Thornton v. State
Thornton v. State
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
Larry Thornton was convicted by a jury of two counts of indecency with a child. The jury assessed punishment at twenty years’ confinement, and the trial court ordered that the sentences run concurrently. Thornton was accused of touching the genitals of two girls aged thirteen and fourteen at a local swimming pool. Thornton does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence. He contends the trial court erred by issuing a pretrial order requiring him to disclose the names of the witnesses he intended to call at trial.
We find these contentions to be improperly briefed. Thornton provides no argument or supporting authority for his contention that the trial court’s order violated his right to due process or due course of law. We therefore do not consider his constitutional contentions.
We note, however, that the United States Supreme Court has found no due process violation in a Florida law requiring the defendant to disclose the names of witnesses he intends to call at trial to establish an alibi defense. Williams v. Florida, 399 U.S. 78, 81-82, 90 S.Ct. 1893, 26 L.Ed.2d 446, 450 (1970); see also Wardius v. Oregon, 412 U.S. 470, 474, 93 S.Ct. 2208, 37 L.Ed.2d 82, 87 (1973). In Williams, the court reasoned that Florida’s law was designed to enhance the search for truth and was “hedged with reciprocal duties requiring state disclosure to the defendant.” Williams v. Florida, 399 U.S. at 81-82, 90 S.Ct. 1893; see also Wardius v. Oregon, 412 U.S. at 474, 93 S.Ct. 2208. In subsequent cases, the court has expressed strong approval for expanded discovery in criminal cases. See Taylor v. Illinois, 484 U.S. 400, 411-12, 108 S.Ct. 646, 98 L.Ed.2d 798, 812 (1988); Wardius v. Oregon, 412 U.S. at 474, 93 S.Ct. 2208. We note also that other jurisdictions give the State pretrial discovery rights to the defendant’s witnesses and other material. See Eric D. Blumenson, Constitutional Limitations on Prosecutorial Discovery, 18 HaRV. C.R.-C.L. L.Rev. 123 (1983); Robert P. Mosteller, Discovery Against the Defense: Tilting the Adversarial Balance, 74 Cal.L.Rev. 1567 (1986); Vitauts M. Gulbis, Annotation, Right of Prosecution to Discovery of Case-Related Notes, Statements, and Reports — State Cases, 23 AL.R.4th 799 (1983); W.C. Crais III, Annotation, Right of Prosecution to Pretrial Discovery, Inspection, and Disclosure, 96 A.L.R.2d 1224 (1964).
Thornton contends that the trial court’s discovery order violated his rights
There is no Texas statute authorizing the trial court to grant the State pretrial discovery from the defendant. The trial court may order a pretrial hearing at which it can determine, among other things, discovery requirements. Tex.Code Crim.ProcAnn. art. 28.01, § 1(8) (Vernon 1989). But Texas statutes provide only for the defendant’s discovery from the State. For example, the trial court can in certain situations and under certain conditions, permit the defendant discovery of:
[A]ny designated documents, papers, written statement of the defendant, (except written statements of witnesses and except the work product of counsel in the case and their investigators and their notes or report), books, accounts, letters, photographs, objects or tangible things not privileged, which constitute or contain evidence material to any matter involved in the action and which are in the possession, custody or control of the State or any of its agencies.
Tex.Code CrimProcAnn. art. 39.14 (Vernon 1979), amended by, Act of May 21, 1999, 76th Leg., R.S., ch. 578, § 1, 1999 Tex.Gen. Laws 3118. The trial court may also allow the defendant to depose witnesses in some situations. Tex.Code Crim. ProcAnn. arts. 39.01, 39.02 (Vernon 1979).
Some courts in other jurisdictions have held that the trial court has inherent authority to order discovery from the defendant, while others have held that the Legislature must first authorize such discovery. Gulbis, supra, at § 4. One Texas court has held that the Texas Legislature intended Article 39.14 to be a comprehensive discovery statute limiting the content and scope of discovery orders. See State ex rel. Wade v. Stephens, 724 S.W.2d 141, 144 (Tex.App. — Dallas 1987, orig. proceeding), holding that the trial court had no authority to order the complainant to undergo a medical examination. Another Texas court has held that a trial court could properly order discovery beyond what Article 39.14 outlines, but it could not order the complainant to undergo a psychological examination. See State ex rel. Holmes v. Lanford, 764 S.W.2d 593, 594 (Tex.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1989, orig. proceeding).
