Fred Russell, Jr. v. State

43 S.W.3d 66, 2001 Tex. App. LEXIS 1501, 2001 WL 224944
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 7, 2001
Docket10-99-00073-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 43 S.W.3d 66 (Fred Russell, Jr. 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
Fred Russell, Jr. v. State, 43 S.W.3d 66, 2001 Tex. App. LEXIS 1501, 2001 WL 224944 (Tex. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinions

OPINION

GRAY, Justice.

Fred Russell, Jr. was convicted by a jury of the felony offense of failure to stop and render assistance after a plea of not guilty. The jury sentenced him to five years imprisonment. On appeal, he contends that: (1) the trial court erred in not sustaining his objection to the court’s expansion of the necessity definition in the jury charge, and (2) the trial court erred in not granting his request for a mistrial following an improper question by the State. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Facts

On December 14, 1997 at approximately 3:00 a.m., Russell and Tim Cavender were involved in an auto accident. James Roberson testified that, shortly before the accident, he had watched Russell and Ca-vender pass and weave around each other until they traveled out of his sight, disappearing over a hill. As Roberson topped the hill, he could see some lights facing in his direction, however, the car was in the ditch next to the right shoulder of the highway. The car slowly proceeded down the shoulder of the road, then moved onto the road and left. As the other car left, Roberson saw a body lying motionless in the road. Police later identified the body as that of Tim Cavender. There was also a weapon found at the scene. The car that fled the scene was later identified as that belonging to Russell. Russell was charged with the failure to stop and render aid.

Russell testified that Cavender had pulled up beside him on the highway holding something in his hand. Russell stated that he was afraid for his life because it looked like some type of gun. The investigating officer testified that apparently Ca-vender had made an abrupt lane change to the right, passing in front of Russell’s vehicle. As Cavender passed in front of Russell, he crossed over too far causing his pick-up to skid in front of Russell’s car. Russell tried to brake but he was unsuccessful and hit Cavender’s pick-up while it was almost sideways. Cavender’s pick-up traveled sideways for approximately 240 feet turning over twice, throwing Cavender from the vehicle.

Issue 1: Definition of Necessity

In his first issue, Russell argues the trial court erred in not sustaining his objection to the court’s expansion of the necessity definition in the jury charge. [69]*69The record indicates that Russell tendered to the trial court language for the “defense of necessity.” The State made no objections and the trial judge stated that he had no problems with the particular language offered by the defense. However, the judge thought that the necessity charge needed an additional instruction. Russell’s attorney objected to this addition arguing that the trial court’s instruction was not consistent with the statutory definition of necessity.

When reviewing alleged errors in the jury charge, an -appellate court must undertake a two-step review: first, the court must determine whether error actually exists in the charge, and second, the court must determine whether sufficient harm resulted from the error to require reversal. Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157, 171 (Tex.Crim.App.1984); see also Gibson v. State, 726 S.W.2d 129, 132 (Tex. Crim.App.1987). Thus, we must first determine whether there was in fact charge error as a result of the trial court’s additional instruction regarding the availability of the necessity defense.

The Penal Code defines the defense of necessity as follows:

Conduct is justified if:
(1) the actor reasonably believes the conduct is immediately necessary to avoid imminent hatm;
(2) the desirability and urgency of avoiding the harm clearly outweigh, according to ordinary standards of reasonableness, the harm sought to be prevented by the law proscribing the conduct; and
(3) a legislative purpose to exclude the justification claimed for the conduct does not otherwise plainly appear.

Tex.Pen.Code Ann. § 9.22 (Vernon Supp. 2001) (emphasis added). The language in the charge tracked subsections (1) and (2) of the necessity statute. The charge also included a definition and instruction relating to “reasonable belief.” Additionally, the trial court included the following instruction:

This defense of justification or necessity is not available if the risk of eminent [sic] harm reasonably appreciated by the actor has ceased to exist at the time the alleged unlawful conduct occurred.

Russell argues that the Court’s instruction was not part of the necessity definition but was instead the Court’s opinion of the testimony presented, and thus, a violation of Article 36.14. See Tex.Code Crim.Proc. Ann. art. 36.14 (Vernon Supp.2001). In particular, Russell contends that the Court’s expansion of the definition is in essence: (1) expressing an opinion as to the weight of the evidence; (2) summing up the testimony; and/or (3) discussing the facts or an argument in the charge calculated to arouse the sympathy of the jury. In response, the State argues that the instruction added by the Court was consistent with the definition of necessity and it was not the trial court’s opinion of the testimony.

The choice of language by the trial judge, though trying to clarify the statute, is inappropriate if it draws particular attention to the evidence regarding the defendant’s state of mind. Even a seemingly neutral instruction about a particular type of evidence constitutes an impermissible comment on the weight of the evidence because such an instruction singles out a particular piece of evidence for special attention. See id.; Zani v. State, 758 S.W.2d 233, 245 (Tex.Crim.App.1988). We find that the trial court impermissibly expressed an opinion on the weight of the evidence in violation of Article 36.14. See Tex.Code Crim.PROC.Ann. art. 36.14 (Vernon Supp.2001).

[70]*70Harm Analysis

We must now determine whether sufficient harm resulted from the error to require reversal. The manner in which the jury charge error is reviewed on appeal is prescribed by Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 36.19 and Almanza. Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157 (Tex. Crim.App.1984); Tex.Code CRim.Proc.Ann. art. 36.19 (Vernon Supp.2000). The degree of harm that must be present to require reversal depends upon whether the error was preserved or unpreserved. Arline v. State, 721 S.W.2d 348, 351 (Tex. Crim.App.1986). If the error in the charge was the subject of a timely objection in the trial court, then reversal is required if the error is “calculated to injure the rights of defendant,” which means no more than that there must be some harm to the accused from the error. Ovalle v. State, 13 S.W.3d 774 (Tex.Crim.App. 2000). In other words, an error which has been properly preserved by objection will call for reversal as long as the error is not harmless. Id.

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Bluebook (online)
43 S.W.3d 66, 2001 Tex. App. LEXIS 1501, 2001 WL 224944, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fred-russell-jr-v-state-texapp-2001.