Gallegos v. State

715 S.W.2d 139, 1986 Tex. App. LEXIS 8218
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided July 23, 1986·No. No. 04-85-00075-CR·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

OPINION

BUTTS, Justice.

This is an appeal from a conviction for murder. TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 19.-02(a)(3) (Vernon 1974). Appellant was charged with capital murder, TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 19.03(a)(2) (Vernon 1974), and found guilty of the included offense of murder. The jury assessed punishment at sixty years’ imprisonment.

The evidence shows that on Friday, July 27, 1984, between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m., appellant and his companions, Thomas, Roger and Gilbert, stopped at a restaurant near downtown San Antonio for some takeout food. Roger and Gilbert went inside to buy food while appellant and Thomas waited in the car. Returning, Roger told of seeing a customer in the restaurant with some money. Roger identified this customer, the deceased, when he joined two people outside the restaurant.

Appellant and his friends then drove along behind the three men who were walking. The proof shows that Roger suggested robbing the men; appellant voiced approval. Roger stopped the car and with appellant and Thomas, got out and ran after the men. Appellant and Thomas caught one of them and began beating him; Thomas stabbed the man at least one time. Roger caught another one and beat him. Eventually Thomas said, “I have the money, let’s split.” They returned to their car, divided the money, and drove away.

The stabbing victim and his companions attracted the attention of a passing motorist who offered to take them to a hospital. They refused and asked instead to be driven to an apartment, arriving there about twenty five minutes later. There the deceased appeared to be doing poorly and someone called the police. The police arrived about ten minutes later along with an ambulance. At a hospital deceased died shortly after midnight of stab wounds to the abdomen.

Jesus Guerrero, a companion of the deceased, testified to the attack on himself and the two others. He told how the three were dragged into some “sheds” and beaten. He was cut with a knife and his billfold taken. He saw the wound in the stomach of the deceased as he lay on the ground. Guerrero ran for help and was, himself, treated for wounds at the hospital later.

Appellant learned he was a suspect in this killing. On September 5, 1984, he turned himself in at the adult probation office. The record reflects a probation officer called the police, and detective investigator Pinchback of the police department, along with another officer, responded. Pinchback testified that upon arriving at the probation office, he identified appellant and arrested him pursuant to an arrest [141] warrant issued on the basis of the confessions of two other principals. Without asking appellant more than his name and age, officer Pinchback walked him the two or three hundred yards back to the police station and upstairs to the homicide office.

The officer explained to appellant that the arrest warrant was for capital murder and read him his Miranda rights. Appellant acknowledged that he understood his rights, and that he could read and write the English language. Pinchback said he then explained the nature of the charge and that the only two punishments available under capital murder were life imprisonment and the death penalty.

Pinchback typed the confession as it was given. The officer testified he gave the completed statement to appellant to read and sign if appellant thought it was true and correct. Appellant signed the confession and it was witnessed by two others. The statement was introduced as evidence at trial over appellant’s objection that the State failed to meet the requirements of article 38.22 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.

Appellant argues in his third ground of error that the trial court erred in admitting his confession because it was the result of promises by officer Pinchback. Pinchback stated at the suppression hearing that he promised appellant that “as long as he was in my custody, care, control, that nothing was going to happen to him, nobody was going to bother him or threaten him or abuse him in any way.”

The law universally condemns the use of confessions obtained by means of promises or inducements. Bram v. United States, 168 U.S. 532, 542-43, 18 S.Ct. 183, 186-187, 42 L.Ed. 568 (1897); Washington v. State, 582 S.W.2d 122, 124 (Tex.Crim. App.1979). Texas courts apply a four part test to determine whether a promise has rendered an accused’s confession inadmissible. This test requires that the promise must: (1) be of some benefit to the defendant; (2) be positive; (3) be made or sanctioned by a person in authority; and (4) be of such character as would be likely to influence the defendant to speak untruthfully. Washington, 582 S.W.2d at 124; Fisher v. State, 379 S.W.2d 900, 902 (Tex. Crim.App.1964).

We first find that the promise at issue did not render appellant’s confession inadmissible because the promise was not of such character as was likely to have influenced appellant to speak untruthfully. Pinchback said it was an assurance by peace officers to persons in custody that he often gave. Appellant stated in the confession itself, “I have not been threatened nor placed in fear neither have I been promised or given anything for giving this statement.” And, it was appellant’s testimony that he went to see his brother’s former counselor at the probation office voluntarily and for the express purpose of turning himself in. The testimony was, and it was not refuted, that he went in to tell what happened. The determination of whether a confession is voluntary must be based on an examination of the totality of the circumstances. Berry v. State, 582 S.W.2d 463, 465 (Tex.Crim.App.1979); Martinez v. State, 656 S.W.2d 157,159 (Tex. App. — San Antonio 1983, pet. ref’d). Here, in addition to his voluntary apearance, there was appellant’s acknowledgment that his confession was voluntary; he was in good health; he could read and write the English language; the statement was taken only after he had been told of his rights; and appellant was awake, alert, and showing no signs of acute mental or physical disorder. The trial court did not err in admitting appellant’s confession. We note the court also charged the jury on the voluntariness of the confession. The ground of error is overruled.

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Gallegos v. State, 715 S.W.2d 139, 1986 Tex. App. LEXIS 8218 (Tex. Ct. App. 1986).

715 S.W.2d 139 (Gallegos v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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