Don Louis Woods v. State
This text of Don Louis Woods v. State (Don Louis Woods 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.
Opinion
PER CURIAM
The county court at law found appellant guilty of assault and assessed punishment at incarceration for one year and a $2000 fine, probated. In his only point of error, appellant contends the court erred by overruling his motion for new trial without a hearing. We will overrule the point and affirm the conviction.
The motion for new trial alleged that "new evidence favorable to the Defendant has been discovered since trial, to-wit: Counsel has learned that a witness with testimony favorable to the Defendant now exists. Said witness is named Billy Eme. His place of residence is 23610 Windy Valley, Leander, Texas 78646." See Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 40.001 (West Supp. 1996) (new trial shall be granted when material evidence favorable to accused is discovered after trial). The motion was unsworn and there was no supporting affidavit. The court overruled the motion without a hearing one week after it was filed.
As a matter of pleading and as a prerequisite to obtaining a hearing, a motion for new trial that requires proof of facts extrinsic to the record must be supported by one or more affidavits showing the truth of the ground of attack. Connor v. State, 877 S.W.2d 325, 327 n.3 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994); McIntire v. State, 698 S.W.2d 652, 658 (Tex. Crim. App. 1985); Bearden v. State, 648 S.W.2d 688, 691-92 (Tex. Crim. App. 1983). A motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence requires proof of extrinsic facts and long has been held to require verification. Bearden, 648 S.W.2d at 691-92; Watkins v. State, 438 S.W.2d 819, 822 (Tex. Crim. App. 1969); Cartwright v. State, 255 S.W.2d 878, 879 (Tex. Crim. App. 1953). Appellant acknowledges these precedents but urges that a motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence should no longer require supporting affidavits.
Appellant relies on Meriwether v. State, 840 S.W.2d 959, 961-62 (Tex. App.--Beaumont 1992, pet. ref'd). This reliance is misplaced for several reasons. First, the adequacy of the defendant's motion for new trial was not at issue in Meriwether. Second, the holding in Meriwether, that Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 30(b)(6) did not require the same quantum of proof as was required under former article 40.03(6), has been repudiated by the Court of Criminal Appeals. See Moore v. State, 882 S.W.2d 844, 849 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994) (motion for new trial under rule 30(b)(6) subject to same analysis as motion under former article 40.03(6)). Third, rule 30(b)(6) was disapproved by the legislature before the offense in this cause was committed. Act of May 29, 1993, 73d Leg., R.S., ch. 900, § 11.02, 1993 Tex. Gen. Laws 3586, 3765. Present article 40.001, which governs appellant's motion for new trial, is identical in substance to former article 40.03(6).
Appellant's motion for new trial was inadequate because it was neither sworn nor supported by affidavit. Moreover, the statement that "a witness with testimony favorable to the Defendant now exists" was in any event insufficient to demonstrate reasonable grounds to believe that the new witness was unknown to appellant at the time of trial, that appellant used due diligence to discover the witness, and that the new witness's testimony was both material and admissible, and not merely cumulative, corroborative, collateral, or impeaching. See Drew v. State, 743 S.W.2d 207, 226 (Tex. Crim. App. 1987); Elledge v. State, 890 S.W.2d 843, 846 (Tex. App.--Austin 1994, pet. ref'd) (requirements for obtaining new trial based on new evidence). The county court at law did not err by overruling the motion for new trial without a hearing. The point of error is overruled.
The judgment of conviction is affirmed.
Before Chief Justice Carroll, Justices Aboussie and Kidd
Affirmed
Filed: April 24, 1996
Do Not Publish
ly: CG Times" STYLE="font-size: 11pt">
The county court at law found appellant guilty of assault and assessed punishment at incarceration for one year and a $2000 fine, probated. In his only point of error, appellant contends the court erred by overruling his motion for new trial without a hearing. We will overrule the point and affirm the conviction.
The motion for new trial alleged that "new evidence favorable to the Defendant has been discovered since trial, to-wit: Counsel has learned that a witness with testimony favorable to the Defendant now exists. Said witness is named Billy Eme. His place of residence is 23610 Windy Valley, Leander, Texas 78646." See Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 40.001 (West Supp. 1996) (new trial shall be granted when material evidence favorable to accused is discovered after trial). The motion was unsworn and there was no supporting affidavit. The court overruled the motion without a hearing one week after it was filed.
As a matter of pleading and as a prerequisite to obtaining a hearing, a motion for new trial that requires proof of facts extrinsic to the record must be supported by one or more affidavits showing the truth of the ground of attack. Connor v. State, 877 S.W.2d 325, 327 n.3 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994); McIntire v. State, 698 S.W.2d 652, 658 (Tex. Crim. App. 1985); Bearden v. State, 648 S.W.2d 688, 691-92 (Tex. Crim. App. 1983). A motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence requires proof of extrinsic facts and long has been held to require verification. Bearden, 648 S.W.2d at 691-92; Watkins v. State, 438 S.W.2d 819, 822 (Tex. Crim. App. 1969); Cartwright v. State, 255 S.W.2d 878, 879 (Tex. Crim. App. 1953).
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