Smith's Criminal Case Compendium
Table of Contents
Evidence
Arrest, Search, and Investigation
Criminal Offenses
Drug Offenses
State v. Lee, 218 N.C. App. 42 (Jan. 17, 2012)
There was no fatal variance between an indictment charging assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and the evidence at trial. The indictment alleged the deadly weapon to be a handgun while the trial evidence showed it was an AK-47 rifle. The court reasoned: “both a handgun and an AK-47 rifle are a type of gun, are obviously dangerous weapons, and carry the same legal significance.” Moreover, the defendant failed to demonstrate that the variance caused prejudice.