrant was attached to the return. The only documentary evidence introduced at the hearing was the Governor’s warrant. No supporting papers were introduced. The pertinent part of the Governor’s rendition warrant is as follows:

“WHEREAS, His Excellency, Lester Maddox, Governor of the State of Georgia, by requisition dated the 22nd day of April, 1969, has demanded of me, as Governor of the State of Alabama, the surrender of Ann Gray Smith who, it appears, is charged by application in the county of Dougherty (Georgia) in said State, with the crime of larceny from the house (a duly certified copy of which application accompanies said requisition) and it appearing that said Ann Gray Smith has fled from justice in said State and taken refuge in the State of Alabama.” (Emphasis added.)

¶3Tit. 15, § 54, Code of Alabama, 1940, requires that “the warrant must substantially recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issue.”

¶4One thing necessary for the issuance of a warrant is that it must be shown that the accused is “lawfully charged by indictment or by an information filed by a prosecuting officer and supported by affidavit to the facts, or by affidavit made before a magistrate in that state.” Tit. 15, § 52, Code of Alabama, 1940.

¶5The recital in the Governor’s warrant “charged by application” is insufficient to meet the requirement of the statute. See Beasley v. State, 43 Ala.App. 247, 187 So.2d 806, where a “charge by State Warrant” was inadequate. See also Watson v. State, 30 Ala.App. 184, 2 So.2d 470, where a “charge by transcript of minutes” was inadequate.

¶6Since no allied or supporting papers were introduced the warrant could not be aided by the rule in Harris v. State, 257 Ala. 3, 60 So.2d 266.

¶7There was other evidence introduced at the hearing; none of which, however, would cure this defective warrant.

¶8The appellant was entitled to be discharged.

¶9Reversed and remanded.

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