Case ID: sw_236/html/0483-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "HAWKINS, J. MORROW, P. J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

VICKERS v. STATE.
    (No. 6530.)
    (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
    Dec. 21, 1921.
    Rehearing Denied Jan. 25, 1922.)
    1.Criminal law <&wkey;1038(l), 1056(1) — Errors in charge not reviewed without objections and exceptions.
    A bill of exceptions complaining of errors in the court’s charge cannot be considered, where no objection to the charge filed, nor exception taken before it was read to the jury, is shown.
    2. Criminal law <&wkey;359 — Exclusion of evidence of other offenses since accused’s arrest not error.
    Evidence that since the arrest of accused other burglaries had been committed in the same town where the one appellant was charged with was committed, not shown to be relevant, was properly excluded.
    On Motion for Rehearing.
    3. Criminal law <&wkey;l099(8) — Excuse for not filing statement of facts received six days before expiration of time held not shown.
    Even if the stenographer unduly delayed the preparation of the statement of facts, the failure to file the statement in time is not thereby excused, where counsel for accused received the statement six days before the expiration of the time for filing it, and made no showing that he could' not, within that time, have filed it by the exercise of reasonable diligence.
    4. Criminal law i&wkey;l099(7) — Court is without power to relieve against consequences of laches.
    Though the Court of Criminal Appeals has authority to relieve accused from the consequences of misfortune which prevent his filing his papers in time, the law demands diligence of him, and gives the court no authority to relieve him from the consequences of his own laches.
    Appeal from District Court, Coleman County; J. O. Woodward, Judge.
    R. J. Vickers was convicted of burglary, and be appeals.
    Affirmed.
    T. H. Strong, of Coleman, for appellant.
    R. G. Storey, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
   HAWKINS, J.

The statement of facts was not filed in the trial court until after the expiration of 90 days from adjournment. This was too late. Maxwell v. State, 69 Tex. Or. R. 248, 153 S. W. 324. Counsel for appellant has filed affidavits purporting to excuse him for failure to file in time. Counter affidavit from the court stenographer has been filed by the state. To pass upon the question in the instant case it is not necessary to determine the controversy between them. The statement of facts was delivered to appellant’s counsel not later than August 5th, in ample time to have had the same approved and filed within the 90 days. Two companion cases involving the same facts were tried about the same time as appellant, and counsel, after receiving the statement of facts from the stenographer, held it for the purpose of himself preparing statement of facts in the other two cases. It could have been secured from the clerk after filing for that purpose. We cannot conclude that appellant has been deprived of statement of facts without fault chargeable to him.

The bills of exceptions were not filed in time either. But they present no errors, if considered. One complains of the court’s charge in some particulars, but the record shows no objections thereto filed or exceptions taken before the charge was read to the jury. The other complains because the court would not permit appellant to show that since appellant was arrested other burglaries had been committed in the same town where the one appellant is charged with was committed. The relevancy of this testimony is not made apparent from the bill. As the record must be considered by us, no errors are shown.

The judgment of the trial court must be affirmed.

On Motion for Rehearing.

MORROW, P. J.

The term of the district court at which the appellant was tried adjourned May 13th; 90 days thereafter were allowed in which to file the statement of facts. This extension ended on August 12th. The statement of facts was not filed until August 13th. It was in possession of appellant’s counsel on August 5th. Appellant’s counsel resided at Ooleman; the district attorney at Brownwood. The towns were connected by railroad, and the distance 30 miles.

If it be granted that there was undue delay’ upon the part of the stenographer in preparing the statement of facts, it cannot be denied that it came to the possession of appellant’s counsel six days before the law required it to be filed. The record is bare of facts to show that these six days were not ample within which, by the exercise of diligence, the document could have been authenticated and filed. It is not within the province of this court to arbitrarily extend the time within which the law permits the statement of facts to be filed. The law fixing the limit is binding alike upon the appellant, his counsel, and this court. The authority exists to prevent the accused who desires to appeal from suffering the consequences of misfortune which prevents his filing his papers in time, but the law demands of him diligence, and gives this court no authority to relieve him from the consequences of his own laches. This is illustrated in the case of Riojas v. State, 36 Tex. Cr. R. 182, 36 S. W. 268, in which the bill of exceptions reached the judge in time but was by him misplaced and not filed until after the time allowed by law had expired. The court said;

“While it seemingly was neglect on the part of the judge not to approve and file the bill of exceptions, it was the duty of counsel to follow up his bill, and see that it was approved by the judge during the term, and filed with the clerk. This is statutory. See George v. State, 25 Texas Crim. App. 229; Exon v. State, 33 Texas Crim. Rep. 461.”

This rule is emphasized by its repeated application and enforcement. See Richardson v. State, 71 Tex. Cr. R. Ill, 158 S. W. 517; King v. State, 82 Tex. Cr. R. 145, 198 S. W. 782; Carpenter v. State, 83 Tex. Cr. R. 87, 201 S. W. 996; Stanford v. State, 42 Tex. Cr. R. 343, 60 S. W. 253; Pollard v. State, 45 Tex. Cr. R. 121, 73 S. W. 953; Sullivan v. State, 62 Tex. Cr. R. .410, 137 S. W. 700; and other examples might be cited.

The statement of counsel in his motion for rehearing that the accused is a youth whom the statement of facts shows to be innocent of the crime cannot fail to elicit sympathy. We have not read the statement of facts. If counsel’s interpretation be correct, he cannot fail to attract favorable attention of the branch of the government in whose hands is placed the beneficent power of clemency. For this court, upon such grounds, to arbitrarily annul the conviction, upon statement of facts which the law forbids it to consider, would amount to nothing less than a usurpation of authority. »

We are constrained to overrule the motion; and it is so ordered. 
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