Tamez v. State

865 S.W.2d 518, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2672, 1993 WL 380293
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 29, 1993
Docket13-92-086-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 865 S.W.2d 518 (Tamez 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
Tamez v. State, 865 S.W.2d 518, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2672, 1993 WL 380293 (Tex. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

OPINION

SEERDEN, Chief Justice.

Appellant was indicted for attempted murder and aggravated assault. He pled “not guilty” and was tried before a jury which found him guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter. The jury assessed punishment at four years in prison and a fine of $10,000. We affirm.

In his first point of error, appellant contends that the evidence is insufficient to support the conviction. Specifically, he claims the evidence fails to show that he intended to murder the victim or that he was acting under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause.

The facts show that Viterbo Hernandez, the victim, lived with appellant at a house in Alamo, Texas. The house belonged to appellant’s mother. Hernandez and appellant had been friends for about twenty-five years, most of them lives. On the evening of the offense, Hernandez and appellant had both been drinking alcohol and both may have been intoxicated. When Hernandez came home, he complained about another person, Eulalio Guzman, staying at the house. Although Guzman had been at the house several weeks at Hernandez’s invitation, Hernandez believed it was appellant’s responsibility to tell Guzman to get out of his room. According to Hernandez, during their discussion, appellant poked him in the chest with his finger. In response, Hernandez took appellant’s arm and twisted it behind him. Hernandez also put his forearm on appellant’s chin and told him to go tell Guzman to get out of his room. Appellant said, “Okay, I give up,” and Hernandez let him go, thinking appellant was going to talk to Guzman. Less than fifteen seconds later, appellant returned. According to Hernandez, appellant, who was hiding his hand behind him, lunged at Hernandez and stabbed him about two inches below his left nipple.

Appellant testified in his own defense. He confirmed that he and Hernandez had an argument concerning Guzman. According to appellant, Hernandez grabbed him, pinned him to the wall, and started putting pressure on his neck. Appellant tried to push Hernandez away but could not. Appellant started to see stars, and he believed Hernandez was going to kill him, so he reached into his pocket and used his pocket knife to stab Hernandez. Appellant claimed his intent was not to kill Hernandez, just to make him stop. Appellant admitted that he became upset with Hernandez when Hernandez started pushing him around. Appellant also admitted that his knife was capable of causing death or serious bodily injury.

Dr. John Orfanos testified that he performed a “life saving operation” on Hernandez as a result of the stab wound.

Appellant argues that there is no evidence that he intended to commit the offense of murder. We will review the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict to determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 309, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2783, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); Baugh v. State, 776 S.W.2d 583, 585 (Tex.Crim.App.1989). Viewed most favorably to the verdict, the evidence shows that Hernandez argued with appellant, held him or twisted his arm, but then let him go. Shortly thereafter, appellant returned and stabbed Hernandez in the chest. A jury may find a specific intent to kill from circumstances accompanying the use of a weapon. Cordova v. State, 698 S.W.2d 107, 112 (Tex.Crim.App.1985). The circumstances show that appellant departed the confrontation, returned, and stabbed Hernandez in the left side of the chest. A rational jury could have found that appellant intended to kill Hernandez.

Appellant also argues that there is no evidence that he was acting under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising *520 from an adequate cause. We do not reach the merits of this complaint. Appellant did not object to having the jury instructed on the lesser included offense of attempted voluntary manslaughter. As appellant did not object and received the benefit of having the jury charged on this issue, he cannot complain that the evidence fails to establish “sudden passion arising from an adequate cause.” Lee v. State, 818 S.W.2d 778, 781 (Tex.Crim.App.1991); Bradley v. State, 688 S.W.2d 847, 853 (Tex.Crim.App.1985); Vann v. State, 853 S.W.2d 243 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1993, pet. ref'd). Appellant’s first point of error is overruled.

In point two, appellant contends that the trial court failed to instruct the jury on the full range of punishment for a third degree felony. Texas Penal Code section 12.34 provides:

(a) An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree shall be punished by:
(1) confinement in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for any term of not more than 10 years or less than 2 years; or
(2) confinement in a community correctional facility for any term of not more than 1 year.
(b) In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 12.34(a)(1) (Vernon Supp.1993).

The trial court failed to instruct the jury about the community correctional facility punishment option, section 12.34(a)(2). Appellant did not object to the punishment charge but now asserts that he has been denied due process and due course of law. The State acknowledges that the trial court erred by not submitting the community correctional facility punishment option. See Coody v. State, 812 S.W.2d 631, 634 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1991), remanded on other grounds, 818 S.W.2d 68 (Tex.Crim.App.1991), on remand, 841 S.W.2d 30 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1992, pet. ref'd). In Coody, the Houston Court of Appeals determined that the defendant suffered egregious harm when the community correctional facility option was not included in the charge. The Court reasoned that the defendant was denied the opportunity to receive a sentence less harsh than the minimum the jury was instructed to impose. Coody, 812 S.W.2d at 635.

As appellant did not object to the punishment charge, error will only cause reversal if he suffered egregious harm. Cartwright v. State, 833 S.W.2d 134, 137 (Tex.Crim.App.1992); Almanza v. State,

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Bluebook (online)
865 S.W.2d 518, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 2672, 1993 WL 380293, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tamez-v-state-texapp-1993.