Johnson v. State

629 S.W.2d 731, 1981 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1245
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas·Decided November 10, 1981·No. 65844·Published·Cited by 83 cases

Opinions

OPINION

W. C. DAVIS, Judge.

This is an appeal from a conviction for capital murder. The jury, after answering affirmatively special issues one and two pursuant to Art. 37.071, Vernon’s Ann.C. C.P., assessed punishment at death. The sufficiency of the evidence is not challenged.

By his third ground of error, appellant contends that the trial court committed fundamental error by failing to submit the issue of provocation on the part of the deceased pursuant to the mandatory provisions of Art. 37.071(b)(3), supra. Art. 37.-071(b)(3) provides:

“(b) On conclusion of the presentation of the evidence, the court shall submit the following issues to the jury:
(3) if raised by the evidence, whether the conduct of the defendant in killing the deceased was unreasonable in response to the provocation, if any, by the deceased.”

The record of the guilt stage of the trial reflects that appellant and Carl Baltimore entered Wayne’s Food Market and committed a robbery. Baltimore held a gun to the owner’s head; the appellant shot the 75-year-old security guard five times. The men took the money from the cash register and fled. During the punishment phase of the trial, the prosecutor read the appellant’s confession to the jury.1 Appellant contends for the first time on appeal that the following portion of his confession raises the issue of provocation,

“I put the pistol in my pants and went inside the store with Baltimore. When we got inside, I saw a black man who I knew was a security guard. I knew he was a security guard because I have bought beer at Wayne’s Supermarket since I have been old enough. I have known this security guard most of my life. And I called this man Ed. I think that is his real name. I had my hand on the butt of the pistol, and the security guard saw me and pulled his pistol and shot at me one time. At that time I ducked and pulled my pistol, which was a .38 revolver, and shot in the direction of the security guard. I was not aiming at him and was not trying to kill him. I think I shot four or five times, but I am really not sure.”

In Evans v. State, 601 S.W.2d 943 (Tex.Cr.App.1980), the Court found that evidence taken from the defendant’s confession that the deceased fired a shot at the defendant before the defendant shot at the deceased raised the issue of provocation. In Evans the Court held that the refusal to submit special issue number three after defend[733]*733ant’s timely request constituted reversible error.2

In the instant case, as in Evans, appellant’s statement in his confession that the deceased fired at appellant first raised the issue of provocation. It is settled that an accused is entitled to an instruction on every defensive matter raised by the evidence. The testimony of the defendant alone is sufficient to raise the issue. Garcia v. State, 605 S.W.2d 565 (Tex.Cr.App.1980).

Having determined that the issue of provocation was raised, the question is presented as to whether the failure of the trial court to submit the instruction sua sponte constitutes reversible error.

We agree with appellant that the language of Art. 37.07(b), supra, is mandatory. Thus, it was error to fail to submit the issue once raised. However, failure to object to the charge as submitted to the jury, waives all but fundamental error. See Duffy v. State, 567 S.W.2d 197 (Tex.Cr.App.1978). The appellant contends that the omission constitutes fundamental error. We disagree.

In Martinez v. State, 576 S.W.2d 854 (Tex.Cr.App.1979), the defendant, convicted of sexual abuse, contended that the court’s charge was fundamentally erroneous because there was no instruction pursuant to Art. 38.07, Vernon’s Ann.C.C.P. The Court held:

“Although the appellant failed to object to the court’s charge at trial, he presently argues that the provisions of Article 38.-07, supra, are mandatory and that the court’s failure to sua sponte comply with its provisions renders the court’s charge fundamentally defective.
We agree with the appellant insofar as he contends that the directives of Article 38.07, supra, are mandatory; however, we cannot agree that the court’s failure to so instruct the jury, in absence of appellant’s objection or requested instruction, constitutes fundamental error. See Pitts v. State, 569 S.W.2d 898 (Tex.Cr.App.1978).”

In Williams v. State, 622 S.W.2d 116 (1981), the murder defendant argued that Article 37.071, Vernon’s Ann.C.C.P. violated the Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments because it contained no provisions for directing and instructing the jury’s consideration of mitigating circumstances at the punishment phase of the trial. The Court stated:

“It is appellant’s contention that a ‘charge on all mitigating evidence at the punishment phase of a capital murder trial is imperative if the jury is to give meaningful consideration to such evidence.’ The appellant has failed to preserve the error now asserted on appeal. No objection to the court’s charge or special requested instruction was filed. Ar-. tides 36.14 and 36.15. Absent such an objection or requested instruction, the trial court’s failure to charge the jury as to the consideration of mitigating circumstances was not reversible error.”

We hold that, in the absence of a timely objection, the failure to charge the jury on special issue number three does not constitute reversible error. The contention is overruled.

In ground of error one, appellant maintains that the trial court erred in excluding the testimony of one of his witnesses at the punishment stage, Shelvy Brown. Brown testified that he was the pastor at a Baptist church. He stated that he knew the appellant from visiting his grandmother and mother when they were ill and on other occasions. Brown also said that he visited appellant once when he was in jail. Defense counsel asked the witness,

“Q. Based on knowing him and knowing his family, do you know his reputa[734]*734tion for being a peaceful, law-abiding citizen?
A. From the time I met him, it would be nice.
* * * * * *
Q. Is that reputation good or bad?
A. Good.”

On cross-examination the prosecutor asked Brown:

“Q. And who have you talked to about his reputation?
A. I talked to him personally, to his people, his sister.
Q.

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Johnson v. State, 629 S.W.2d 731, 1981 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1245 (Tex. 1981).

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