Mendiola v. State

995 S.W.2d 175, 1999 WL 89416
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 13, 1999
Docket04-97-00813-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 995 S.W.2d 175 (Mendiola 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
Mendiola v. State, 995 S.W.2d 175, 1999 WL 89416 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinions

OPINION

Opinion by:

KAREN ANGELINI, Justice.

Factual Background

Rudolph Mendiola was charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact. H.A., a three and one-half year-old girl at the time of offenses, was the complainant in each count. A jury convicted Mendiola of three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact and sentenced him to twelve years’ imprisonment. Mendiola appeals his conviction in four points of error.

Discussion

In his first point of error, Mendiola contends the trial court erred by admitting evidence of an extraneous offense during the guilt-innocence trial phase because the evidence did not rebut any defensive theory presented, nor did it rebut defense testimony. Mendiola contends the evidence should have been excluded because it [178]*178proved nothing more than character conformity, in violation of Tex.R. Evm.404(b).

The admission of evidence is a matter within the discretion of the trial court. See Montgomery v. State, 810 S.W.2d 372, 378 (Tex.Crim.App.1990)(opinion on reh’g). Accordingly, the trial court’s admission of evidence is reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard. See id. at 379-80. As long as the trial court’s ruling was within the “zone of reasonable disagreement,” there is no abuse of discretion and the trial court’s ruling will be upheld. Radial v. State, 917 S.W.2d 799, 807 (Tex.Crim.App.1996); Montgomery, 810 S.W.2d at 391.

To prevent an accused from being prosecuted for some collateral crime or misconduct, the State may not introduce evidence of extraneous offenses similar to the offense charged. Montgomery, 810 S.W.2d at 387. However, as an exception to the general rule of exclusion, evidence of “other crimes, wrongs, or acts” may be admissible if it has relevance to a material issue other than to show that the accused acted in conformity with some trait of character and the probative value of the evidence is not “substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.... ” Montgomery, 810 S.W.2d at 387; Tex.R.Evid. 403, 404(b). If the opponent of extraneous offense evidence objects on the grounds that the evidence is not relevant to a material issue, violates Rule 404(b), or constitutes an otherwise inadmissable extraneous offense, the proponent must satisfy the trial court that the extraneous offense evidence has relevance apart from its character conformity value. Montgomery, 810 S.W.2d at 387. If the trial court determines the evidence has no relevance apart from supporting the conclusion that the defendant acted in conformity with his character, it is absolutely inadmissible. Id. Extraneous offense evidence is relevant apart from showing character conformity if the proponent shows that it:

tends to establish some elemental fact, such as identity or intent; that it tends to establish some evidentiary fact, such as motive, opportunity or preparation, leading inferentially to an elemental fact; or that it rebuts a defensive theory by showing, e.g. absence of mistake or accident .... [or] that

it is relevant upon a logical inference not anticipated by the rulemakers. Montgomery, 810 S.W.2d at 387-388; see also Taylor v. State, 920 S.W.2d 319, 321 (Tex.Crim.App.1996).

Therefore, extraneous offense evidence may be relevant and admissible to rebut a defensive theory. See Ransom v. State, 920 S.W.2d 288, 300 (Tex.Crim.App.1994). “Rebuttal of a defense means evidence is introduced contradicting some aspect of the defense itself....” Celeste v. State, 805 S.W.2d 579, 581 (Tex.App.—Tyler 1991, no writ)(quoting Boutwell v. State, 719 S.W.2d 164, 180 (Tex.Crim.App.1985)). When a defense witness presents a picture that the defendant is not the type of person to commit the charged offense, the prosecution may impeach the defense witnesses’ testimony by introduction of similar extraneous offenses. See McIlveen v. State, 559 S.W.2d 815, 822 (Tex.Crim.App.1977); Mares v. State, 758 S.W.2d 932, 936 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1988, pet. ref d). By raising a defensive theory, the defendant opens the door for the State to offer rebuttal testimony regarding an ex traneous offense if the extraneous offense has common characteristics with the offense for which the defendant was on trial. See Bell v. State, 620 S.W.2d 116, 126 (Tex.Crim.App.1980). As a general rule, the defensive theory that the State wishes to rebut through the use of extraneous offense evidence must be elicited on direct examination, and may not by elicited by “prompting or maneuvering” by the State. See Shipman v. State, 604 S.W.2d 182, 185 (Tex.Crim.App.1980); Mares, 758 S.W.2d at 936. However, as an exception to this general rule, when a defendant voluntarily or nonresponsively testifies concerning extraneous matters on cross examination, the State may correct any false impression [179]*179presented by such answer. See Martinez v. State, 728 S.W.2d 360, 361-62 (Tex.Crim.App.1987); Mills v. State, 847 S.W.2d 453, 456 (Tex.App.—Eastland 1993, pet. ref'd); Burrow v. State, 668 S.W.2d 441, 443 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1984, no pet.).

A defendant raises a defensive theory in the context of charged sexual offenses by presenting evidence of physical incapability or denial of propensity to commit such acts. See Wilson v. State, 730 S.W.2d 438, 440-41 (Tex.App.—Fort Worth 1987, pet. refd)(extraneous sex offenses admissible to show that Wilson’s medical condition did not prevent him from having sexual relations with children); Ballard v. State, 464 S.W.2d 861, 862-63 (Tex.Crim.App.1971) (extraneous sex offenses admissible to rebut defendant’s assertion that he did not “mess around with little children”).

Mendiola’s wife, Esperanza (Hope) Men-diola, testified in his defense. On direct examination, Hope testified she babysat H.A and her two brothers at the Mendio-la’s home in 1994. Hope testified that she and Mendiola stopped having sexual relations after his prostate surgery in 1985. Hope testified that Mendiola did not seek medical assistance to enable him to have sexual relations after the operation. Hope testified that Mendiola was incapable of making his penis erect from February of 1994 to July 1994 to enable them to have sexual relations. Hope also testified that Mendiola had eye surgery in March 1994, which prevented him from bending over and required him to have bed rest.

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995 S.W.2d 175, 1999 WL 89416, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mendiola-v-state-texapp-1999.