Harrell v. State

884 S.W.2d 154, 1994 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 104, 1994 WL 511409

• Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
• Decided: September 21, 1994
• Docket: 1232-92
• Status: Published

Opinions

OPINION ON APPELLANT’S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

MALONEY, Judge.

A jury convicted appellant of engaging in organized criminal activity and sentenced him to fifteen years in prison. TexPenal Code Ann. § 71.02(a)(5).¹ Initially, the Twelfth Court of Appeals reversed the conviction. Harrell v. State, 885 S.W.2d 427 (Tex.App. — Tyler 1991) (“Harrell I”). This Court reversed and remanded. Harrell v. State, 820 S.W.2d 800 (Tex.Crim.App.1991) (“Harrell II”). On remand, the Court of Appeals affirmed. Harrell v. State, 885 S.W.2d 433 (Tex.App. — Tyler 1992) (“Harrell III”). We granted appellant’s petition for discretionary review to determine, for purposes of admissibility, the standard of proof applicable to the State in proving the defendant committed an extraneous offense.² We will reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals.

At the guilt/innocence phase of trial, the State introduced State’s exhibit number 76, a ledger depicting drug transactions during February and March of an unspecified year. Although it is unclear, the ledger reflected that someone named Wesley made four four-ounce purchases during March for $27,100. A Texas Ranger testified that the year was 1986 because “the prices of the cocaine at that time were the same as what they would have been in ’86.” The instant offense was alleged to have occurred in September 1986. Although some of the first names in the ledger, like appellant’s, are the same as some indicted for this offense, most of the names are not.

Appellant objected to the admission of State’s exhibit number 76 under Tex.R.CRIM. Evid. 401, 403, and 404(a) & (b). He claimed it was an extraneous offense which the State had the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt, and that the State had not met that burden because no connection was shown between appellant and the ledger entries other than the name “Wesley.”³ The trial court overruled the objection, stating that the relationship of the parties before the conspiracy was “germane” to whether a conspiracy existed.

Relying upon Turner v. State, 754 S.W.2d 668, 673 (Tex.Crim.App.1988), the Court of Appeals held the trial court erred in admitting State’s exhibit number 76 because the evidence did not clearly show that appellant committed the extraneous offenses depicted in the ledger. Harrell I, 885 S.W.2d at 432-33. The Court of Appeals noted that although “the evidence creates a strong suspicion that appellant was the Wesley1 who was the perpetrator of the extraneous offenses, ... the evidence falls short of a clear showing that he was the perpetrator.” Id. at 433. It further held that the error was not harmless. Id. at 433.

The State filed a petition for discretionary review, and we reversed and remanded to the Court of Appeals for reconsideration in light of Montgomery v. State, 810 S.W.2d 372, 386 (Tex.Crim.App.1991) (op. on reh’g) (setting forth the proper procedure under the Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence for preserving error in the admissibility of extraneous offenses and the trial court’s and appellate court’s function in the determination of error). Harrell II. On remand, the Court of Appeals recognized that although Montgomery did not address the issue involved here, it emphasized admissibility. Harrell Ill, 885 S.W.2d at 437. Relying upon Huddleston v. United States, 485 U.S. 681, 108 S.Ct. 1496, 99 L.Ed.2d 771 (1988) and Harris v. State, 827 S.W.2d 949 (Tex.Crim.App.), cert. denied, — U.S. —, 113 S.Ct. 381,121 L.Ed.2d 292 (1992),⁴ the Court of Appeals held that Texas no longer requires a clear showing that the defendant committed an extraneous offense. Id., 885 S.W.2d at 438. Instead, evidence of an extraneous offense is admissible, according to the Court of Appeals, if a jury could find by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant committed the extraneous offense. Id. In affirming the conviction, the Court of Appeals held the jury could “justifiably conclude by a preponderance of the evidence that the Appellant committed the extraneous offenses recorded in the ledger.” Id. at 438.

