Hardie v. State

807 S.W.2d 319, 1991 WL 35881
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 24, 1991
Docket432-90
StatusPublished
Cited by137 cases

This text of 807 S.W.2d 319 (Hardie 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
Hardie v. State, 807 S.W.2d 319, 1991 WL 35881 (Tex. 1991).

Opinion

OPINION ON STATE’S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

MALONEY, Judge.

Appellant was convicted by a jury of driving while intoxicated. Tex.Rev.Civ. Stat.Ann. art. 6701/-1. The trial court assessed punishment at 180 days confinement in the county jail, probated for two years, and a $150.00 fine. The court of appeals reversed the conviction, holding that the trial court erred in admitting the audio portion of the videotape wherein appellant invoked his right to counsel. Hardie v. State, 787 S.W.2d 89 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1990). We granted review to determine the correctness of this holding in light of this Court’s recent decision in Jamail v. State, 787 S.W.2d 380 (Tex.Cr.App.1990) (per cu-riam). 1 We will affirm the judgment of the court of appeals.

Appellant was arrested for driving while intoxicated, taken to the police station, and videotaped. While on video, he was given Miranda 2 warnings and DWI statutory warnings. See Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat. Ann. art. 67011-5. When police asked him to submit to an intoxilyzer, he stated that he would have to wait until either his mother or his lawyer arrived. 3 The officers told him they could not wait for anyone, and again asked him to submit to an intoxilyzer. Appellant again responded that he had to wait for a decision from either his lawyer or his parents. He also said that he was not sure what his rights were. The arresting officer proceeded to ask him to answer some questions. Appellant then made incriminating statements. 4 This was all recorded on videotape and played before the jury over appellant’s objections.

Appellant objected by way of written motion to introduction of the audio portion of the videotape on the basis of the appellant’s rights under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, Article 1, Secs. 10 and 19 of the Texas Constitution, and Article 38.23, V.A.C.C.P. He also objected by way of written motion that “it is improper to inform a jury of the [appellant’s] exercise of his constitutional rights.” In support of this motion, he cited Rezac v. State, 722 S.W.2d 32 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1986), rev’d on other grounds, 782 S.W.2d 869 (Tex.Cr.App.1990), which held it is reversible error to admit the audio portion of a DWI videotape in which the defendant repeatedly requested an attorney, 5 and Gathright v. *321 State, 698 S.W.2d 260 (Tex.App.—Ft. Worth 1985), which held it is reversible error to admit a DWI videotape in which the defendant exercised his right to remain silent. ■

Appellant reurged his objections at the time the videotape was offered into evidence by the State, again calling the court’s attention to his motions and the cases cited therein. The trial court overruled his objections and allowed both the audio and video portions of the tape to be played before the jury. The court of appeals held that admission of the audio portion of the videotape impermissibly penalized appellant for exercising his state and federally guaranteed privilege against self-incrimination. Hardie, 787 S.W.2d at 90.

The State contends that the holding by the court of appeals conflicts with Jamail v. State, 787 S.W.2d 380 (Tex.Cr.App.1990) (per curiam). In Jamail, the defendant complained that it was error to admit his refusal to submit to a breath test because it was based on his inability to first consult with an attorney. He argued that when one’s refusal is predicated on the absence of requested counsel, an invalid inference of guilt accompanies the request for counsel. Id. at 381. There, this Court held that the refusal to submit to a breath test is admissible regardless of the reason for refusal. Id. at 383. We also held that the defendant’s ineffectual request for counsel had no probative value and should not have been admitted under Rule 402, Tex.R.Crim. Evid.; but that the error in admitting the request for counsel was harmless because of its lack of probative value and because punishment had been assessed by the trial judge in accordance with a negotiated plea agreement. Id.

Appellant argues that Jamail is inapplicable because the issue there was whether a refusal to take the breath test was admissible, not whether it was error to show a defendant invoking his right to counsel. We agree that the issue presented in Ja-mail differs from the issue here presented. In Jamail, the defendant challenged the admissibility of his refusal to take the breath test, and attempted to use the fact that he had requested counsel as a basis for keeping his refusal out of evidence. In the instant ease, appellant challenged the admissibility of his invocation of counsel in and of itself. While the invocation of counsel may have no relevance as regards the State’s proffer of a defendant’s refusal to take the breath test, a different question is presented when the State has sought to introduce evidence of the request for counsel as evidence of guilt. 6

As part of its analysis regarding the admissibility of the breath test refusal, however, this Court in Jamail did find that one’s invocation of the right to counsel does not carry an adverse inference of guilt. 7 Id. at 382. In light of this Court’s *322 ultimate holding, that evidence of the request for counsel is not admissible, the aforementioned language in Jamail is deemed dicta and does, not control disposition of the instant case. Further, the trial in Jamail was not to a jury, but was to the court on a negotiated plea of nolo conten-dere. Id. at 380-81. Since it is generally presumed that a trial judge disregarded any inadmissible evidence, the error in admission of such evidence would be harmless, as this Court in Jamail ultimately found it to be. See Miffleton v. State, 728 S.W.2d 880, 884 (Tex.App.—Austin 1987), aff'd., 777 S.W.2d 76 (Tex.Cr.App.1989). While Jamail was correct in concluding the error was harmless under the facts of that case, we disapprove of the broad rationale which suggests that evidence of a request for counsel would always be harmless.

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Bluebook (online)
807 S.W.2d 319, 1991 WL 35881, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hardie-v-state-texcrimapp-1991.