In Re AW

147 S.W.3d 632, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 8153, 2004 WL 1967765
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 8, 2004
Docket04-03-00688-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 147 S.W.3d 632 (In Re AW) 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
In Re AW, 147 S.W.3d 632, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 8153, 2004 WL 1967765 (Tex. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

147 S.W.3d 632 (2004)

In the Matter of A.W.

No. 04-03-00688-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, San Antonio.

September 8, 2004.

*633 Michael D. Robbins, San Antonio, for appellant.

Susan D. Reed, Criminal Dist. Atty., San Antonio, for appellee.

Sitting: PAUL W. GREEN, Justice, KAREN ANGELINI, Justice, SANDEE BRYAN MARION, Justice.

OPINION

Opinion by SANDEE BRYAN MARION, Justice.

This is an appeal from a juvenile adjudication and order of disposition. A jury *634 found that appellant engaged in juvenile conduct, i.e., aggravated sexual assault of his eight-year-old step-sister, K.M. The jury assessed a punishment of commitment to the Texas Youth Commission ("TYC") with possible transfer to the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for ten years. We affirm.

EXTRANEOUS OFFENSE

In his first issue, appellant asserts the trial court erred in denying his motion for mistrial, because the evidence concerning "abuse of some children" had no relevance apart from character conformity.

During the State's case-in-chief, Sherrie Hardy, a Child Protective Services intake worker, testified about a referral made against appellant, explaining it "is regarding some children." Defense counsel objected that Hardy's testimony should be limited to only the alleged abuse of the complainant and not of other children. The jury was excused and defense counsel asked for a mistrial. The trial court denied the request, stating, "I believe there is a way to correct that.... I could give an instruction to the jury to disregard that statement." Defense counsel responded, "That almost makes it worse for me. I appreciate the Court's offer, this is a witness we have been trying to reach and subpoena for months and would not cooperate, and bring us records." Counsel then questioned Hardy on voir dire, after which he renewed his request for a mistrial. The court denied the request and admonished Hardy to limit her testimony to only the complainant. Defense counsel did not ask for an instruction to disregard and expressly declined the trial court's offer to instruct the jury. Therefore, the error, if any, was waived. See Hunnicutt v. State, 500 S.W.2d 806, 808 (Tex.Crim.App.1973); Hunter v. State, 481 S.W.2d 806, 807 (Tex. Crim.App.1972).

COMPETENCY OF CHILD WITNESS

In his second issue, appellant asserts the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of V.M. because she was a child witness not competent to testify. V.M., who is another one of appellant's step-sisters, testified about appellant's alleged sexual touching of her.

On appeal, appellant contends V.M. was not able to intelligently observe or recollect the events and, given the inconsistencies in her testimony, did not have the capacity to narrate the events. However, at trial, appellant's only complaint was that V.M. was not a competent witness because she could not remember what happened. Therefore, our discussion on appeal is limited to this objection.

Children are competent to testify unless the trial court determines, after a hearing, the child does not possess sufficient intellect to relate the transactions about which she is being questioned. Tex.R. Evid. 601(a)(2); Coachman v. State, 692 S.W.2d 940, 945 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1985, pet. ref'd). When we review the trial court's determination, we examine not just the witness's responses at the qualification hearing, but the entire testimony. Fields v. State, 500 S.W.2d 500, 503 (Tex.Crim.App.1973); Beavers v. State, 634 S.W.2d 893, 895 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1982, pet. ref'd).

At the time of trial, V.M. was eight years old and in the second grade. The alleged touching occurred two years earlier. She identified appellant by pointing to him and describing the color of his clothing. Although V.M. responded "No" when asked if anyone ever did anything to her, she said appellant touched both her "front private" and her "butt" more than once with his "private" and put his "private" in her "private." She testified that appellant *635 said, "If you tell the parents I swear to God I will beat you up." She said this happened during the night, "a long time ago." V.M. did not remember whether appellant was clothed when the incidents occurred. She remembered she was six or seven years old at the time. On cross-examination, V.M. responded "No" when asked if anyone ever touched her "privates." On recross-examination, V.M. said she did not remember everything appellant did to her, but she only "kind of remember[ed]."

Confusing and inconsistent responses from a child are not reasons to determine she is incompetent to testify; rather, they speak to the credibility of her testimony. Berotte v. State, 992 S.W.2d 13, 17 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1997, pet. ref'd); Upton v. State, 894 S.W.2d 426, 429 (Tex.App.-Amarillo 1995, pet. ref'd); see also Macias v. State, 776 S.W.2d 255, 257 (Tex.App.-San Antonio 1989, pet. ref'd). The role of the trial court is to make the initial determination of competency, not to assess the credibility or weight to be given the testimony. Absent an abuse of discretion, we uphold the trial court's determination. Garcia v. State, 573 S.W.2d 12, 14 (Tex.Crim.App.1978). We give great deference to the trial court who was there to personally evaluate the child and her responses; accordingly, we are not persuaded the trial court abused its discretion in permitting V.M. to testify.

MOTION FOR MISTRIAL DURING DISPOSITION PHASE

In his third issue, appellant asserts the trial court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial following the State's question about whether sexual abuse had occurred in the home of appellant's grandfather.

During the disposition phase, appellant's grandfather, Warran Rudy, testified about the type of home he could provide for appellant. The State asked Rudy, "Are you aware if your daughter, Dawn, was sexually abused as a child?" Defense counsel asked to approach the bench, and the State argued the testimony was relevant to Rudy's ability to supervise children. After the trial court stated it would allow the parties to question Rudy outside the jury's presence, defense counsel asked for a mistrial. Outside the jury's presence, Rudy stated he was unaware of any abuse of his daughter, who is appellant's mother, and he explained that she did not live with him when she was a child. Defense counsel again moved for a mistrial. The trial court denied the motion for mistrial, but stated it would instruct the jury to disregard the question. The court also ordered the State to follow-up with another question so that defense counsel would not be forced to redirect any questions on the subject. When the jury returned, the trial court instructed it to disregard the last question.

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Related

Wood v. State
18 S.W.3d 642 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Ransom v. State
789 S.W.2d 572 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1989)
Beavers v. State
634 S.W.2d 893 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1982)
Upton v. State
894 S.W.2d 426 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1995)
Garcia v. State
573 S.W.2d 12 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1978)
MacIas v. State
776 S.W.2d 255 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1989)
Coachman v. State
692 S.W.2d 940 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1985)
Hunter v. State
481 S.W.2d 806 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1972)
Hunnicutt v. State
500 S.W.2d 806 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1973)
Fields v. State
500 S.W.2d 500 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1973)
Berotte v. State
992 S.W.2d 13 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1998)
In the Matter of K.T.
107 S.W.3d 65 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)
In re A.W.
147 S.W.3d 632 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
147 S.W.3d 632, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 8153, 2004 WL 1967765, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-aw-texapp-2004.