Appellant contends the Court of Appeals erred in applying a preponderance of the evidence standard because evidence of an extraneous offense is only admissible if the State “clearly prove[s]” or makes a “clear showing” that the defendant committed such offense. Wyle v. State, 777 S.W.2d 709, 715 (Tex.Crim.App.1989); Turner, 754 S.W.2d at 673. The State⁵ contends that since the enactment of the Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence, the trial court should admit evidence of an extraneous offense if there is sufficient evidence from which the jury could find the defendant committed the extraneous offense. See Tex.R.CRIM.Evid. 104(b). The State urges us to follow the United States Supreme Court’s interpretation of rule 104(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence that evidence of an extraneous offense is admissible if the jury could reasonably conclude by a preponderance , of the evidence that the defendant committed such offense. See Hud-dleston; Fed.R.Evid. 104(b). A review of our caselaw is helpful in resolving this issue.

I

This Court has long required that juries be instructed not to consider extraneous offense evidence unless they believed beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed such offense. See, e.g., Ernster v. State, 165 Tex.Crim. 422, 308 S.W.2d 33, 34-35 (1957); Nichols v. State, 138 Tex.Crim. 324, 136 S.W.2d 221, 221-22 (1940); Vaughn v. State, 135 Tex.Crim. 205, 118 S.W.2d 312 (1938); Miller v. State, 122 Tex.Crim. 59, 53 S.W.2d 790, 791-92 (1932); Lankford v. State, 93 Tex.Crim. 442, 248 S.W. 389, 389-90 (1923); see also 8 Michael J. McCoRmick & Thomas D. Blackwell, Texas CRiminal FoRms and Trial Manual § 88.05 (Texas Practice 1985).

In many cases where the issue was, as here, the standard of admissibility for extraneous offenses, this Court relied in part upon jury instruction cases requiring that juries be instructed not to consider extraneous offense evidence unless they believed beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed such offense. See, e.g., Tippins v. State, 530 S.W.2d 110, 111 (Tex.Crim.App.1975) (citing Emster); Tomlinson v. State, 422 S.W.2d 474, 474 (Tex.Crim.App.1967) (citing Lankford); Shepherd v. State, 143 Tex.Crim. 387, 158 S.W.2d 1010, 1011 (1942) (citing Nichols); Wells v. State, 118 Tex. Crim. 355, 42 S.W.2d 607, 608 (1931) (quoting Lankford); see also Hughitt v. State, 123 Tex.Crim. 168, 58 S.W.2d 509 (1933) (quoting Wells). Thus, with respect to the State’s burden of proof in proving a defendant committed an extraneous offense, this Court has perceived a connection between the standard of admissibility and the jury instruction.⁶

However, while this Court has remained consistent in requiring that the trial court instruct the jury not to consider extraneous offense evidence unless it believes beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed such offense, we have not been as consistent in our holdings regarding the standard of admissibility of extraneous offenses.⁷ Almost fifteen years ago, in an attempt to resolve the inconsistencies of our previous holdings, we held that extraneous offense evidence was inadmissible unless:

there [was] a dear showing that: 1) the evidence of the extraneous offense is material, i.e., going to an element of the offense charged in the indictment or information, 2) the accused participated in the extraneous transaction being offered into evidence, and 3) the relevancy to a material issue outweighs its inflammatory or prejudicial potential^] [citations omitted].

