Torres v. State

961 S.W.2d 391, 1997 WL 465592
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 26, 1997
Docket01-96-00333-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 961 S.W.2d 391 (Torres 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
Torres v. State, 961 S.W.2d 391, 1997 WL 465592 (Tex. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinions

OPINION

TAFT, Justice.

Appellant, Rebekah Zacarías Torres, was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI). She'pled not guilty and the case proceeded to trial. After the ease was presented to a jury, the trial court declared a mistrial because the jury had not reached a verdict after deliberating for five and three-quarters hours. Appellant filed an application for writ of habeas corpus arguing that a retrial would violate her right not to be placed twice in jeopardy for the same offense because the trial court had prematurely declared a mistrial. The trial court issued the writ but denied relief. We address whether the declaration of a mistrial was an abuse of discretion and whether the double jeopardy clause of the Texas Constitution provides greater relief. We affirm.

Background

At trial, the arresting officer testified that he stopped appellant’s vehicle because she was speeding and weaving into the adjoining lane of traffic. He testified that appellant appeared intoxicated and that he arrested her after she had difficulty performing field sobriety tests and failed the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. An intoxilyzer operator testified that appellant refused to take an intoxi-lyzer test. A videotape of appellant performing sobriety tests was admitted into evidence. The person who led appellant through the videotaping testified that appellant made mistakes performing the tests. All three witnesses testified that they believed appellant was intoxicated.

Appellant testified that she drank one glass of wine and two beers on the night in question. She testified that she did not commit any traffic violations and that she was not intoxicated. Appellant called four witnesses that were with her prior to her arrest. They testified that appellant had a glass of wine at a friend’s apartment and two beers at a nightclub. In their opinions, appellant was not intoxicated. Defense counsel estimated it took five and one-half hours to present the evidence in this case.

The jury was instructed to determine whether the arresting officer had reasonable suspicion to stop appellant and whether the State had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant was intoxicated at the time she was driving. The following is the sequence of jury deliberations:

December 13
Jury deliberations began at 2:42 p.m.
Jury asked to see videotape of appellant at 3:19.
Jury resumed deliberations at 3:34 p.m. after watching videotape.
Jury asked to see police offense reports and field notes and asked what would happen if it did not reach a verdict “this evening;” trial court responded that the items were not in evidence and asked the jury the numerical division of disagreement. The jury responded they were “pretty much split.”
The trial court recessed at 5:12 p.m.
December 14
Jury deliberations resumed at 9:00 a.m.
Jury asked to hear testimony about “clues” for determining intoxication and asked for clarification of the terms “intoxication” and “reasonable doubt.” Trial court responded that it could not elaborate.
At 10:00 a.m. the jury told the trial court it was “split in our decision regarding the defendant’s innocence” and was “a hung jury, with no chance of reconciliation.” Trial court instructed the jury to continue to deliberate.
At 12:25 p.m. the jury told the trial court, <fWe are not able to agree and see no end in sight. We are also hungry. May we break for lunch?” The trial court determined that the jury was deadlocked at 3 to 3, asked if further deliberations would produce a verdict. Each of the jurors said no.

[393]*393Defense counsel estimated jury deliberations totaled five and three-quarters hours. The trial court did not give an Allen charge.1 Over appellant’s objection, the trial court declared a mistrial and discharged the jury. Appellant later filed a pretrial application for writ of habeas corpus seeking to bar a retrial. The trial court issued the writ and, after a hearing, denied relief.

Declaring Mistrial — Deadlocked Jury

In her sole point of error, appellant asserts retrial is barred on double jeopardy grounds because the trial court abused its discretion in declaring a mistrial over appellant’s objection due to a deadlocked jury. Appellant argues the trial court failed to implement alternatives less drastic than a mistrial. Appellant specifically urges the double jeopardy clause of the Texas Constitution should be construed to bar a retrial when the trial court declares a mistrial over the defendant’s objection and without having given an Allen charge.

Appellant’s brief accurately sets out the standard of review:

Texas statutory law provides that the court may, in its discretion, discharge the jury “where it has been kept together for such time as to render it altogether improbable that it can agree.” Tex.Code Crim. PRoc. Ajnn. art. 36.31 (Vernon 1981). The exercise of discretion in declaring a mistrial is determined by the amount of time the jury deliberates considered in light of the nature of the case and evidence. Beeman v. State, 533 S.W.2d 799, 800 (Tex.Crim.App.1976). The “nature of the case and the evidence” means “the type and complexity of the evidence, whether expert testimony is involved, the number of witnesses, the number of exhibits ..., the complexity of the charge, whether the jury moved towards agreement during the period of deliberation, and the nature and extent of communication from the jury.” Galvan v. State, 869 S.W.2d 526, 528 (TexApp.—Corpus Christi 1993, pet. ref'd).

A. Type and Complexity of Evidence

The evidence consisted of eight witnesses presenting eyewitness testimony on two issues: (1) the traffic stop; and (2) appellant’s intoxication. A videotape showing appellant’s actions at the station was also introduced. This evidence presented jurors with two tasks: (1) resolving the conflict between the testimony of the arresting officer and of appellant regarding whether appellant committed a traffic offense; and (2) resolving the conflict between the testimony of all three State’s witnesses and all five defense witnesses regarding whether appellant was intoxicated. The videotape provided an additional source of evidence regarding appellant’s intoxication.

B. Expert Testimony

The only expert testimony was that of the patrol officer who administered the field sobriety tests.

C. Number of Witnesses

Eight witnesses testified about their observations of appellant. Four defense witnesses and appellant testified she was not intoxicated before being stopped. Appellant testified she did not commit a traffic offense, nor was she intoxicated when she was stopped. The arresting officer testified appellant did commit two traffic offenses and was intoxicated when stopped and during the field sobriety tests administered at the scene. Two other State’s witnesses testified appellant was intoxicated at the station.

D.

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Torres v. State
961 S.W.2d 391 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
961 S.W.2d 391, 1997 WL 465592, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/torres-v-state-texapp-1997.