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463 A.2d 281

State v. Gatcomb

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided August 1, 1983

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1983-08-01

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently August 1984

1 state decisions

Relies on State v. Davenport · State v. Joy · State v. Atkinson

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1983-08-01

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¶1MEMORANDUM OF DECISION.

¶2The Defendant was convicted October 28, 1982, of gross sexual misconduct, 17-A M.R. S.A. § 253, after a jury trial in Superior Court, Hancock County. On appeal he contends for the first time that the indictment is fatally defective because it was signed by the deputy foreman of the grand jury instead of the foreman, and, therefore, the court below had no jurisdiction. The Defendant also challenges the sufficiency of the evidence. We affirm the judgment.

¶3We find no merit in the Defendant’s argument concerning the indictment. An indictment is invalid and constitutes a jurisdictional defect only if the State has failed to allege an essential element of the crime charged. State v. Davenport, 326 A.2d 1, 9 (Me.1974). The indictment in this case suffers from no jurisdictional defect. In failing to raise an objection to the indictment at trial, the Defendant waived any right to appellate review on the issue which he now asserts.

¶4*282When a defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence on appeal, this Court will set his conviction aside only if, after reviewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, we determine that no fact finder could rationally have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Atkinson, 458 A.2d 1200, 1205 (Me.1983); State v. Joy, 452 A.2d 408, 411 (Me.1982). This is not such a case.

¶5The entry is:

¶6Appeal denied.

¶7Judgment affirmed.

¶8All concurring.

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