Riles v. State

595 S.W.2d 858, 1980 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1159
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 26, 1980
Docket63727
StatusPublished
Cited by116 cases

This text of 595 S.W.2d 858 (Riles 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
Riles v. State, 595 S.W.2d 858, 1980 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1159 (Tex. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION

ODOM, Judge.

This is an appeal from a conviction for capital murder. The jury answered the questions submitted to it at the punishment stage under Art. 37.071, V.A.C.C.P., in the affirmative. Accordingly, the punishment is death.

Appellant raises eleven grounds of error, relating to jury selection, rulings on evidence, effectiveness of counsel, and the jury charge. The sufficiency of the evidence is not challenged. The facts of the crime are stated in the opinion reversing an earlier conviction for this offense. Riles v. State, (Tex.Cr.App.) 557 S.W.2d 95. The defense presented was insanity at the time of the offense. V.T.C.A., Penal Code Sec. 8.01.

We will first consider the two grounds of error relating to the jury selection process. Appellant contends reversible error was committed because four jurors were not qualified under V.T.C.A., Penal *860 Code Sec. 12.31, 1 and because the court neglected to inquire under Art. 35.17, V.A.C. C.P., 2 whether the prospective jurors had formed any opinion about the case. Appellant does not suggest that his own examination of the prospective jurors was in any way restricted. No objection was raised on the grounds now urged on appeal. The record reflects that each juror selected to serve in this case was accepted by appellant without objection. Appellant cannot complain on appeal on the basis of a ground not raised in the trial court. See Burks v. State, (Tex.Cr.App.) 583 S.W.2d 389, 396.

Appellant in two grounds of error complains of the exclusion of testimony. One instance concerns adverse rulings at the pre-trial competency hearing and the other refers to exclusion at trial of a psychiatrist’s testimony about statements by appellant upon which he relied in making his diagnosis. In neither instance was the record developed to show what testimony would have been given. Thus, nothing is presented for review. Art. 40.09(6)(d)(1), V.A.C.C.P.; Davison v. State, (Tex.Cr.App.) 510 S.W.2d 316. Furthermore, the basis for admissibility of the psychiatrist’s testimony urged on appeal (to show the basis for his opinion) was not urged at trial, so nothing is presented for review. Milligan v. State, (Tex.Cr.App.) 554 S.W.2d 192.

Four grounds of error raise issues about the admissibility of evidence presented by the State.

In one ground of error appellant complains about the testimony of Dr. Garcia regarding statements made by appellant during his examination by the doctor. Appellant argues this violated the exclusionary rule of Art. 46.02, Sec. 3(g), V.A.C.C.P. 3 In his brief, however, appellant admits that Dr. Garcia was called to testify on the issue of appellant’s sanity at the time of the offense. In DeRusse v. State, (Tex.Cr.App.) 579 S.W.2d 224, 230, the Court held:

“We can perceive of no reason to apply Art. 46.02, Sec. 3(g), so as to forbid the trial use, relative to the sanity defense, of the defendant’s statements to the psychiatrist during a combined competence/sanity examination pursuant to Art. 46.03, Sec. 3(g), supra. Psychiatric testimony with regard to the defendant’s sanity at the time of the offense would hardly be possible if statements by the defendant during his examination were inadmissible, and the jury would be deprived of valuable evidence relative to the insanity defense. Moreover, to allow the statements of the defendant during an Art. 46.03, Sec. 3(g), examination to be admitted in evidence at his trial causes no unique prejudice to the defendant; he is in precisely the same position as any other defendant who is examined with regard to the insanity defense.”

In this record we have been unable to find an order appointing Dr. Garcia by name. The only order for a psychiatric examination that we have found that might have been the basis of Dr. Garcia’s examination *861 does not specify whether the purpose of the examination was to determine competency under Art. 46.02, supra, or insanity under Art. 46.03, supra. We therefore conclude the record does not show a violation of Art. 46.02, Sec. 3(g), supra. The ground of error is overruled.

In another ground of error it is argued that the State on cross-examination of Dr. Byrd revealed to the jury the fact that appellant had been previously tried, in violation of Art. 40.08, V.A.C.C.P. 4 The record reflects that during direct examination by appellant, the doctor read the same sentence from his report to which this ground of error is directed. Thus, appellant had previously introduced the same evidence. No error is shown. See, Yates v. State, (Tex.Cr.App.) 509 S.W.2d 600, 604.

In two grounds of error appellant complains of references to the fact that he had been on death row. In one instance, after appellant read parts of a deposition by Dr. Draksharon as evidence of appellant’s disturbed psychological condition, the State was allowed to read the cross-examination portion of the deposition in which the doctor stated appellant was on death row at the time of the examination, and that the fact he was facing the death penalty could have been a significant factor accounting for his disturbed condition. Later, in jury argument, the State referred to this evidence in its explanation of the weight that should be given to the doctor’s opinion on the issue of the insanity defense. We find the evidence and argument were both proper efforts to place the doctor’s opinion in perspective with respect to the more recent events that he admitted would affect the condition observed by him, and the reliability of applying those observations to the issue of appellant’s sanity at the time of the offense. Furthermore, no claim of surprise can be urged since the evidence was presented by deposition taken prior to trial. The grounds of error are overruled.

Next appellant asserts trial counsel was ineffective for failure to make proper objection to the matters raised in the three grounds of error just discussed. In view of our disposition of those issues on the merits, we hold no ineffectiveness of counsel is shown.

Another ground of error contends the trial court denied appellant the assistance of counsel by sustaining the State’s objection to his jury argument. It is true that improper denial of jury argument can constitute a denial of the right to counsel. Spangler v. State, 42 Tex.Cr.R. 233, 61 S.W. 314, 322. In this case, however, the State’s objection was properly sustained because appellant’s argument was not supported by the evidence. Appellant argued that Dr. Bok testified appellant was insane at the time of the offense. The doctor, however, refused to express such an opinion.

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

Related

Rian Hoover v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2025
Artrell Lee Taylor v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2025
Christopher West Lopez v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2025
Carlos Raul Lariostrejo v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2024
Breyon Alexander Penny v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2024
Bernell Pitts v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2024
Shazizz Mateen v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2024
Emil Andrew Castignanie v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2023
Tedrick Kanard Edwards v. the State of Texas
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2023
Miguel Arevalo v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2020
Austin Wray Williams v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2020
Philip Andrew Rodriguez v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019
Luis Alberto DeLeon v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019
Jayona E. Jones v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019
Millard Glenn Bell v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019
Adolph Rodriguez v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2018
Reed v. Quarterman
504 F.3d 465 (Fifth Circuit, 2007)
Esquivel v. State
180 S.W.3d 689 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
595 S.W.2d 858, 1980 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1159, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/riles-v-state-texcrimapp-1980.