MAY, Judge.
Matthew P. Wilhoite appeals his conviction of Class B felony "Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Armed Robbery."
In July of 2011, Wilhoite, Joshua Johnson, and Jacqueline Jones agreed to rob Donald Willis. They developed a plan that involved arranging a drug deal with Willis and then, during the transaction, robbing him. Wilhoite helped plan the crime and then, in accordance with the plan, he snuck out the window of Jones' apartment with a backpack of clothing for Johnson and was to meet Johnson to aid in his co-conspirators' escape. The armed robbery proved unsuccessful, and police apprehended Wilhoite and Johnson a short time later.
The State charged Wilhoite with Class B felony conspiracy, and a jury found Wilhoite guilty as charged. The court imposed a fourteen-year sentence.
The State's charging information alleged Wilhoite committed "Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Armed Robbery, a Class B felony," (id. at 15) (capitalization removed), and the sentencing order purports to sentence Wilhoite for that same offense. (Id. at 163.) Wilhoite asserts there is no such crime.
The State notes Wilhoite did not, at any point in the underlying proceedings, raise his concerns about the name of the crime with which he was charged. "[F]ailure to challenge a defective charging information by way of a motion to dismiss before the trial court waives any such challenge on appeal." Neff v. State, 915 N.E.2d 1026, 1031 (Ind.Ct.App.2009), reh'g granted on other issue, trans. denied. Because the error Wilhoite now alleges was apparent on the face of the charging information, he waived the error because he did not object. See id.
Nevertheless, it is a due process violation for the State to convict people of crimes that do not exist. See Funk v. State, 714 N.E.2d 746, 749 (Ind.Ct.App. 1999) (discussing decisions vacating as fundamental error convictions based on non-existent crimes), trans. denied. Therefore, we will address the merits of Wilhoite's argument to determine whether there was fundamental error. See Dickenson v. State, 835 N.E.2d 542, 549 (Ind.Ct. App.2005), trans. denied. Fundamental errors are those "so prejudicial to the rights of [a defendant] that he could not have received a fair trial." Id.
Wilhoite contends his conviction is invalid because a person may not be convicted of "conspiring to attempt" any crime. In support thereof, he cites Indiana Code § 35-41-5-3(a), which states: "a person may not be convicted of both a conspiracy and an attempt with respect to the same underlying crime." However, as we have explained:
State v. Hancock, 530 N.E.2d 106, 108 (Ind.Ct.App.1988) (internal citation omitted), reh'g denied, trans. denied. Because Wilhoite was convicted of a single crime, Ind.Code § 35-41-5-3(a) does not control.
Nevertheless, we agree with Wilhoite that citizens should not be charged with conspiring to attempt a crime. First, colloquially speaking, to "attempt" a crime is to "try," dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/attempt?s=ts (last visited March 25, 2014), without actually completing the crime. See also Ind.Code § 35-41-5-1 ("A person attempts to commit a crime when, acting with the culpability required for commission of the crime, he engages in conduct that constitutes a substantial step toward commission of the crime."). A conspiracy arises not when people agree to fail to commit a crime; rather, they must have the intent to commit the crime. See Ind. Code § 35-41-5-2(a) ("A person conspires to commit a felony when, with intent to commit the felony, he agrees with another person to commit the felony.") (emphasis added). And see People v. Iniguez, 96 Cal.App.4th 75, 116 Cal.Rptr.2d 634, 636-37 (2002):
(footnote omitted). Thus, we agree that the State referenced a non-existent crime when it listed "Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Robbery" on the charging information as the crime committed.
Nevertheless, Wilhoite has not demonstrated fundamental error. The purpose of a charging information is to provide a defendant with notice of the crime so that he can prepare a defense. Gilliland v. State, 979 N.E.2d 1049, 1060 (Ind.Ct.App.2012). "An information that enables an accused, the court, and the jury to determine the crime for which conviction is sought satisfies due process. Errors in the information are fatal only if they mislead the defendant or fail to give him notice of the charge filed against him." Id. at 1061 (Ind.Ct.App.2012) (quoting Dickenson, 835 N.E.2d at 550).
Though the information listed his crime as "conspiracy to commit attempted armed robbery," (App. at 15) (capitalization removed), the record reflects Wilhoite was in fact convicted of conspiring to commit armed robbery. The explanatory paragraph in the information stated "Wilhoite did knowingly agree with Joshua Lee Johnson and Jacqueline Jones to commit the felony of armed robbery and in furtherance
In addition, the jury was instructed on the elements of conspiracy:
(Id. at 117-18, 136-37.) Despite the erroneous title given to his crime, the information indicated elements for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and the jury instructions informed the jurors of the elements they needed to find Wilhoite guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, including "the intent to commit the crime." (Id.) Thus, the fact that the erroneous name of the crime listed at the top of the charging information did not amount to fundamental error. See Funk, 714 N.E.2d at 749 (holding no fundamental error where the "label applied to the charges may have been facially incorrect, but the substance of the ... charges was proper").
Wilhoite also asserts he was denied his constitutional right to a jury of his peers because he is "non-white [and] was convicted by what he believes was an all-white jury...."
As the State's charging information gave Wilhoite notice of the allegations against him, he has not demonstrated fundamental error. Wilhoite has not provided us with a sufficient record to permit review of his claim that he was denied the right to be tried by a jury of his peers. Accordingly, we affirm.
Affirmed.
BAILEY, J., and BRADFORD, J., concur.
Owens v. State, 929 N.E.2d 754, 756-57 (Ind. 2010), reh'g denied.