McClure v. State

615 S.W.2d 757, 1981 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1024
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 20, 1981
DocketNo. 60906
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 615 S.W.2d 757 (McClure v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McClure v. State, 615 S.W.2d 757, 1981 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1024 (Tex. 1981).

Opinion

OPINION

TOM G. DAVIS, Judge.

Appeal is taken from a conviction for aggravated rape. After the jury found appellant guilty, punishment, enhanced by two prior convictions, was assessed at life.

In his second ground of error, appellant contends the court erred in overruling his objection to an improper question. He maintains the question was improper because the answer revealed that a codefend-ant to the same offense had been convicted.

The complainant testified that on May 5, 1978, she was employed as a waitress in Abilene. She left work at 10:30 p.m. and went to three different clubs for some drinks. Approximately two hours later, she [758]*758was driving home when her car developed engine problems. She related that while her car was disabled, appellant drove by in another car with a man she later learned to be Roy Hartley.

Appellant offered to help the complainant with her car. She then entered appellant’s car and the three individuals drove to a service station and bought some gasoline. They then returned to the complainant’s car which appellant was able to start. The complainant testified that she allowed appellant to drive her car back to the service station in order to return a borrowed gasoline can. While the complainant and appellant were in her car, Hartley followed them in appellant’s car. After stopping at the service station, she agreed for appellant to drive her home. Hartley continued to follow in a second car. The complainant testified that during the second stop at the service station, appellant saw a friend he intróduced as Rudy.

As they approached the complainant’s home, appellant informed her that he would like to buy her a soft drink. The three individuals in the two cars then proceeded to a nearby grocery. Appellant and Hart-ley entered the grocery and left the complainant alone in her car. The men then returned and appellant once again drove the complainant’s car.

She stated that rather than driving her home, appellant drove her car down a dirt road and into a field. Hartley arrived a short time later and entered the complainant’s car. The men then threatened to kill her and appellant produced a knife. The men forced her to undress. She testified that appellant then had sexual intercourse with her in the backseat of her car. In the meantime, Hartley was standing outside of the car taking his clothes off.

Appellant and the complainant then left her car and she was ordered to lie down on the ground. Hartley then had sexual intercourse with her. The complainant related that both the men performed various acts of deviate sexual intercourse with her. With regard to the offense, the complainant testified:

“Q. Did this Defendant, Carl Cleo McClure, or Roy Hartley, either one, have your permission and consent to have sexual intercourse with you that night?
“A. No, sir.
“Q. Did you submit to what they did only by force that they applied to you, and by threat of death and serious bodily injury against you?
“A. Yes, sir.”

Following the offense, Hartley pointed a shotgun at the complainant. She stated that she thought that Hartley was about to kill her. However, appellant told her to get back in her car and he drove her home with Hartley following in a second car. She related the details of the offense to her mother later that day.

Shirley Glandon, of the Abilene Rape Crisis Center, testified that she was contacted by the complainant in the late afternoon of May 7, 1978. Glandon then met with the complainant and she agreed to report the incident to the police.

Officer Ed Carter, of the Abilene Police Department, testified that after speaking with the complainant, he showed her a photo spread. She picked appellant and Hart-ley’s pictures out of the pictures which were shown to her. Carter then initiated criminal charges against both men and arrested Hartley the following day.

The questions and answers of which appellant complains in this ground of error occurred during the examination of Carter. In this regard, the record reflects:

“Q. Okay. Do you know where Hartley is now?
“MR. BROWN: Your Honor, we will object to that question, attempting to introduce impermissible evidence relating to the disposition of another defendant in this case.
“THE COURT: I’ll overrule your objection.
“MR. BROWN: Note our exception.
“Q. Do you know where he is?
“A. Yes, Ido.
[759]*759“Q. Where is he?
“A. In the Texas Department of Corrections.
“Q. At Huntsville?
“A. That’s correct.
“MR. BROWN: Your Honor, again we object to that question and ask that the Jury be instructed to disregard the Officer’s answer.
“MR. INGALSBE: It doesn’t refer to this case at all, but it just refers to where he is.
“THE COURT: I’ll overrule your objection.”

Rudy Lopez testified on behalf of the appellant. Lopez stated that on the night of the offense, he saw appellant at a service station. He related that appellant was in a car kissing a woman. Lopez testified the woman was not resisting appellant’s advances.

Appellant admitted that he and Hartley had sexual intercourse with the complainant. He testified that they did not force or threaten her in any manner. Appellant stated that the complainant consented to the men’s actions toward her.

Trial in the instant case commenced on October 4, 1978. Attached to appellant’s motion for new trial are certified copies of the judgment, sentence and indictment in Cause No. 5846-B in the 104th Judicial District Court of Taylor County styled The State of Texas vs. Roy William Hartley. Those documents reveal that on August 9, 1978, Hartley was convicted of the aggravated rape of the complainant in the instant offense and assessed punishment of 12 years.

In Walker v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 530 S.W.2d 572, the Court quoted the following from Bacon v. State, 147 Tex.Cr.R. 605, 183 S.W.2d 177:

“. . . It is well established as a general rule that upon the trial of one charged with crime it is not permissible to show that another jointly or separately indicted for the same offense has been convicted or acquitted. Wharton’s Crim. Evidence, 11 Ed., Vol. 2, p. 1216, Sec. 724; 22 C.J.S. Criminal Law § 784, p. 1334; Giles v. State, 109 Tex.Cr.R. 234, 4 S.W.2d 66; Bell v. State, 33 Tex.Cr.R. 163, 25 S.W. 769; Harper v. State, 11 Tex.App. 1; Walding V. State, 135 Tex.Cr.R. 430, 120 S.W.2d 1052. Cited in the notes under the sections in the text books will be found many cases from other jurisdictions supporting the principal announced in the Texas cases (supra).” Id. at 573.

See Rodriguez v. State,

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

Related

Spencer, Breanna
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2015
Kevin Jeffery Evans v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2002
Short v. State
681 S.W.2d 652 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1984)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
615 S.W.2d 757, 1981 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1024, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcclure-v-state-texcrimapp-1981.