Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1930

Alonzo v. State

Alonzo v. State
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · Decided March 19, 1930 · Christian
26 S.W.2d 920; 114 Tex. Crim. 536; 1930 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 230 (South Western Reporter, Second Series)

Alonzo v. State

Opinion of the Court

CHRISTIAN, Judge.

The offense is murder; the punishment confinement in the penitentiary for life.

The indictment charged that appellant “did then and there unlawfully and voluntarily kill Florencio Castillo by shooting him with a gun.” There being no allegation that the killing was upon malice aforethought, the state was not authorized to seek a penalty in excess of five years. Swilley vs. State, Opinion 12,792, delivered December 11, 1929, and not yet reported. The jury assessed the penalty at life imprisonment in the penitentiary. If a penalty in excess of five years is to be sought a new indictment should be returned.

The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Reversed and remanded.

The foregoing opinion of the Commission of Appeals has been examined by the Judges of the Court of Criminal Appeals and approved by the Court.

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