McCann v. State, 606 S.W.2d 897, 901 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1980) (footnote omitted) (emphasis added). Since McCann, we have required that the State clearly prove or make a clear showing that the defendant committed the extraneous offense sought to be offered against him. E.g., Harris v. State, 790 S.W.2d 568, 583 (Tex.Crim.App.1989); Wyle, 111 S.W.2d at 715; Plante v. State, 692 S.W.2d 487, 494-95 (Tex.Crim.App.1985); Phillips v. State, 659 S.W.2d 415, 418 (Tex.Crim.App.1983); see also McGee v. State, 725 S.W.2d 362, 365 (Tex.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1987, no pet.); Pedford v. State, 720 S.W.2d 267, 268 (Tex.App. — Austin 1986, pet refd); Newman v. State, 700 S.W.2d 307, 311-12 (Tex.App. — Houston [1st Dist.] 1985), rev’d on other grounds, 743 S.W.2d 641 (Tex.Crim.App.1988). This standard of admissibility of extraneous offense evidence is known as the “clear” proof standard.⁸ We have never clarified what is meant by “clear” proof, perhaps because most “clear” proof cases involve either no proof or overwhelming proof that the defendant committed the extraneous offense. However, there is some authority for interpreting “clear” proof to mean proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Black’s Law DictionaRY 250 (6th ed. 1990); see Haley v. State, 84 Tex.Crim. 629, 209 S.W. 675, 677 (1919). We view this as a logical interpretation, and it is consistent with the requirement that the trial court instruct the jury not to consider extraneous offense evidence unless it believes beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed such offense. Indeed, it makes no sense for the trial court to, on the one hand, admit evidence of an extraneous offense using a certain standard for admissibility, but then, on the other hand, instruct the jury not to consider that same evidence unless it uses a different standard. Cf. Geesa v. State, 820 (Tex.Crim.App.1991) (special standard of review in circumstantial evidence cases was abolished because jury was no longer instructed on circumstantial evidence). Presumably, the standard of admissibility and the jury instruction were intended to mirror one another. Thus, given that the standard for jury consideration of extraneous offenses is well-settled as proof beyond a reasonable doubt, we hold that the standard of admissibility for extraneous offense evidence is also proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

II

The State contends that the Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence, effective September 1, 1986, now govern the connection that must be shown between the defendant and an extraneous offense. Relying upon Huddleston and Federal Rule of Evidence 104(b), the State argues that evidence of an extraneous offense is admissible if the jury could reasonably find by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant committed the extraneous offense.

In Huddleston, the petitioner contended that the trial court must make a preliminary factual finding by a preponderance of the evidence under federal rule 104(a) that the defendant committed the extraneous act.⁹ Huddleston, 485 U.S. at 686-87, 108 S.Ct. at 1499-1500. The Supreme Court noted that federal rule 404(b) does not indicate that “any preliminary showing is necessary before [extrinsic act] evidence may be introduced for a proper purpose.” Id. at 687-88, 108 S.Ct. at 1500. Consequently, the trial court does not make a ‘‘preliminary finding” under federal rule 104(a) that the Government has proved the extrinsic act. Id. at 689, 108 S.Ct. at 1501. Nevertheless, the Court cautioned:

This is not to say, however, that the Government may parade past the jury a litany of potentially prejudicial similar acts that have been established or connected to the defendant only by unsubstantiated innuendo. Evidence is admissible under Rule 404(b) only if it is relevant. * * ⅜ In the Rule 404(b) context, similar act evidence is relevant only if the jury can reasonably conclude that the act occurred and that the defendant was the actor, [citation omitted]

Id. The Supreme Court held that evidence of an extraneous offense is admissible under federal rule 104(b)¹⁰ if the jury could reasonably conclude by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant committed the extraneous offense. See id. The Court wrote:

In determining whether the Government has introduced sufficient evidence to meet Rule 104(b), the trial court neither weighs credibility nor makes a finding that the Government has proved the conditional fact by a preponderance of the evidence. The court simply examines all the evidence in the ease and decides whether the jury could reasonably find the conditional fact— here, that the televisions were stolen — by a preponderance of the evidence.

Id. at 690, 108 S.Ct. at 1501.

While we do not agree with all of Huddle-ston ⅛ conclusions, we do agree with some of its analysis. We first point out that while the trial court might not be compelled to make a “preliminary finding” as to the proof of the extrinsic evidence under rule 104(a), under rule 104(b) the trial court must nevertheless make an initial determination as to the relevancy of the evidence, dependent “upon the fulfillment of a condition of fact”.

In Huddleston, the conditional fact was whether the televisions were stolen. In the instant case, the conditional fact is whether appellant committed the extraneous offenses depicted in State’s Exhibit 76. If appellant committed the extraneous offense, the evidence is relevant and admissible, provided it is not too prejudicial and is offered for a proper purpose. See Tex.R.CRIm.Evid. 401, 403, & 404(b).¹¹ However, if appellant did not commit the extraneous offenses, the evidence is irrelevant and therefore inadmissible.¹² Tex.R.CRim.Evid. 402.