There is at least some authority, then, for the proposition that Texas courts have inherent authority to order discovery beyond what Article 39.14 expressly provides. Texas courts have generally permitted the trial court to order the State to disclose its witnesses, though Article 39.14(a) does not specifically provide for such disclosures. See Hightower v. State, 629 S.W.2d 920, 925 (Tex.Crim.App. [Panel Op.] 1981); Young v. State, 547 S.W.2d 23, 27 (Tex.Crim.App. 1977).
Though one commentator has opined that “[t]here is universal agreement that trial judges lack authority to compel the defense to provide the State” with its witness list, 41 George E. Dix & RobeRT O. Dawson, Texas Practice: Criminal Practice AND PROCEDURE § 22.81 (1995), the case law is notably silent on the matter. Neither party has cited and our research has not revealed any Texas case addressing whether a trial court may order discovery from the defendant.
In Demouchette v. State, 731 S.W.2d 75, 81 (Tex.Crim.App. 1986), the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals commented in dicta that the State has no right of discovery into the defendant’s case. That comment
Nevertheless, the Legislature has acted recently with respect to the trial court’s authority to order discovery of the defendant’s witnesses. In 1999, the Legislature amended Article 39.14 to allow the trial court to grant either party discovery of the other party’s expert witnesses.
The State characterizes the trial court’s order as an effort to provide an effective and fair voir dire, the conduct of which is within the trial court’s discretion. In its motion, it stated that its reason for requesting discovery was so it could conduct an intelligent voir dire. It cannot be ignored, however, that discovery of the defendant’s witnesses has ramifications beyond voir dire. Because at the time of trial the trial court had no explicit authority to order discovery of the defendant’s witnesses, we find that the trial court abused its discretion in doing so.
The State contends that any error arising from the trial court’s order constitutes non-constitutional harmless error under Tex.R.App.P. 44.2(b). Such error will require reversal if it affected Thornton’s substantial rights. A substantial right is affected when the error had a substantial and injurious effect or influence on the jury’s verdict. King v. State, 953 S.W.2d 266, 271 (Tex.Crim.App. 1997). If, on the record as a whole, it appears the error did not influence the jury, or had but a slight effect, we must consider the error harmless and allow the conviction to stand. Johnson v. State, 967 S.W.2d 410, 417 (Tex.Crim.App. 1998).
Thornton makes no argument concerning the harmfulness of the trial court’s error, and from the record we discern no injury to his substantial rights. The State’s case relied on the testimony of the two complainants, both of whom testified that Thornton touched their genitals at different times on the same day. They also testified that they did not invite the touching and did not consider it a normal part of being in close proximity in a swimming pool.
Thornton called two witnesses, his wife, Portia Thornton, and his father, Richard Thornton. Portia testified that youngsters
Neither of Thornton’s witnesses was present when Thornton allegedly touched the complainants. The State did not try to impeach the credibility of Thornton’s witnesses on cross-examination, did not mention them during voir dire, and did not discuss their testimony in its closing argument. The jury chose to believe the complainant’s testimony that Thornton had touched them without their consent. In addition, we note that the State made its motion for discovery on the same day the jury was selected, and one day before trial, which lessens any injury from the order. On the record before us, we hold that the error resulting from the trial court’s discovery order did not injure Thornton’s substantial rights.
The trial court’s judgment is affirmed.
. The trial court ordered reciprocal disclosures from the State.
. The amendment had not taken effect when Thornton was tried.
Concurring Opinion
concurring.
I concur with the majority opinion, but I would urge that this case not be read broadly to encompass all types of discovery against a criminal defendant. Our holding excludes constitutional considerations because the constitutional contentions were not addressed because of improper briefing.
^The United States Constitution would prohibit some discovery from an accused, with or without a statute. For example, in a civil case, the question generally referred to a production of “any persons with knowledge of relevant facts....”
Where properly raised, the constitutional prohibition should be carefully reviewed to avoid errors of constitutional magnitude in permitting discovery of the defendant. When constitutional prohibitions are involved, the harm analysis on which the ruling in this case is based would not be applicable.
. See William V. Dorsaneo, III, Texas Litigation Guide: Civil Trial Procedures § 95.100(2000).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Larry N. THORNTON, Appellant, v. the STATE of Texas, Appellee
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