McClellan v. State

701 S.W.2d 671, 1985 Tex. App. LEXIS 12645
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 27, 1985
DocketNo. 3-84-013-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 701 S.W.2d 671 (McClellan 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
McClellan v. State, 701 S.W.2d 671, 1985 Tex. App. LEXIS 12645 (Tex. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

ON MOTION FOR REHEARING

KEITH, Justice (Retired).

Our prior opinion is withdrawn and this opinion is substituted in lieu thereof.

The appellant was convicted by the jury of forgery under the provisions of Tex.Pen. Code Ann. § 32.21(a)(l)(A)(iii) (1974), by passing a deed of trust as true “when no such original existed.” The court fixed his punishment at confinement for ten years, probated. We affirm.

Appellant was a licensed attorney at law and had been engaged in law practice for many years before the incident forming the basis for this charge occurred. Appellant had sought a loan, to be secured by a lien on a lot in an Austin subdivision. This lot was, at the time, encumbered by a lien at another Austin bank and the new loan was needed to pay off the first lien on the property. To avoid paying the bank’s counsel to prepare the documents to support the loan, it was agreed that appellant would do the necessary legal paper work. The loan was made after appellant had exhibited an appraisal of the specific lot to the bank’s loan officer and appellant agreed to prepare the note and deed of trust to secure the indebtedness.

The loan was made but appellant did not deliver the supporting documents to the bank. Danny Payne, president of the bank, then asked appellant to furnish the documents he had promised. At about the same time, Payne engaged a lawyer to search the deed records to ascertain the property’s title status. The attorney, Gene Childs, could not find a deed of trust from appellant to the bank, so Childs asked appellant to bring his completed copy to the bank, and appellant promised to do so.

On March 24, 1981, appellant brought a package of papers to the bank and handed them to Payne, saying, according to Payne, “Danny, here is the deed of trust.” One of the bank’s regular attorneys, Adrian Over-street, was present in Payne’s office at the time and corroborated Payne’s version of the event.

A subsequent examination of the documents revealed many discrepancies, including a description of land different from that of the deal as made.1

The State produced evidence showing that appellant had handled a transaction involving one Shedd Williams and another Austin bank. The filing data on the instrument involved in this case was more nearly applicable to the Williams instrument than to the date of appellant’s loan. The State also proved by the county clerk that the deed of trust passed by appellant was not a properly filed document. In the interest of brevity, we omit the reasons advanced by the clerk supporting her assertions. Moreover, several alterations appeared on the face of the instrument handed by appellant [673]*673to Payne, and the notary denied having notarized the instrument.

Discrepancies were also found in the title information and policy information furnished by Stewart Title Company which was contained in the package of papers passed by appellant to Payne. Similarly, discrepancies appeared in the appraisal report and in the surveyor’s field notes, which were included in the package of papers.

Appellant did not testify at the trial and, as indicated, the jury found him guilty of passing a forged instrument.

Appellant complains, by grounds of error four and five, that the trial court erred in granting the State’s motion to substitute the indictment. According to appellant, the court’s actions with regard to the substitution did not comply with Tex.Code Cr.P. Ann. art. 21.25 (1966), which governs such procedures.

The record reflects that the indictment’s defectiveness was first discovered during the court’s consideration of appellant’s motion to dismiss for lack of speedy trial. The defect in the indictment was brought to the court’s attention by appellant’s counsel and then discussed by the prosecutor, appellant’s counsel and the court. During the discussion, the court suggested that art. 21.25 would be controlling in this instance. There was evidence presented that the original indictment had the deed of trust stapled to the first page of the indictment. The court examined the indictment and concluded that something had in fact been removed from the indictment in that staple marks were present where the deed of trust had been purportedly located. Immediately thereafter, the court arraigned the appellant.

State’s counsel then made a motion to substitute the indictment and an order granting the motion was signed to reflect what transpired at the hearing. The motion and order preceded the commencement of the trial.

The statute governing the substitution, art. 21.25, supra, reads:

When an indictment or information has been lost, mislaid, mutilated or obliterated, the district or county attorney may suggest the fact to the court; and the same shall be entered upon the minutes of the court. In such case, another indictment or information may be substituted, upon the written statement of such attorney that it is substantially the same as that which has been lost, mislaid, mutilated, or obliterated. Or another indictment may be presented, as in the first instance; and in such case, the period for the commencement of the prosecution shall be dated from the time of making such entry.

Appellant contends the substitution was improper because the court itself made the suggestion of loss rather than the prosecutor. We disagree. The record reflects that the prosecutor did in fact make the suggestion of loss. The record reveals the suggestion of loss, the leave of the court to substitute, the fact that the substitution was made, and that appellant was given the right to contest the substitution. Therefore, the substitution was properly made.

Additionally, appellant contends the case must be dismissed because he was not provided two days service of the substituted indictment. Again, we disagree. When an indictment is lost or mutilated and no new indictment is returned, there is simply a substitution of the lost or mutilated paper. The defendant is not entitled to two days service of the substituted indictment. James v. State, 52 Tex.Cr.R. 21, 105 S.W. 179 (Tex.Cr.App.1907). We overrule appellant’s fourth and fifth grounds of error.

Appellant complains by grounds of error six and seven that the trial court erred in not dismissing the case in that appellant was denied his right to a speedy trial under Tex.Code Cr.P.Ann. art. 32A.02 (Supp. 1985). The original complaint was filed and appellant posted personal bond on April 15, 1981. The State’s announcement of ready for trial was filed on August 14, 1981, 121 days after the original complaint was filed and appellant’s bond was posted. [674]*674Nonetheless, the trial court did not err in denying appellant’s motion to dismiss for lack of a speedy trial under art. 32A.02, supra.

Article 32A.02, supra, states in pertinent part:

Section 1. A court shall grant a motion to set aside an indictment, information, or complaint if the state is not ready for trial within:
(1) 120 days of the commencement of a criminal action if the defendant is accused of a felony; ...

The rule for dismissal under the Speedy Trial Act is stated clearly in Teamer v. State, 685 S.W.2d 315 (Tex.Cr.App.1984):

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701 S.W.2d 671, 1985 Tex. App. LEXIS 12645, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcclellan-v-state-texapp-1985.