Neither the federal nor Texas rules of evidence specify what quantum of proof governs admissibility when the relevancy of the evidence is contingent upon the fulfillment of a conditional fact under rule 104(b). Huddle-ston concluded that the trial eourt must determine that the jury could reasonably conclude by a preponderance of the evidence the conditional fact. We decline to follow Hud-dleston to this extent. See State v. Brooks, 541 So.2d 801, 813-14 (La.1989) (rejecting Huddleston because Louisiana requires clear and convincing evidence that the defendant committed an unadjudicated extraneous offense). As discussed in Part I of this opinion, we are convinced that the proper quantum of proof in establishing that the defendant committed the extraneous offense is beyond a reasonable doubt. We therefore hold that in deciding whether to admit extraneous offense evidence in the guilt/innocence phase of trial, the trial court must, under rule 104(b), make an initial determination at the proffer of the evidence, that a jury could reasonably find beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the extraneous offense.¹³ In making that determination, the “strength of the evidence establishing the similar act is one of the factors the [trial] court may consider when conducting the Rule 403 balancing.” Id., 485 U.S. at 689 n. 6, 108 S.Ct. at 1501 n. 6.¹⁴

In the instant case, in order for the evidence to have been sufficient for the trial court to admit it, it had to determine that a jury could find beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant committed the extraneous offenses depicted in State’s exhibit number 76. Otherwise, that portion of the exhibit depicting extraneous offenses was inadmissible. Indeed, the trial court instructed the jury not to consider evidence of extraneous offenses unless it believed beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant committed them and then the jury could only consider them on the issue of intent. The Court of Appeals, therefore, erred in holding that State’s exhibit number 76 was admissible because the jury could find by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant committed the extraneous offenses depicted in the ledger. Harrell III, 885 S.W.2d at 438.

In its initial opinion, however, the Court of Appeals held that although “the evidence creates a strong suspicion that appellant was the “Wesley5 who was the perpetrator of the extraneous offenses, ... the evidence falls short of a clear showing that he was the perpetrator.” Harrell I, 885 S.W.2d at 433. The Court further held that the error was not harmless. Id. at 433. In part I of this opinion, we noted that the clear proof standard was the same as proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Because the Court of Appeals has previously applied a standard substantively the same as proof beyond a reasonable doubt, we see no need to remand this case to that court for another determination or -to conduct the analysis ourselves.

The judgment of the Court of Appeals in Harrell III is reversed, the judgment of the Court of Appeals in Harrell I is reinstated, and this cause is remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

WHITE, J., dissents. CAMPBELL, J., not participating.

1 . Section 71.02(a)(5) of the Texas Penal Code provides:

(a) A person commits an offense if, with the intent to establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination, he commits or conspires to commit one or more of the following:

⅝ ⅝ ⅜: ⅜ ⅝ ⅝

(5) unlawful manufacture, delivery, dispensation, or distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug, or unlawful possession of a controlled substance or dangerous drug through forgery, fraud, misrepresentation, or deception!.]

TexPenal Code Ann. § 71.02(a)(5). The rather lengthy indictment alleges a conspiracy to deliver cocaine from September 3, 1986 to September 12, 1986. Appellant was one of over thirty people indicted for the instant offense.

2 .. See TexR.App.P. 200(c)(2) & (3). Appellant does not complain of the limited purpose for which the extraneous offense evidence was offered under TexR.Crim.Evid. 404(b), nor does he complain about any extraneous offense evidence offered at punishment under TexCode Crim.Proc. Ann. art. 37.07, § 3(a). Further, because this was not a capital trial, we are not concerned with TexCode Crim.Proc.Ann. art. 37.071. Nor are we presented here with the issue of the applicable jury instruction on extraneous offenses.

