Arnold v. State

742 S.W.2d 10, 1987 WL 2744
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 16, 1987
Docket378-85
StatusPublished
Cited by64 cases

This text of 742 S.W.2d 10 (Arnold v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Arnold v. State, 742 S.W.2d 10, 1987 WL 2744 (Tex. 1987).

Opinions

OPINION ON APPELLANT’S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

ONION, Presiding Judge.

Appellant was convicted of murder. V.T. C.A., Penal Code, § 19.02. Punishment was assessed by the jury at life imprisonment and a fine of $10,000.

On appeal the appellant, inter alia, complained that the “trial court erred in overruling appellant’s objection to the charge for its failure to instruct the jury on the law of voluntary intoxication as mitigation.” Appellant pointed out that at the guilt stage of the trial the court had charged:

“Voluntary intoxication does not constitute a defense to the commission of crime. Evidence of temporary insanity caused by intoxication may be considered by the jury in mitigation of the penalty. Intoxication means disturbance of mental or physical capacity resulting from the introduction of any substance into the body.” See V.T.C.A., Penal Code, § 8.04.

Appellant then insisted that the court erred in refusing to include a charge on voluntary intoxication at the penalty stage of the trial despite his objection. He claimed the error was “particularly harmful” because of the charge at the guilt stage of the trial on “temporary insanity.”

The Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction, rejecting all appellant’s points (nee grounds) of error. Arnold v. State, 686 S.W.2d 291 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th] 1985).

In overruling appellant’s second contention the Court of Appeals observed that the objection to the charge came before the commencement of the penalty stage of the trial and before any evidence was offered. It concluded that while the evidence at the guilt stage of the trial reflected appellant was intoxicated it did not raise the issue of temporary insanity caused by intoxication, and that this was the only evidence before the trial court at the time of objection. The Court of Appeals further concluded that the testimony of the appellant’s mother “might” have raised the issue, but appellant made no further objection to the court’s charge.

In his petition for discretionary review appellant urged, inter alia, that the “court below erred in holding that error in the punishment charge had been waived: alternatively the error was of a fundamental nature under the recent decision in Almanza v. State.” We granted the petition to determine the correctness of the decision.

[12]*12During the voir dire examination the jury panel was informed that voluntary intoxication was not a defense, but that temporary insanity caused by intoxication could be considered in mitigation of punishment. Prospective jurors were interrogated about their feelings about drinking and intoxication, and some were excused for cause. The prosecutor, defense counsel and the court all participated in this part of the voir dire examination.

The morning after the conclusion of the evidence at the guilt stage of the trial, the State stated it had no objections to the charge, and the appellant only asked that the State elect “as to whether it is a gun or knife.” After being overruled and upon inquiry by the court appellant’s counsel stated, “That will be all.”

The record then reflects:

“THE COURT: * * * It is now my duty and obligation to read you the Court’s charge.
“(The Court begins to read the Judge’s Charge to the Jury.)
“THE COURT: Would you retire the jury?
“(The jury leaves the Courtroom.)
“MR. HARDIN (Prosecutor): I would like one item on the record as far as the Charge is concerned.”
“The State had requested that on voluntary intoxication only the first sentence be in the Charge, that it is no defense at this stage of the trial. I am informed by Mr. Hause he is willing to state on the record — the State wouldn’t oppose — he wants the whole first paragraph of voluntary intoxication which refers to temporary insanity, which has not been raised at this stage of the trial.
“MR. HAUSE (Defense Counsel): I want the whole first paragraph.
“THE COURT: That has already been read to the jury. So I will move along.”

The charge given on voluntary intoxication and temporary insanity and read to the jury has been set out earlier in the opinion. It covered V.T.C.A., Penal Code, § 8.04(a), (b) and (d).

After the jury reached the verdict of guilty and prior to the commencement of the penalty stage of the trial, the court overruled the appellant’s motion to prohibit introduction of prior convictions. After presentation and discussion, appellant’s counsel then had the record reflect that the appellant had decided not to testify at the penalty stage after consultation with counsel. Appellant then acknowledged to the court upon its inquiry that he did not wish a charge on his eligibility for probation. Thereafter the record reflects:

“MR. HAUSE: For the purpose of the record, the Defendant objects to the Court’s Charge, in that it does not contain a voluntary intoxication charge.
“THE COURT: All right, your request will be denied.”

Whether the proposed charge at the penalty stage of the trial had already been given to counsel at this juncture is not clear from the record. After appellant’s mother testified at the penalty stage of the trial the record reflects:

“THE COURT: That concludes the evidence, members of the jury. I will now read you the Court’s Charge at the Punishment stage of the trial.
“(Court’s Charge read).”

As the Court of Appeals observed, appellant made no objection at this time to the court’s charge, and we note that no objection was made to any action of the trial court. On appeal appellant relies upon his objection to the charge prior to the commencement of the penalty stage. Appellant does not complain that he was called upon or forced to object when he did or that he was prevented from objecting subsequently. It is well settled, absent fundamental error, that failure to object to the charge or failure to object to the charge in the manner required by statute waives the error, if any.

Evidence can and often does affect the content of the court’s charge at either stage of a bifurcated trial. The Court of Appeals concluded the evidence at the time of appellant’s objection had not raised the issue of temporary insanity. Since that court held the objection was premature, [13]*13and assuming that the objection met the specificity test of Article 36.14, V.A.C.C.P., we briefly examine the evidence. First, of course, we must examine the law regarding submission of a charge on temporary insanity.

An accused is entitled to an instruction on every defensive or mitigating issue raised by the evidence. Williamson v. State, 672 S.W.2d 484 (Tex.Cr.App.1984); Moon v. State, 607 S.W.2d 569 (Tex.Cr.App.1980); Garcia v. State, 605 S.W.2d 565 (Tex.Cr.App.1980); Warren v. State, 565 S.W.2d 931

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Bluebook (online)
742 S.W.2d 10, 1987 WL 2744, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/arnold-v-state-texcrimapp-1987.