Prendez v. State
Prendez v. State
070rehearing
ON MOTION FOR REHEARING.
Appellant has filed an extended argument in support of his motion for rehearing, which has been read and considered. The main point stressed therein is the failure of the court to put before the jury what is claimed to be the reliance of appellant, — that is, that he advanced upon the injured party and cut him because the latter was endeavoring to pick up a rock, — was stooping over and trying to get the rock up at the time appellant cut him. We have reviewed the facts in order that we might correctly appraise this proposition.
The State’s testimony showed that appellant opened his knife and ran after the State witness, and just as the latter stooped to get a rock appellant cut him. Bosquez testified: “I was running and he came at my back and stabbed me. My back was toward him when he stabbed me because I was running, and he stabbed me just as I stooped down to pick up a rock.” On this point the trial court told the jury that if they believed from the evidence that at the time appellant made an assault upon Bosquez, if he did make one wih a pocket knife, said Bosquez had made, was making or was about to make an attack upon defendant, or if it so appeared to defendant, viewed from his standpoint at the time; then the jury were told that appellant had the right to defend himself, and would under no circumstances be required to retreat. We find no evidence in the record indicating that appellant advanced upon Bosquez to prevent a further assault on the part of Bosquez, and hence are of opinion that there is no support in the testimony for the spe
The motion for rehearing will be overruled.
Overruled.
Opinion of the Court
Conviction is for assault to murder without malice, punishment being assessed at two years in the penitentiary.
The injured party (Manuel Bosquez), appellant and most of the fact witnesses testified through an interpreter, the result being that in some particulars the evidence is somewhat confusing, but as we understand it the case on the facts may be briefly stated as follows. The assault occurred on the night
In order to present the issues raised by the evidence the trial judge found it necessary to submit the case to the jury in a charge which occupies eleven pages in the transcript. The charge was not excepted to but eight special charges were requested. The court properly refused the first one which was a peremptory instruction of acquittal. The others were refused because they were thought to be covered in the main charge. All of the special requested charges have been examined in the light of the instructions given. It would extend this opinion unduly to set out the special charges or discuss them separately, but we conclude that the court’s charge sufficiently covered and presented the issues to which the special charges related. We observe that most of the special charges would have told the jury that “if you believe there is evidence tending to show, etc.” Such a charge seems improper. There might be some
Bill of exception number one shows that while the sheriff was testifying he described a little knot and a skinned place which were on appellant’s face at the time of his arrest. He was asked by appellant’s counsel if appellant told witness how the wound was received. The State objected that the answer would be self-serving, as there was nothing to bring the statement within the rule of res gestae. The bill is incomplete in that it fails to show what answer was expected from the sheriff to the question asked. See Branch’s Ann. Tex. P. C., sec. 212, and authorities cited. Also, 4 Texas Jurisprudence, sec. 221, p. 323, and authorities annotated.
Bill of exception number two brings forward complaint that in the cross examination of appellant as a witness in his own behalf he was asked by the district attorney, evidently for the purpose of impeachment, if he was not the same man who had been indicted in the District Court of Val Verde County “seven years ago this month for murder,” and over objection appellant answered “Yes, sir.” The only objections were that the same was immaterial, irrelevant and had no bearing on the case. The district attorney then followed with this question: If appellant was not the same person who had been indicted and convicted in the United States District Court at Del Rio eight years ago for the offense of “transportation and concealing” of intoxicating liquor. Appellant’s counsel objected to that question as follows: “We object to this and also the other because it is too remote, and there is no connection between this offense and the others charged, and no evidence tending to show whether or not the man had changed his ways since the indictments and conviction.” The learned trial judge sustained the objection to the second question and appellant was not required to answer it, the court appearing to be under the impression that the question relating to the transaction eight years before the present trial was about a matter which was too remote. The record shows that appellant was thirty-two years of age at the time of this trial and was therefore twenty-five years of age at the time he was indicted for murder. The assault for which he is now upon trial occurred about four years after the indictment had been returned against him for murder in the former case. The inquiry with reference to the indictment for murder was regarding a transaction which was
Bill of exception number three brings forward complaint because the court did not permit the witness Pedro Hernandez .to be asked a question the purpose of which was to lay a. predicate to impeach him. The bill seems to be without merit for two reasons; first, it is incomplete because it does not set out what answer was expected of the witness Hernandez regarding the matter, and also because it seemed to be an effort to impeach him upon an immaterial matter.
Bill of exception number four appears to be only the formal reservation of exceptions to the court’s refusal to give the special charges which were requested. The action of the court in regard to that matter has been heretofore disposed of.
The judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.