3 .Appellant also objected because there was no testimony that the items in the ledger related to cocaine or to the instant offense, although it was clearly offered by the State as other cocaine offenses committed by appellant. Because the Court of Appeals only addressed the connection between appellant and the extraneous offenses depicted in the ledger, we will do the same.

4 . Harris is inapplicable to this case because it involved the punishment hearing of a capital trial.

5 . Both the Gregg County District Attorney and the State Prosecuting Attorney have filed briefs in this cause.

6 . With respect to the State’s burden in proving the elements of the extraneous offense, apart from the agency issue, this Court has on occasion regarded the standard of admissibility of extraneous offenses and the jury instruction on extraneous offenses as indivisibly connected. See Haley v. State, 84 Tex.Crim. 629, 209 S.W. 675, 677, 678 (1919); Pelton v. State, 60 Tex.Crim. 412, 132 S.W. 480 (1910) (op. on reh'g).

In Haley, a murder case, the defendant and the deceased’s wife were having an affair. To illustrate the defendant’s motive, the State introduced evidence that ten months prior to the murder the defendant killed his wife. This Court noted that the extraneous offense evidence was inadmissible unless the State could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant poisoned his wife with the intent to kill her. Haley, 209 S.W. at 677. We also noted that the jury should be instructed not to consider the extraneous offense evidence unless the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant's wife died from poison administered by the defendant with the intent to kill her. Id. at 678. Thus, Haley held that the State must prove the elements of the extraneous offense beyond a reasonable doubt, otherwise it is inadmissible, and that the jury must be instructed not to consider the extraneous offense evidence unless the State proved it beyond a reasonable doubt.

In Pelton, the defendant was charged with forgery, the State offered extraneous forgeries against him, and on rehearing this Court wrote;

In the instant case the court charged the jury that, "If any evidence has been introduced tending to show that defendant [committed extraneous forgeries], etc.” In order for these collateral matters to be' used by the juty as evidence on the intent of the defendant, we think they must believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that they are forgeries. It is not sufficient if the evidence only tends to show them to be forgeries. If the evidence only tends to show them to be forgeries, then they are not admissible against a defendant.

Pelton, 132 S.W. at 484 (op. on reh’g) (emphasis added). Thus, we held that because the State had to prove the elements of the extraneous offense for it to be admissible, the juty must be instructed not to consider extraneous offense evidence unless it believed it beyond a reasonable doubt to be an extraneous offense.

7 . Early on, this Court recognized that evidence of an extraneous offense was inadmissible without proof “pertinently connecting” the defendant to its commission. Williams v. State, 38 Tex. Crim. 128, 41 S.W. 645, 648 (1897); see Hooks v. State, 97 Tex.Crim. 480, 261 S.W. 1053, 1054-55 (1924) (op. on reh’g); Glenn v. State, 76 S.W. 757 (Tex.Crim.App.1903); see also Carmean v. State, 163 Tex.Crim. 218, 290 S.W.2d 240, 242 (1956) (citing Hooks and Glenn) (defendant must be connected to extraneous offense). In other early cases, this Court enunciated a “reasonable degree of certainty” standard. Walton v. State, 41 Tex.Crim. 454, 55 S.W. 566, 567 (1900) (evidence of an extraneous offense was inadmissible because although there was "some suspicion” that the defendant was involved in the extraneous offense, the evidence did not indicate "with a reasonable degree of certainty" that the defendant was connected with the extraneous offense); see Fountain v. State, 90 Tex.Crim. 474, 241 S.W. 489, 491 (1921); Denton v. State, 42 Tex.Crim. 427, 60 S.W. 670, 672 (1901); see also Shepherd, 158 S.W.2d at 1011 (citing Nichols, Fountain, Denton). However, we also held that extraneous offense evidence was inadmissible unless the State proved the extraneous offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Haley, 209 S.W. at 677. We have held that an extraneous offense is inadmissible unless the defendant is “satisfactorily shown” to be the perpetrator. Wells, 42 S.W.2d at 608; see Perez v. State, 165 Tex.Crim. 639, 310 S.W.2d 334 (1958) (citing Carmean, Hughitt, Wells); Shepherd; Clark v. State, 145 Tex.Crim. 63, 165 S.W.2d 747, 747 (1942); Hughitt. Later, this Court noted that an extraneous offense was inadmissible unless “the State is prepared to prove” the accused committed it, Tomlinson, 422 S.W.2d at 474 (citing Lankford); see Shaver v. State, 496 S.W.2d 604, 605 (Tex.Crim.App.1973), suggesting the State had to prove the defendant committed the extraneous offense by the same standard of proof the State is required to use in proving the elements of the offense, namely beyond a reasonable doubt. See TexPenal Code Ann. § 2.01.

