Batres v. State

727 S.W.2d 83, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 7133
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 27, 1987
Docket04-85-00450-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 727 S.W.2d 83 (Batres v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Batres v. State, 727 S.W.2d 83, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 7133 (Tex. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinions

OPINION

REEVES, Justice.

This is an appeal from a conviction of the offense of sexual assault. A jury found the appellant guilty and the court assessed punishment at 11 years’ confinement in the Department of Corrections.

The appellant chose not to testify. During deliberation, but before discussing the evidence, the jury took a preliminary poll. Ten voted guilty and two voted not guilty. It is uncontroverted that Batres’ failure to testify was discussed by the the jury during its deliberation. It is also uncontro-verted that during the discussion, neither the presiding juror nor any other juror cut off the discussion or cautioned the group that such discussion was forbidden. At the hearing on Batres’ motion for mistrial, four jurors were called to testify. Three of them stated that Batres’ failure to testify was discussed.

Juror Roman testified, in pertinent part:

[Attorney for Appellant]:
Q: Do you recall whether or not in the jury’s deliberations that the jury discussed or commented upon defendant’s failure to take the stand in this cause?
A: Yes, we did.
Q: Could you tell us briefly what the context of that discussion was?
A: That we didn’t hear his side of the story....
Q: Could you tell us how the discussion began? For example, who made the first comment about it?
A: One of the jurors, and I don’t know which one exactly, they got off the subject as soon as we got in there, you know, that we didn’t hear his side of the story.
Q: Did anyone else participate in the discussion?
A: Most all of us did.
Q: How long was the duration of the discussion?
A: It was about thirty or thirty-five or forty minutes....
Q: How long do you say that it lasted?
A: The whole deliberation?
Q: The discussion about the defendant’s failure to testify.
A: Well, about three minutes I guess.
Q: And would you tell us when the formal vote was taken as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant?
A: The formal vote.
Q: Yes.
A: It took about forty-five minutes after we got in there....
[84]*84Q: During this discussion [forty-five minute jury deliberation] did anyone say that an innocent person would have taken the stand, that if he had been innocent he would have taken the stand?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you recall that vividly?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you think that was an important factor in the decision?
A: I think so, yes it was.
Q: Were you one of the two persons who had originally voted for acquittal and then changed your mind?
A: I was one of them....
Q: So this discussion actually influenced you in voting for a guilty verdict?
A: Yes.
[Cross-examination by State]:
Q: And do I understand your testimony correctly in that you did not allow his failure to testify to play a part in your deliberations?
A: Yes I did say that.
Q: Pardon?
A: I did say that.
Q: You found him guilty under the evidence that was presented at the trial, right?
A: Yes.
Q: And the fact that he failed to testify, you did not consider that? You did not consider his failure to testify, and you did not hold that against him?
A: Well, it was mentioned but, no.
Q: But in your verdict you did find him guilty based on the evidence?
A: No, sir....
Q: And even though there may have been a mention about the defendant’s failure to testify and the fact that you did not have the opportunity to hear his side of the story, was your verdict based on the evidence and not because he didn’t testify?
A: The fact that there were so many comments made in the jury room, you know; but yes it was.
Q: It was based on the evidence and only on the evidence?
A: Yes.
[Redirect examination by Appellant’s attorney]:
Q: Mr. Abascal made mention of the fact that the defendant failed to testify. Did you not testify that this discussion lasted for about thirty minutes?
A: After the informal vote....
Q: Did you not also testify that after this discussion was when you changed your mind and decided that you would vote in favor of a guilty verdict?
A: Yes.

Juror Covarrubias testified, in pertinent part:

[Questions by Appellant’s attorney]:
Q: I would like to ask you a few questions about your deliberations. Do you recall any comments made during the jury deliberations regarding the defendant’s failure to take the stand during the trial.
A: Yes there was.
Q: Could tell us briefly how that discussion started and how long it lasted?
A: Well, one of the jurors just mentioned it, and then everyone started talking that was mostly the main factor that was there, you know, and then they reached a verdict.
Q: Was this the main factor in the decision of the jury? Could you explain what you mean by the main factor?
A: Yes, it was like everyone was — it was something that was said by everyone and everyone discussed it there.
Q: Could you tell us some of the comments that were made?
A: Yes, some of them wanted to know why he didn’t stand on the witness stand and, you know, it was something like that. Well, they said if he knew he was right, you know, then why didn’t he stand up and speak for himself.
[85]*85Q: From what you heard, and from all the comments that were made, do you think that it was an important factor in the decision?
A: In my opinion no.
Q: How long did this discussion last?
A: At least thirty-five or forty minutes
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Q: —Do you remember at the beginning some people felt that he should be found innocent.
A: Yes, there were two.

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Batres v. State
727 S.W.2d 83 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1987)

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Bluebook (online)
727 S.W.2d 83, 1987 Tex. App. LEXIS 7133, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/batres-v-state-texapp-1987.