Russell v. State

804 S.W.2d 287, 1991 WL 32338
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 13, 1991
Docket2-90-012-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 804 S.W.2d 287 (Russell 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
Russell v. State, 804 S.W.2d 287, 1991 WL 32338 (Tex. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

OPINION

MEYERS, Justice.

Appellant, Herbert Gray Russell, appeals from a conviction by the jury of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. See TEX.PENAL CODE ANN. § 29.03 (Vernon Supp.1991). Punishment was assessed by the jury at twelve years confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections. 1

We affirm.

Appellant brings the five following points of error on this appeal: (1) the trial court erred in refusing appellant’s requested charge on the lesser-included offense of robbery by threats because a knife is not a deadly weapon per se; (2) the trial court’s refusal of appellant’s requested charge on the lesser-included offense of robbery by threats, which was raised by appellant’s confession, was error; (3) the conviction is invalid because the evidence is insufficient to support the finding that the knife appellant exhibited was a deadly weapon; (4) the trial court committed error when it denied appellant’s motion to quash the jury under the authority of Batson v. Kentucky; and (5) this conviction is invalid because appel *289 lant did not have the benefit of effective assistance of counsel.

On the evening of May 6, 1988, appellant entered the Stop and Save convenience store located at 2801 South Hemphill in Fort Worth, Texas. Appellant approached Peggy Lopez, who was working behind the store counter. He placed a knife at her back and ordered her to “Give me the money.” Appellant took the money from the cash register. Appellant took a handgun that he found under the counter. He cocked it and pointed it at Mary Rodriquez, who was also working in the store that night. Appellant then ran from the store carrying both the gun and the money.

Appellant’s first two points of error allege that the trial court erred when it denied his requested charge on a lesser-included offense of robbery by threats because a knife is not a deadly weapon per se and appellant’s confession raised such an issue.

When determining whether a jury must be instructed concerning a lesser-included offense, a two-step analysis must be applied. Royster v. State, 622 S.W.2d 442, 446 (Tex.Crim.App.1981) (opinion on reh’g). First, the lesser-included offense must be included within the proof necessary to establish the offense charged. Id. Second, there must be some evidence in the record showing that if the defendant is guilty, he is only guilty of the lesser offense. Id.; see also Moreno v. State, 702 S.W.2d 636, 640 (Tex.Crim.App.1986).

Appellant has satisfied the first requirement set out by Royster because robbery is a lesser-included offense of aggravated robbery. Ex parte Walton, 626 S.W.2d 528, 530 (Tex.Crim.App.1981) (en banc). However, appellant failed to meet the second requirement since there must be some evidence that if appellant is guilty, he is only guilty of the lesser offense.

Appellant argues that the knife he used during the robbery was not a deadly weapon per se. However, appellant did not present evidence to show that the knife was not a deadly weapon. In contrast, the State put on testimony to show that the knife had a blade which was approximately a foot-long and was serrated with two points at the tip. Appellant contends that the trial court declined the prosecutor’s request that the record reflect that Lopez visually indicated the length of the knife to be “about a foot.” However, while the court’s response to this request seems vague, it does not appear to amount to a refusal of this request. If appellant wished to seize upon this point for appellate review, he should have made certain that the court clearly stated its ruling in order to present a clear record for appeal. Lopez testified that she could feel this knife pressed against her back and complied with appellant’s demands out of fear for her life. Because the evidence was sufficient to show the knife used in the robbery was a deadly weapon, the court was not required to give the charge on the lesser-included offense of robbery. Rodgers v. State, 744 S.W.2d 281, 283 (Tex.App.-Fort Worth 1987, pet. ref’d).

Appellant further argues that the charge he requested should have been given to the jury because in the course of his confession, which was read to the jury, he did not deny or admit to using a knife.

If there is evidence from any source which raises an issue of a lesser-included offense, then the charge on that issue must be submitted to the jury if properly requested. Simpkins v. State, 590 S.W.2d 129 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1979). The fact that appellant did not mention the use of a knife in the face of overwhelming evidence that he did use a knife, does not constitute evidence showing that a knife was not used. As explained above, the evidence showed that a knife was used and that knife was a deadly weapon. Since there was no evidence to show that if appellant was guilty, he was guilty only of the lesser offense, the court properly denied appellant’s request for a charge on robbery by threats. Royster, 622 S.W.2d at 446.

Appellant’s first two points of error are overruled.

Appellant’s third point of error argues that his conviction is invalid because there *290 is insufficient evidence to support the finding that the knife appellant exhibited was a deadly weapon.

In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction, the evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict. See Flournoy v. State, 668 S.W.2d 380, 383 (Tex.Crim.App.1984). The critical inquiry is whether, after so viewing the evidence, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Bonham v. State, 680 S.W.2d 815, 819 (Tex.Crim.App.1984), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 865, 106 S.Ct. 184, 88 L.Ed.2d 153 (1985); Wilson v. State, 654 S.W.2d 465, 471 (Tex.Crim.App.1983) (opinion on reh’g).

The sufficiency of the evidence is a question of law. The issue on appeal is not whether we as a court believe the prosecution’s evidence or believe that the defense evidence “outweighs” the State’s evidence. See Wicker v. State, 667 S.W.2d 137, 143 (Tex.Crim.App.), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 892, 105 S.Ct. 268, 83 L.Ed.2d 204 (1984).

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804 S.W.2d 287, 1991 WL 32338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/russell-v-state-texapp-1991.