8 . The genesis for this "clear” proof standard comes from an oft-quoted passage in Texas Jurisprudence. In the last two decades, this Court has frequently quoted and applied the language in Texas Jurisprudence which states that extraneous offenses are inadmissible "unless the commission of the other crime is clearly proved and the accused is shown to have been its perpetrator.” 24 TExJuR.3d Criminal Law § 3035 at 180 (1982); 23 TexJur. 2d Evidence § 195 at 302 (1961); see, e.g., Ransom v. State, 503 S.W.2d 810, 813 (Tex.Crim.App.1974); Landers v. State, 519 S.W.2d 115, 120 (Tex.Crim.App.1975) (op. on reh'g); Earns v. State, 546 S.W.2d 312, 315 (Tex.Crim.App.1977); Thompson v. State, 615 S.W.2d 760, 761 (Tex.Crim.App.1981); Elkins v. State, 647 S.W.2d 663, 665 n. 3 (Tex.Crim.App. 1983); Turner, 754 S.W.2d at 673.

We have interpreted this language to require the State to clearly prove the accused committed the extraneous offense, despite the fact that the standard literally requires that the accused be "shown” to be the perpetrator. See, e.g., Tippins v. State, 530 S.W.2d at 111. For instance, in Ransom, after reciting the Texas Jurisprudence language, the Court indicated in its hypothetical examples that the defendant must be "clearly identified and shown” or "clearly shown" to be the perpetrator of the extraneous offense. Ransom, 503 S.W.2d at 813, 814.

9 . The federal and Texas rule 104(a) are identical. They provide:

(a) Questions of Admissibility GeneraEy. Preliminary questions concerning the qualification of a person to be a witness, the existence of a privilege, or the admissibility of evidence shall be determined by the court, subject to the provisions of subdivision (b). In making its determination, it is not bound by the rules of evidence except those with respect to privileges.

Fed.R.Evid. 104(a) & TexR.Ceim.Evid. 104(a).

Initially, the petitioner argued that the District Court must make its preliminary finding by clear and convincing evidence. However, in Bourjaily v. United States, 483 U.S. 171, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 97 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987), the Supreme Court held that preliminary factual findings under federal rule 104(a) are subject to a preponderance of the evidence standard. See Huddleston, 485 U.S. at 687 n. 5, 108 S.Ct. at 1500 n. 5.

10 . The federal and Texas rule 104(b) are identical. They provide:

(b) Relevancy Conditioned on Fact. When the relevancy of evidence depends upon the fulfillment of a condition of fact, the court shall admit it upon, or subject to, the introduction of evidence sufficient to support a finding of the fulfillment of the condition.

Fed.R.Evid. 104(b) & TexR.Ceim.Evid. 104(b).

11 . Additionally, the Fifth Circuit limits the admissibility of extraneous offenses under federal rules 403 and 404(b) when it is doubtful that the defendant committed the extraneous offense. See United States v. Garza, 990 F.2d 171, 176-77 (5th Cir.1993), cert. denied, - U.S. -, 114 S.Ct. 332, 126 L.Ed.2d 278 (1993). In Garza, the defendant was charged with possession of 447 kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute. During trial, an agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) testified that names of some of the Government's witnesses were in the DEA crime computer. On cross examination, the Government asked the agent if the name of anyone else involved in the case appeared in the computer. The agent testified that the defendant’s name appeared in the DEA crime computer in connection with a 1990 seizure of 5200 pounds of marijuana. The Fifth Circuit held it was error to admit the testimony regarding the extraneous offense in the DEA crime computer because the Government failed to prove the defendant committed the extraneous offense. Id. at 177. The mere presence of the defendant's name in the DEA crime computer did not prove the defendant committed the extraneous offense in the computer, and without such proof the evidence was irrelevant. Id. Further, the extraneous offense evidence was inadmissible because it lacked probative value and was therefore too prejudicial. Id.

