Huizar v. State

720 S.W.2d 651
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 28, 1987
Docket04-83-00071-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 720 S.W.2d 651 (Huizar 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
Huizar v. State, 720 S.W.2d 651 (Tex. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

OPINION

DIAL, Justice.

Appellant was found guilty by a jury of the offense of murder. The trial court assessed punishment at five (5) years’ confinement.

On original submission, this court held that the charge to the jury constituted reversible error because it failed to require the negation of sudden passion arising from adequate cause even though no objec *652 tion was lodged on this ground at trial. On the State’s petition for discretionary review, this cause was remanded to us for further proceedings consistent with the Court of Criminal Appeals’ opinion in Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157 (Tex.Crim.App.1985) (Opinion on State’s Motion for Rehearing), which was decided subsequent to our initial decision in this case.

The standard by which we review appellant’s claim of fundamental error, as alleged in his first point of error, is whether the error is so egregious and created such harm that appellant has not had a fair and impartial trial. Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d at 171. The actual degree of harm must be assayed in light of the entire jury charge, the state of the evidence, including the contested issues and weight of probative evidence, the argument of counsel and any other relevant information revealed by the record of the trial as a whole. Id.

The evidence reveals that Martin Hernandez was working at Perf’s Garage along with his supervisor, Miguel Balleste-ros on May 13,1981. There were a number of other people at the garage including Joseph Santos. Martin and Joseph Huizar, two of appellant’s sons, were driving their Camaro and stopped at the garage. Although the evidence is disputed- as to who started the trouble, the Huizar brothers ended up in a brawl with about eight of the people at the garage. During the fight Martin Huizar was struck a number of times on the head with a ball peen hammer. Both Huizars were kicked by people wearing steel-toed shoes and hit with chains. Martin Huizar managed to get back to the Camaro. As they started to smash the car windows, Martin Huizar drove away leaving his brother, Joseph, still struggling. Martin Huizar immediately drove two blocks to his home where his father, the appellant, was. Appellant was home recuperating from a gall bladder operation he had had three weeks prior to May 13. Appellant was not feeling well and still on medication.

When Martin Huizar walked into his home dazed and battered, appellant became excited and wanted to know what happened. Martin Huizar told appellant that he and his brother Joe had been jumped by guys at Perf’s Garage. He said he had gotten away and thought Joe was still there. He expressed his fear that Joseph was being severely beaten and may even have been killed. According to Martin Hui-zar, appellant just panicked upon hearing this and said, “Let’s go get Joe.” Appellant testified that he became very nervous. He was concerned over Martin’s condition and afraid that Joe was dying or already dead. Appellant believed it was immediately necessary to do something to rescue his son, Joseph. Unbeknown to the Huizars, Joseph had managed to break away and was assisted by a neighbor to her home across the street from the garage.

Appellant and his sons, Martin (who was driving) and Eddie, got into the Camaro and raced towards Perf’s Garage.

Martin Hernandez testified that everyone had left the garage and he and Miguel Ballesteros had just finished closing the garage when he heard the Camaro coming. They jumped into Ballesteros’s red Che-velle and sped away with the Huizars in pursuit. According to Hernandez, Balleste-ros never took part in the fight but had attempted to stop it. When he was unsuccessful, Ballesteros began closing the garage for the day. Martin and Joseph Hui-zar claimed that Ballesteros did take part in the fight. When they saw the red Che-velle speed away, appellant and Martin Huizar believed that Joseph, either badly beaten or dead, was in the car. The chase ended on the exit ramp from Interstate 10 east and Culebra Road. Here again, there are different versions of what next transpired.

Martin Hernandez testified that Miguel Ballesteros was driving the Chevelle, and he was in the front passenger seat. As they came to a stop on the exit, the Huizar car came diagonally across in front to block their way. Before the Camaro stopped, appellant fired a shot which went through the front windshield by the inspection sticker. Miguel Ballesteros then pushed Martin *653 Hernandez down onto the floor and got down himself. Appellant opened the Che-velle’s driver side door, reached in, turned Ballesteros around, shot Ballesteros in the neck, and asked, “Where is my son?” When Ballesteros told appellant he did not know, appellant said he was going to have to shoot this son-of-a-bitch and then shot Ballesteros once in the stomach. Martin Huizar then grabbed Hernandez and appellant shot at Hernandez but hit his son, Martin, in the arm. The three Huizars dragged Hernandez from the car and began beating and kicking him. Appellant kept asking, “Where is my son?” A deputy U.S. Marshall then arrived at the scene and ordered appellant to surrender his gun. Appellant gave the gun to the deputy. Police and ambulances were summoned. Hernandez testified that appellant was shaking, talking loud and seemed pretty excited during the incident.

Eddie Huizar described appellant’s demeanor as frantic, upset and in shock. Appellant kept asking, “Where is my son?”

Appellant testified that he did not fire a shot into the Chevelle’s windshield before the Camaro stopped. Appellant stated that as he approached the Chevelle demanding to know where his son was, Ballesteros lunged at him, Martin Huizar stepped in between both of them, and the gun went off striking Martin in the arm. He did not remember shooting Ballesteros. He did not intend to kill anyone but was trying to get Ballesteros off or away from him. Appellant said he was in shock and scared. Appellant denied attacking Hernandez.

Cruz Mendoza, a driver who was in a vehicle a few car lengths behind the Che-velle, testified to the sequence of events which he observed. His testimony supports that given by Martin Hernandez.

An attorney, who witnessed part of the event, testified that he saw three guys beating the man who was on the ground by the passenger side of the Chevelle.

Miguel Ballesteros subsequently died from the gunshot wounds inflicted and the complications resulting from those wounds. The medical examiner who performed the autopsy listed the manner of death as homicide and the cause resulting from the gunshot wounds.

Martin Huizar had a craneotomy operation and was subsequently released from the hospital.

Joseph Huizar received no formal medical treatment.

In addition to the charges given to the jury on murder and voluntary manslaughter, the jury was instructed on deadly force in defense of a person and deadly force in defense of a third person. The jury was also instructed on cause of death.

The jury arguments are not included in the record before us.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Marvin Rodriguez v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019
Manuel Fino v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2018
in Re Gregory Dean Banister, Relator
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2009
Bruce Milner v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2008
Milner v. State
262 S.W.3d 807 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2008)
Edmond Demond Waites v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2006
Darty v. State
994 S.W.2d 215 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
McDonald v. State
911 S.W.2d 798 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1995)
Jack A. Gant, Jr. v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 1991
Gant v. State
814 S.W.2d 444 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1991)
Williams v. State
796 S.W.2d 793 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
720 S.W.2d 651, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/huizar-v-state-texapp-1987.