Robert Edward Jones v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided May 10, 2007·No. 14-05-01239-CR·Published

Opinion

Affirmed and Opinion filed May 10, 2007

Affirmed and Opinion filed May 10, 2007.

In The

Fourteenth Court of Appeals

_______________

NO. 14-05-01239-CR

ROBERT EDWARD JONES, Appellant

V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 122nd District Court

Galveston County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. 00CR0980

O P I N I O N


A jury found appellant, Robert Jones, guilty of sexual assault.  The trial judge found the first enhancement count true, the second enhancement count not true, and assessed a life sentence.[1]  In three issues, appellant contends the trial court erred by (1) not submitting his  requested jury charge on the lesser-included offense of attempted sexual assault, (2) denying his motion to suppress evidence of blood and fingerprints because consent allegedly was not voluntary, and (3) assessing a life sentence under section 12.42(c)(2) of the Texas Penal Code.  We affirm. 

I.  Background

Appellant was accused of sexually assaulting adult-female complainant, Juanita, who was employed as a receptionist at a photography studio in Galveston.  On the morning of September 24,1998, Juanita was working alone when appellant entered the photo studio.  Appellant requested a brochure.  When they were alone in the store, appellant asked Juanita where the restroom was located.  On the way to the restroom, appellant attacked Juanita.  He pulled her hair, tried to blindfold her, and tied her hands behind her back with plastic straps.  After locking the doors and closing the blinds, appellant shot her in the neck with a stun gun.  Appellant told her to lay down, got on top of her, tore open her blouse, took off her shoes and pants, and tore off her underwear.  Appellant told her to Asuck his dick@ and inserted his penis in her mouth.  He also attempted to penetrate her vagina.  Appellant ejaculated on her face.   He then made her turn toward a wall, removed the blindfold, told her to call the police or do whatever she wanted, and left the store.  Juanita called the studio owner and told him she had been attacked.  Jan Marie Johnson, who had been in the parking lot and saw appellant leaving, entered the studio and asked Juanita, ADid that man do that?@  After Juanita said Ayes,@ Johnson called the police. 


Norman Giles[2], a Galveston Police lieutenant, came to the photography studio and spoke with Juanita.  Lieutenant Giles investigated the case.  When appellant became a suspect, Lieutenant Giles traveled to Louisiana where appellant was incarcerated for aggravated sexual assault.  During Lieutenant Giles=s second visit, appellant signed a Awaiver of search@ for body fluids.  Appellant gave Lieutenant Giles a blood sample, photographs, and fingerprints. 

At trial, Galveston Police Officer Fos testified that latent fingerprints lifted from the store brochure matched appellant=s left index finger.  Javier Flores, a forensic scientist, testified he compared the DNA in semen found on Juanita with the DNA in appellant=s blood sample and concluded the chance that the attacker was someone other than appellant was one in six billion. Appellant was tried, and a jury convicted him of sexual assault.

II.  Request For Jury  Instruction on Lesser-Included Offense

In his first issue, appellant contends the trial court erred by not submitting his requested jury instruction pertaining to the lesser-included offense of attempted sexual assault.  Specifically, appellant contends the trial judge should have included attempted sexual assault in the jury charge because the complainant testified she told a private investigator appellant did not insert his penis in her mouth.  The State argues that the complainant=s prior inconsistent statement is not direct substantive evidence that would support a lesser-included offense in the jury charge.  We agree with the State. 

We apply a two-pronged test to determine whether a lesser-included offense instruction should be included in a jury charge.  Rousseau v. State, 855 S.W.2d 666, 672 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993) (citing Royster v. State, 622 S.W.2d 442, 446 (Tex. Crim. App. 1981)).  First, the lesser-included offense must be included within the proof necessary to establish the offense charged.  Id.  Second, some evidence must exist in the record that if the defendant is guilty, he is guilty only of the lesser offense.  Id.


 Under the first prong, both parties agree that attempted sexual assault is a lesser- included offense of sexual assault.  A person commits sexual assault if he intentionally or knowingly causes penetration of the mouth of another person by his sexual organ without that person=s consent.  Tex. Penal Code Ann. ' 22.011(a)(1)(B) (Vernon 2003).  Article 37.09(4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides a lesser-included offense consists of an attempt to commit the charged offense.  Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Art. 37.09 (Vernon 2006).

Under the second prong of the test we consider whether there is some evidence in the record supporting the contention that if appellant is guilty, he is guilty only of the lesser offense, attempted sexual assault.  Rousseau, 855 S.W.2d at 672.  As long as there is some evidence Adirectly germane@ to a lesser-included offense, then an instruction on the lesser-included offense is warranted.  Jones v. State, 984 S.W.2d 253, 257 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998) (citing Bignall v. State, 887 S.W.2d 21, 23 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994)).

Juanita testified regarding details of the sexual assault.

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

Robert Edward Jones v. State, (Tex. Ct. App. 2007).

Robert Edward Jones v. State (Robert Edward Jones v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Cardenas v. State
30 S.W.3d 384 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Rayford v. State
125 S.W.3d 521 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2003)
Carmouche v. State
10 S.W.3d 323 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Montanez v. State
195 S.W.3d 101 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2006)
Rousseau v. State
855 S.W.2d 666 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1993)
Burke v. State
28 S.W.3d 545 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Bignall v. State
887 S.W.2d 21 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1994)
Griffith v. State
116 S.W.3d 782 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2003)
Royster v. State
622 S.W.2d 442 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1981)
Steadman v. State
160 S.W.3d 582 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Maxwell v. State
73 S.W.3d 278 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2002)
State v. Ross
32 S.W.3d 853 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Mills v. State
722 S.W.2d 411 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1986)
Wilhoit v. State
638 S.W.2d 489 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1982)
Boykin v. State
818 S.W.2d 782 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1991)
State v. Mancuso
919 S.W.2d 86 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1996)