12 . Judge Clinton suggests that Rules 401, 402, 403 and 404(b) sufficiently address the admissibility of extraneous offense evidence and do not contemplate any preliminaiy showing. Slip op. at 5 (Clinton, J., concurring). Certainly those rules govern admissibility of relevant evidence and to that extent apply, as demonstrated above. However, as the Supreme Court recognized in Huddleston, Rule 104(b) specifically addresses conditionally relevant evidence, which is subject to special considerations.

13 .Cf. Huddleston, 485 U.S. at 690, 108 S.Ct. at 1501 (trial court must examine evidence and decide whether jury could reasonably find conditional fact by preponderance of evidence); see also TexCode Ceim.Proc.Ann. art. 37.07, § 3(a) (extraneous offenses are admissible at the punishment phase of a non-capital trial of an offense occurring on or after September 1, 1993 if the defendant is shown beyond a reasonable doubt to have committed the extraneous offense).

Judge Clinton in his concurring opinion criticizes our imposition of the beyond a reasonable doubt standard in the Rule 104(b) context, arguing that the rule does not require any such predicate on its face. Op. at 165 (Clinton, J., concurring). Judge Clinton indicates that no standard of proof should apply — just that the evidence be "sufficient to support a finding” that the condition had been fulfilled. Id. at 165. He suggests that the evidence would be sufficient to support that finding if it merely supported an inference with some degree of certainty. Id. at 166. This position in contrary to Huddleston which recognized the application of a quantum of proof in determining admissibility under Rule 104(b), albeit a lesser one than we choose to apply, and to indications in the Code of Criminal Procedure that a quantum of proof should be applied when admitting extraneous offense evidence. Indeed, the Legislature has recognized that even in the punishment phase of a noncapital case, there must be evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed an extraneous act before it may be admitted. TexCode Crim.Proc.Ann. art. 37.07 § 3(a). Admittedly, article 37.07 is inapplicable to the instant case because this offense occurred in 1986 and the extraneous offenses were introduced at guilt/innocence. However, given that the legislature has now provided for the highest standard of proof for the admissibility of extraneous offenses at punishment, and that greater restrictions generally have been placed upon the admissibility of extraneous offenses at guilt/innocence than at punishment, compare TexR.Crim.Evid. 404(b) with TexCode Crim.Proc.Ann. art. 37.07, § 3(a), presumably, the same standard of proof exists at guilt/innocence as well. But see TexCode Crim.Proc.Ann. art. 37.-07, § 3(e) (this section does not affect the admissibility of extraneous offenses at guilt/innocence).

14 . In Montgomery, this Court detailed the procedure for preserving error in the admission of extraneous offenses under our rules of evidence, and the trial court's and appellate court’s function in the determination of error. The defendant must first object under rule 404(b), then the State must show that the proffered evidence is relevant apart from its tendency to show that the defendant is a criminal. Montgomery, 810 S.W.2d at 387. The trial court then should hon- or any request by the defendant for the State to articulate into the record the limited purpose under rule 404(b) for which the evidence is offered. Id. If the trial court determines the evidence is relevant, the defendant must further object under rule 403. Id. at 388. "Rule 403 favors admissibility of relevant evidence, and the presumption is that relevant evidence will be more probative than prejudicial.” Id. at 389. The appellate court will uphold a trial court’s ruling absent an abuse of discretion, i.e. “as long as the trial court’s ruling was at least within the zone of reasonable disagreement....” Id. at 391. Montgomery is distinguishable because it does not concern quantum of proof, and nothing in Montgomery abolishes the requirement of a quantum of proof regarding extraneous offenses.