Holloway v. State

691 S.W.2d 608, 1984 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 734
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas·Decided September 19, 1984·No. 68925·Published·Cited by 57 cases

Opinions

OPINION

CAMPBELL, Judge.

This is an appeal from a conviction of capital murder. The jury answered in the affirmative the special issues submitted at the punishment stage of the trial pursuant to Article 37.071, V.A.C.C.P., and the trial court assessed appellant’s punishment at death.

The appellant presents thirty-three grounds of error contending that the trial court erred: in excusing nine jurors, in failing to sustain his challenge for cause of three jurors; in admitting the appellant’s oral confession; in admitting photographs of the deceased’s body; in allowing the in-court identification of the appellant; in overruling his motion for mistrial based on the State’s failure to disclose requested material; in overruling his motion for mistrial based on a State’s witness’ comment on the failure of the appellant to testify; in overruling his objection to the testimony of the State’s psychiatrist, Dr. James Grigson; and in overruling his objection to the testimony of State’s psychiatrist Dr. E. Clay Griffith.

The appellant claims in his first two grounds of error that the trial court erred in excusing venire member Janice McBride because she was not disqualified under Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 20 L.Ed.2d 776 (1968), and its [611]*611progeny.1 A review of the record indicates, however, that the prosecutor investigated at length her views on the death penalty and how her views would influence her service as a juror. Upon defense questioning the following exchange was had:

“A. [McBride]: Would I automatically vote against the death penalty? Yes. “[DEFENSE ATTORNEY]: I can’t quarrel with her answer, Your Honor. “THE COURT: Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate your coming. You may be excused.”

The appellant made no objection to the exclusion of venire member McBride. No error is shown. Johnson v. State, 629 S.W.2d 731 (Tex.Cr.App.1981).

In his third and fourth grounds of error the appellant contends that the trial court erroneously excluded Mrs. R.O. Binford. Viewing the voir dire of Mrs. Binford in its entirety, it is apparent that initially she did express doubts and confusion as the appellant contends. She answered she “probably could” vote for the death penalty if her own family were involved, but stated that, “There again, I really don’t know.” However, Mrs. Binford later gave a clear, definite response to both the State and the appellant, to the effect that she would vote against the death penalty.

“Q. Okay. Do you remember my question now basically?
“A. Could I give the death penalty?
“Q. Yes, ma’am.
“A. Okay. No. I will give a definite no.
“Q. Okay. The basic question is this then, Mrs. Binford, and I will go back to it, and I think you answered it yes the first time, but I want to make sure that you understand; the key question is, since from that answer, would you automatically vote against the imposition of the death sentence, regardless of the evidence that might be presented before you?
“A. I probably would.
“Q. Thank you, Mrs. Binford; I appreciate your honesty.
“Q. One further question, Mrs. Binford, and again, I apologize for the appearance of what is going on; that we are browbeating you, but we are really not, because in any criminal proceeding, the Defendant is entitled to a jury, v fair and impartial, as is the State. And we are not supposed to have jurors in capital cases who are irrevocably in favor of the death penalty; that’s not the purpose and that’s not the test, and we can’t ask you about the facts of this case, because there are none at this point in time. All we can ask you is, in a proper case, and again, that is left up to you to consider whatever facts might occur. In that proper case, however heinous the facts may be, could you consider the death penalty as a proper punishment; give it due and fair consideration, in your deliberations?
“A. I think not.
it * * *
“MR. FOSTER: Thank you.
“THE COURT: Thank you very much, and you may be excused.”

It is also clear from a review of the record as set out above that the appellant neither claimed Mrs. Binford was qualified nor objected to her being excused. Thus, there not only is no violation of Witherspoon, supra, there is also nothing presented for review by the appellant. Johnson v. State, supra.

The appellant next claims that the trial court erred in excusing venire member Homer David Tippett. The appellant concedes that Tippett did state that he would automatically vote against the death penalty. A review of the voir dire reveals that the venire member was never effectively rehabilitated. At no point did he demur [612]*612from his stance that he would automatically vote against imposition of the death penalty. The trial court properly excused Mr. Tippett. Additionally, the record again reflects no objection to the trial court’s excusal, and the appellant presents nothing for review. Johnson v. State, supra.

The appellant alleges in six grounds of error that the trial court denied him due process of law in excusing venire members Richard Eric Jones, Wilma Shertzer, Gregory Dan Johnson, Russell Haynes, Ester Lee Pollard and Frank Higginbotham. Five of these prospective jurors were excused by the trial court on the State’s challenge for cause because they could not consider probation as a proper range of punishment for murder.2 The appellant concedes that this Court has held contrary to his position in Moore v. State, 542 S.W.2d 664 (Tex.Cr.App.1976); Chambers v. State, 568 S.W.2d 313 (Tex.Cr.App.1978); Bodde v. State, 568 S.W.2d 344 (Tex.Cr.App.1978) and Von Byrd v. State, 569 S.W.2d 883 (Tex.Cr.App.1978), but urges us to reconsider that position. This we decline to do. The State’s challenge was properly based on Article 35.16, V.A.C.C.P., which provides for the challenge of a prospective juror who “has a bias or prejudice against any phase of the law upon which the State is entitled to rely for conviction or punishment.” (Emphasis added.) The court properly sustained the State’s challenge.

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Holloway v. State, 691 S.W.2d 608, 1984 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 734 (Tex. 1984).

691 S.W.2d 608 (Holloway v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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