Butler v. State

272 S.W.2d 125, 160 Tex. Crim. 492, 1954 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1997
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas·Decided June 16, 1954·No. 27037·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinions

WOODLEY, Judge.

The conviction is for robbery; the punishment, 5 years in the penitentiary.

This is a companion case to that of Lebron R. Fields v. State, No. 27008, (page 498, this volume).

The injured party, Julio Orozco Betancu, a 56-year-old Mexican farm laborer whose wife and eight children resided in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, was alone in the field of his employer Paul Ivey preparing an irrigation canal, when appellant and his two companions drove up, called him to the car and asked if he had any gasoline. He replied that there was some at the ranch but he had none there and returned to his work.

[493]*493He was again called and when he returned to the car, the hood was raised and one of the three, other than appellant, was out of the car. Appellant and the third party were still in the car.

The opinion in the Fields case describes the assault made upon the victim.

Betancu testified that while he was down, with the knife at his throat, appellant and the other occupant of the car got out and appellant had his hand on Betancu, was holding him by the hand and went through his pockets, as did the other occupant of the car.

Betancu further testified that a package of cigarettes and a Mexican coin were taken from him by the assault and exhibition of the knife or dagger, but he was unable to say which of the parties took either item from his pockets.

Many of the same questions raised in the Fields case were raised on this trial. They were disposed of there and need not be further mentioned here.

Appellant did not testify, but his confession was offered by the state. The only serious question relates to the admission of parts of the confession relating to and tending to show that appellant and his companions committed other assaults and robberies on the day in question.

The state, having first offered only a portion of the confession, was thereafter permitted to offer the whole.

The confession, omitting the warning clause and signatures, follows, the portions which were objected to as showing collateral offenses being underlined.

“My name is Paul Wayne Butler and I am 18 years of age; I was born in Cedar Grove, Okla. and at present I consider the following address my home Box 243, Munday, Texas.

“I came to Pecos Monday, October 12, 1953. I arrived Pecos about 8 P.M.

“I hitch-hiked to Pecos, and after I got in I ate supper, called a taxi to take me up to my apt where I stay with Cleborn Fields. Cleborn and I left just as soon as I got to the apt. and went to [494]*494Verhalen Gin — where we spent the night, Leborn was working last night and Cleborn went to work this morning at Seven A.M. Leborn, Eugene Embry, and I came back to Pecos. We left Verhalen about 7 A.M. We were in the wine colored Ford of Leborn Fields.

“When we got to Pecos, Embry suggested we go out and beat the hell out of some Mexicans — Embry said that he had beat hell out of several and got some money from them. Said something about easy money if you don’t get caught. This morning was the first I have heard about any thing like that. P.W.B.

“I have worked at Verhalen a month — I have known the Fields boys about 8 or 10 years, and have known Embry for about a month.

“I don’t think Cleborn has been in on any of the robbing and beating, but Leborn and Embry and Gene Pace have been involved in several beating and robbing forays according to what conversation I have overheard in the last month.

“This morning between 7:30 A.M. and 8'A.M. Embry, Lebrón, and I drove west of Pecos on US 80 and picked up a Mexican about 25 years old, drove on west about 2 miles, turned left twice and stopped in a cotton field where we got out of the car and Lebrón hit the Mexican but did not knock him down, so I hit him one time and knocked him down. We searched the Mexican and one of the boys got 50c. We turned the car around and drove back to highway 17 and about 3 miles south we found a Mexican working in the field on the west side of the highway. We drove out to where he was working — looked like he was picking up rocks — We killed the motor raised the hood, and as the Mexican was looking at the motor — Fields and Embry told me to hit him. I hit him one time and he fell down. Eugene put a hunting knife at the Mex throat and Embry and Fields searched him, but we didn’t get any thing.

“Embry used the knife on all three men.

“We left the second man in the field and drove on out to the highway turned left and drove north a mile and a half turned around and drove back south to ivhere a Mex was trying to catch a ride about even with the Drivein Show.

“The Mex got in the car thinking we would take him where he was going Embry told him something im Mex I suppose [495]*495to get him in then we drove on south to a, paved road west. We stopped on the paved road and the Mex started flighting Embry had told him what we were going to do. When we stopped I looked in the back seat and the Mex had a file out and Embry had a knife. The Mex tried to hit Embry with the file, I don’t think Embry tried to cut the Mex. I hit the Mex two or three times in the car and we drove on down in the field next to the railroad. Fields and Embry worked the Mex over while I was driving. When we got to the railroad Embry and Fields dragged him out of the car and I hit him again. They searched him while I was trying to get them to come on and go.

“They told me they got some small change and a watch. They put the watch in the glove compartment and we came on to Pecos. We got back in Pecos about 10 AM.

“We took Embry home and Fields amd I went to our apt. Fields went to sleep and I went to town to sell my car.

“This is the first time I have ever done anything or been arrested.

“I have a medical discharge from the Marine Corps where I served four months as a volunteer.

“I don’t know any more about any of this subject, and would tell if I did.

“I have told the truth because I realize that lying is of no good.”

It is appellant’s contention that since he had not testified and had offered no testimony, portions of the confession relating to other offenses were inadmissible.

In other words, appellant insists that the underlined portions of the confession were inadmissible and prejudicial and offended against the rule that one accused of crime is to be tried for that offense alone, whereas the state contends that the evidence was admissible under the exceptions to the rule where the extraneous crime is a part of the res gestate, or tends to show intent or identity where intent or identity is an issue, or tends to connect the defendant with the offense for which he is on trial.

[496]*496The rule appears to be that if the state’s testimony leaves no question as to the intent or identity of the defendant, the exception does not apply. Branch’s Ann. P.C. p. 99, Sec. 166.

As stated, the victim was unable to identify appellant as having taken his cigarettes or his Mexican coin, and did not testify that appellant assaulted him. Appellant, in his confession, said he struck the Mexican and the others searched him but “didn’t get anything.”

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Butler v. State, 272 S.W.2d 125, 160 Tex. Crim. 492, 1954 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1997 (Tex. 1954).

272 S.W.2d 125 (Butler v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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282 S.W.2d 237 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1955)
Butler v. State
272 S.W.2d 125 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1954)