Milo v. State

748 S.W.2d 614, 1988 Tex. App. LEXIS 1072, 1988 WL 47213
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 13, 1988
DocketNo. 4-87-00103-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 748 S.W.2d 614 (Milo 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
Milo v. State, 748 S.W.2d 614, 1988 Tex. App. LEXIS 1072, 1988 WL 47213 (Tex. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION

ESQUIVEL, Justice.

This is an appeal from a conviction for criminal mischief, with a pecuniary loss of $20.00 or more but less than $200.00. Trial was before a jury. Punishment was assessed at thirty days in jail probated for six months, court costs, and a $200.00 fine. This appeal resulted. We affirm.

Appellant raises six points of error. Appellant’s first three points of error complain of insufficiency of the evidence. Initially, the State contends that appellant has waived his second point of error which alleges that the trial court erred in denying appellant’s motion for an instructed verdict. We disagree.

After appellant put on a defense, including appellant’s own testimony denying the allegations, appellant rested and both sides closed. Appellant then moved for an instructed verdict, which the trial court denied.

The State takes the position that by putting on a defense appellant waived any error by the trial court in overruling his motion for instructed verdict. The State cites Kuykendall v. State, 609 S.W.2d 791, 794 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1980); Shirley v. State, 501 S.W.2d 635, 637 (Tex.Crim.App.1973); Gonzales v. State, 681 S.W.2d 270, 272 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1984, no pet.).

In each case cited by the State, the defendants moved for instructed verdict after the State rested. The trial court denied the motion. Thereafter, the defendant put on a defense. On appeal, the courts held they need not review the propriety of overruling the motion made when the State had rested, for in thereafter putting on a defense the appellant waived that contention. The underlying rationale for the holdings is that the court or jury trying the case is not confined to the testimony presented by the State in determining the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction. They may look to all the evidence in the case, that offered by the appellant, as well as that offered by the State, in determining whether the accused is guilty of the of[616]*616fense charged. Lopez v. State, 356 S.W.2d 674, 676 (Tex.Crim.App.1962). Accord Kuykendall v. State, 609 S.W.2d 791, 794 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1980) (Court of Criminal Appeals considered the propriety of overruling motion for instructed verdict made at the close of all the evidence, but did not review motion made when the State rested because appellant thereafter put on a defense and waived his contention).

In the present case, appellant offered no additional evidence during the guilt phase of the trial after moving for an instructed verdict. We hold that appellant has not waived our review of the propriety of overruling the motion made when he rested. His second point of error will be considered. However, we consider appellant’s first three points of error together.

The information alleged that appellant intentionally and knowingly damaged and destroyed a fence by kicking it, without the effective consent of the owner, Tom Lavender.

As in all criminal cases concerning insufficient evidence points of error, we must examine the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution and determine whether a rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); Dickey v. State, 693 S.W.2d 386, 387 (Tex.Crim.App.1984).

Appellant specifically contends that the State failed to prove ownership of the fence, and the State failed to prove that Tom Lavender was the owner of the fence as alleged in the information.

The Penal Code makes it an offense for a person to intentionally or knowingly damage or destroy the tangible property of the owner, without the effective consent of the owner. TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 28.03 (Vernon Supp.1988).

“ ‘Owner’ means a person who has title to the properly, possession of the property, whether lawful or not, or a greater right to possession of the property than the actor.” TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 1.07(a)(24) (Vernon 1974).

Lavender testified that he was a home owner in the Blanco Woods Subdivision where the fence was located. The wooden fence surrounded pumps and equipment for the swimming pool, and was part of the recreation area. The Blanco Woods Home Owners Association owned the recreation area. Lavender was a member of the Home Owners Association. Lavender also testified, without objection, that he had a greater right to possession of the property than did appellant.

Lou Portillo, a homeowner and member of the Home Owners Association, testified that a person buys a home in Blanco Woods and becomes a member of the Association. The purchase price includes the first year’s membership fee. Thereafter, residents pay an annual membership fee to use the recreation facilities.

Charles Ammann, chairman of the Home Owners Association grievance committee, testified that the Association will pay for the fence repair. The members of the Home Owners Association will be assessed a share of the repair cost. Ammann did not know of any deed or instrument showing that the Home Owners Association owned the fence.

Ownership of property in a criminal case may be proved by oral testimony. See Smith v. State, 638 S.W.2d 476, 478 (Tex.Crim.App.1982); Whitehead v. State, 645 S.W.2d 482, 484 (Tex.App.—Beaumont 1982, pet. ref’d).

Appellant argues that this case is similar to Roberts v. State, 513 S.W.2d 870 (Tex.Crim.App.1974). In Roberts, the Court reversed a theft conviction because ownership was not proven as alleged. The Court held, “Where one person is alleged to own property, but it is shown to be owned by another, or by a corporation, the State has failed to prove the ownership as alleged.” Roberts v. State at 871.

Roberts is distinguishable, however. In Roberts, appellant was charged with theft of a chain from a truck. The indictment alleged that the owner was Jack Dahlstron. Dahlstron did not testify. The driver of the truck testified that he worked for [617]*617Dahlstron Corporation, that Jack Dahlstron was his boss, and that “Dahlstron Corporation” was written on the side of the truck. The Court noted that it may be inferred that Dahlstron Corporation owned the chain, but held there was no evidence that Jack Dahlstron owned the chain. Roberts v. State at 871.

In our case, the evidence established that Lavender, along with the other members of the Home Owners Association, owned the fence. “Where property is owned in common, or jointly, by two or more persons, the ownership may be alleged to be in all or either of them.” TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC.ANN. art. 21.08 (Vernon Supp.1988).

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Bluebook (online)
748 S.W.2d 614, 1988 Tex. App. LEXIS 1072, 1988 WL 47213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/milo-v-state-texapp-1988.