Crow v. State

984 S.W.2d 260, 1998 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 161, 1998 WL 901856
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 2, 1998
DocketNo. 981-98
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 984 S.W.2d 260 (Crow 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
Crow v. State, 984 S.W.2d 260, 1998 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 161, 1998 WL 901856 (Tex. 1998).

Opinion

OPINION DISSENTING TO REFUSAL OF APPELLANT’S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

BAIRD, Judge,

dissenting.

Resolution of appellant’s double jeopardy claim turns on whether the prosecutor intended to goad the appellant into requesting a mistrial or acted with reckless disregard as to whether his conduct would result in a mistrial.

I.

During his final argument, the “[pjrosecutor slapped the defendant on the back with an open hand forcefully.” Statement of Facts (SOF)of April 25, 1997, pg. 73. The sound of the striking of appellant’s back was loud enough to be heard throughout the courtroom. SOF of April 18, 1997, pg. 10. The sound of the slap was described as making a “loud pop” which “jerked” appellant. SOF of April 25, 1997, pp. 53, 74-75. After the jury began deliberations, appellant moved for a mistrial based on the prosecutor’s physical assault of appellant during jury argument. The trial judge granted the motion.

Subsequently, appellant, relying on Federal and State precedent, filed an application seeking pretrial habeas corpus relief contending retrial was jeopardy barred. At the hearing, appellant asked the prosecutor questions to determine the prosecutor’s state of mind at the time he assaulted appellant. Even though these questions were clearly relevant to the issue of whether the prosecutor acted intentionally or recklessly, the ha-beas judge prohibited this line of questioning by sustaining the State’s objections as to relevance.1 After the hearing, the habeas judge denied relief. The Court of Appeals affirmed. Crow v. State, 968 S.W.2d 480 (Tex.App. — Houston [1st Dist.] 1998). Appellant petitioned this Court for review to determine the correctness of that decision.2

For the following reasons, I believe the majority errs in refusing the instant petition.

II.

First, we should handle this ease in short order. We should establish a bright line rule [261]*261and hold as a matter of law, when a prosecutor resorts to physical violence against the accused in order to obtain a conviction, the trial judge must declare a mistrial, and pursuant to double jeopardy principles, retrial should be barred. Such a rule would send a loud and clear message that prosecutors shall not engage in such “manifestly improper” conduct. See Bander, 921 S.W.2d 696, 700 (Tex.Cr.App.1996) (explaining “... the line between legitimate adversarial gamesmanship and manifestly improper prosecutorial methods should be difficult for most prosecuting attorneys to cross unless they do it on purpose.).

III.

A mistrial granted as a result of intentional or reckless prosecutorial misconduct bars reprosecution under the United States and Texas constitutions’ double jeopardy provisions. Oregon v. Kennedy, 456 U.S. 667, 102 S.Ct. 2083, 72 L.Ed.2d 416 (1982) (holding United States constitution’s double jeopardy clause bars retrial when mistrial results from intentional prosecutorial misconduct); Bauder v. State, 921 S.W.2d 696 (Tex.Cr.App.1996) (extending Texas’s constitutional double jeopardy protection to bar retrial of mistrials declared as result of reckless prosecu-torial misconduct). See also, Bauder v. State, 974 S.W.2d 729 (Tex.Cr.App.1998) (remanding case to Court of Appeals to apply correct standard of law announced in original opinion, Bauder, 921 S.W.2d 696 (Tex.Cr.App.1996)). Because the habeas judge erred in prohibiting questions to determine whether the prosecutor intended to goad appellant into requesting a mistrial or acted with reckless disregard whether his conduct would result in a mistrial, this case should be remanded to the habeas court to provide appellant the opportunity to develop a record sufficient to provide meaningful appellate review of the habeas judge’s denial of relief.

A.

In Oregon v. Kennedy, 456 U.S. 667, 102 S.Ct. 2083, 72 L.Ed.2d 416, the United States Supreme Court held:

... [ojnly where the governmental conduct in question [by the prosecutor] is intended to ‘goad’ the defendant into moving for a mistrial may a defendant raise the bar of double jeopardy to a second trial after having succeeded in aborting the first on his own motion.

Kennedy, 456 U.S. at 676, 102 S.Ct. at 2089. The Supreme Court explained that this standard:

... that examines the intent of the prosecutor, though certainly not entirely free from practical difficulties, is a manageable standard to apply. It merely calls for the court to make a finding of fact. Inferring the existence or nonexistence of intent from objectionable facts and circumstances is a familiar process in our criminal justice system.3

Id., 456 U.S. at 675, 102 S.Ct. at 2089. Thus, the Supreme Court recognized this standard, which examines the intent of the prosecutor, is dependant on the trial court’s examination of facts and circumstances. In fact, the Kennedy Court specifically noted it was “[ajfter a hearing at which the prosecutor testified the trial court found as a fact that ‘it was not the intention of the prosecutor in this case to cause the mistrial.’” Id., 456 U.S. at 669, 102 S.Ct. at 2086.

In the instant case, although there was a hearing, at which the prosecutor testified, the habeas judge, by prohibiting appellant’s questions of the prosecutor, failed to permit appellant to explore the prosecutor’s intent. Because of this, the habeas judge had no “facts and circumstances” upon which to base her determination the prosecutor’s misconduct was not intended to result in mistrial.4 Id., 456 U.S. at 675, 102 S.Ct. at 2089. With[262]*262out any “facts and circumstances” to examine on the issue of the prosecutor’s intent, the trial court erred in “[i]nferring the ... nonexistence of intent.” See Id. Consequently, this matter should be remanded to the habe-as court for a hearing wherein parties have the opportunity to develop the facts necessary to resolve the legal issue, pursuant to Kennedy, of whether the prosecutor intended, by his misconduct, to goad appellant into requesting a mistrial.

B.

In Bauder v. State, 921 S.W.2d 696 (Tex.Cr.App.1996), this Court extended the Texas Constitution’s double jeopardy provision to bar retrial when a mistrial is the result of reckless, as well as intentional, prosecutorial misconduct:

... a successive prosecution is jeopardy barred after declaration of a mistrial at the defendant’s request,

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Bluebook (online)
984 S.W.2d 260, 1998 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 161, 1998 WL 901856, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crow-v-state-texcrimapp-1998.