Fuentes v. State

832 S.W.2d 635, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 1341, 1992 WL 110926
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 28, 1992
DocketC14-92-00198-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 832 S.W.2d 635 (Fuentes 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
Fuentes v. State, 832 S.W.2d 635, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 1341, 1992 WL 110926 (Tex. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

ELLIS, Justice.

Appellant, Gregory Fuentes, appeals his judgment of conviction for the offense of attempted murder. Tex.Penal Code Ann. *637 § 19.02 (Vernon 1992) and § 15.01 (Vernon Supp.1992). The jury rejected appellant’s not guilty plea and the Court assessed punishment at eighteen (18) years confinement in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. We affirm.

Appellant brings four points of error on appeal:

1) The Court erred in failing to allow appellant to establish the prior relationship of the parties to this offense through the witness Eugene Garza.
2) The Court erred in denying appellant the right to explain the prior relationship between himself and the complainant.
3) The Court erred in failing to allow appellant to explain to the jury the facts of his prior impeachable offense.
4) Appellant was denied effective assistance of counsel when counsel allowed, without objection, the State to state as a matter of fact that the weapon used by appellant to commit the offense was a stolen weapon.

The relevant facts are as follows: October 24, 1990 appellant shot the complainant, Epifanio Oliva in the chest. Several witnesses testified that a group of friends were outside talking. Appellant drove up to where the group was standing, but remained in his truck. A short time later Mr. Oliva was dropped off by someone else. Oliva was carrying a Whataburger bag and a twelve pack of beer which he placed on the back of someone’s car.

Oliva approached the driver’s side of appellant’s truck. After Oliva approached appellant’s truck where appellant was still seated inside, the witnesses heard arguing, but could not tell the nature of the argument. The witnesses then heard a gunshot. When the witnesses turned around, they observed Oliva fall to the ground and then get up and run. Oliva then fell again, got up and began running again. Appellant then got out of his car and fired two to three more shots. He then got back in his truck and drove away.

Linda Silva testified that she knew both Oliva and appellant. She testified that her back was turned when she heard the first gunshot. Ms. Silva further testified that appellant then got out of his truck and fired several shots toward the complainant. Michelle Aeree, Eugene Garza’s girlfriend, testified that appellant was not shooting at Oliva, but was shooting in the air in the direction Oliva was running.

Eugene Garza testified that he was good friends with both Oliva and appellant. He testified that he was talking with appellant when Oliva drove up. Mr. Garza testified he was standing next to Oliva when he began arguing with appellant. He further testified that Oliva was standing with the side of his hand behind his back. There was no physical contact between Oliva and appellant and he did not see Oliva with a weapon. Appellant pointed the gun at Oli-va and shot him. The gun was approximately a foot from Oliva’s body. He also testified that Oliva fell and appellant got out of the truck and shot in the air. On cross-examination, Garza testified that Oli-va appeared to be drinking.

Epifanio Oliva, testified to basically the same facts. He testified that he knew appellant and Oliva’s brother had some problems so he went over to appellant’s truck to ask if they had a problem. He testified that he had not been drinking and that he did not curse at appellant or threaten him. He also denied that he put his hand behind his back. He testified that he saw the gun coming out of the window and then appellant shot him. He fell down and began running when he got up. He testified that appellant shot at him a second time which is why he ran.

Arthur Novak testified for the defense. In addition to the facts related above, 'he testified it appeared that Oliva had been drinking and that he was close enough to hear the dialogue between appellant and Oliva. He testified as to what was said and also said that Oliva had his hand behind his back and went toward the truck so appellant shot him. He thinks appellant shot two more times in the air and was not aiming at anyone. On cross examination he admitted that he did not see when appellant shot Oliva, but rather he had heard the shot.

*638 Appellant’s father testified that the gun was inside his jacket which was inside the truck. He had gotten the gun from someone so he could decide if he would buy it. He testified appellant did not know the weapon was in the jacket.

Appellant testified that he shot the complainant in self defense. He was feeling for something in the truck to defend himself when he felt the gun. He testified that he did not know the weapon was in the truck or that it was loaded.

Appellant contends in his first point of error that the trial court erred in failing to allow appellant to establish the prior relationship of the parties to this offense through the witness Eugene Garza.

The scope of cross-examination is within the control of the trial judge in the exercise of his sound discretion. Toler v. State, 546 S.W.2d 290, 295 (Tex.Crim.App.1977). In order for a complaint concerning the exclusion of evidence to be considered by an appellate court, the record must show what the excluded testimony would have been; absent a showing of what such testimony would have been, or an offer of a statement concerning what the excluded evidence would show, nothing is preserved for review. Stewart v. State, 686 S.W.2d 118, 122 (Tex.Crim.App.1977), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 866, 106 S.Ct. 190, 88 L.Ed.2d 159 (1985). Where the matter complained of is not shown in the record nothing is presented for review Romo v. State, 568 S.W.2d 298 (Tex.Crim.App.1977).

In the instant case, there is nothing in the record to demonstrate what the excluded testimony regarding the prior relationship of the parties would have revealed. Therefore, there is nothing preserved for this court to review to determine if the trial court erred.

The record reflects that on direct examination, Mr. Garza testified as follows in response to the question of whether Oliva had said anything, “Sir he just [sic] saying he was going to fuck him up and that he was fucking with his blood.” During cross examination, Garza repeatedly testified as to the threats made by Oliva. The witness was also allowed to answer defense counsel’s questions that Oliva did not like appellant and that there had been previous threats made. He was also allowed to testify that he took what Oliva had stated that night to be a threat.

In addition, although Oliva denied making any threats to appellant, Oliva did testify that he knew appellant and his brother had some problems.

A witness for the defense, Arthur No-vak, was also allowed to testify as to the nature of the threats. He was also allowed to testify that he had previously seen Oliva with a gun.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
832 S.W.2d 635, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 1341, 1992 WL 110926, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fuentes-v-state-texapp-1992.