Case ID: tex-crim_168/html/0455-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "WOODLEY, Judge.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Ramon Alvarado Nunez v. State.
    No. 31,054.
    November 18, 1959.
    
      George T. Thomas, and Wayne Basden, Big Spring, for appellant.
    
      Leon Douglas, State’s Attorney, Austin, for the- state.
   WOODLEY, Judge.

The appeal is from a conviction for carrying a switchblade knife; the punishment, 60 days in jail.

Appellant was observed by an officer in a beer joint owned by appellant’s sister. Appellant put his hand in his pants pocket and then into a coat pocket, and the officer observing this saw that he had something in his hand which appeared to be a knife. He could not tell what kind of a knife it was.

Over the proper objection, the officer was permitted to testify that thereupon he took a switchblade knife from appellant’s pocket, and the knife was admitted in evidence.

In the absence of evidence showing a lawful arrest or that the search of appellant’s person was authorized, the trial court erred in admitting the evidence obtained as a result of such search. Art. 727a V.A.C.C.P.

The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.