Case ID: sw_281/html/1067-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "BERRY, J. PER CURIAM. LATTIMORE, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

STRICKLIN v. STATE.
    (No. 9981.)
    (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
    March 10, 1926.
    Rehearing Denied April 14, 1926.)
    1. Criminal law <3=>939(l) — Evidence disclosed by inspection of premises, made two months after burglary and one day after trial, held not to warrant new trial for newly discovered evidence.
    Evidence disclosed by inspection of premises, made two months after alleged burglary and one day after trial and conviction of defendant for burglary, held not such newly discovered evidence as warrants new trial.
    On Motion for Rehearing.
    2. Criminal law <®=»I086(I4).
    Refusal to permit certain argument before jury, not excepted to or brought up on appeal by any sort of complaint in record, presents no error.
    Commissioners’ Decision.
    Appeal from Criminal District Court, Harris County; C. W. Robinson, Judge.
    E. W. Stricklin was convicted of burglary, and he appeals.
    Affirmed.
    F. O. Fuller, of Houston, for appellant.
    Horace Soule, Or. Dist. Atty., and J. L. Du Mars, Jr., Asst. Dist. Atty., both of Houston, Sam D. Stinson, State’s Atty., of Austin, Nat Gentry, Jr., Asst. State’s Atty., of Tyler, for the State.
   BERRY, J.

The offense is burglary, and the punishment is 2 years in the penitentiary.

The only complaint contained in this record is that urged at the action of the court in refusing a new trial because of newly discovered evidence. The alleged newly discovered evidence consists of testimony of an inspection by three witnesses of the window by which it is claimed appellant was seeking to enter the premises; this inspection being made on September 22, 1925, one day after the trial of this case, and is claimed by appellant to be such as should entitle him to a new trial. Appellant attaches to his motion the affidavits of Mrs. Allen, of Mrs. Josey, and J. G. Dyess. The first affidavit pertains to the condition of the putty on the window, and shows that it is old and had been removed in only a few places, and that the alarm attached to the window would not function until the window was removed. The second affidavit shows that the window was nailed down and bore no evidence o-f having been opened for months. The third affidavit shows that the affiant assisted the owner of the premises in an experiment to see whether, the burglar alarm would function, and that such alarm would not function until the window was raised. It will be noted that these experiments and observations were all made on the 22d day of September, while the case was tried on the 21st or one day before. We think that under no decision of this court would this testimony be sufficient to,authorize the granting of a new trial. It cannot be seriously contended that the appellant and his counsel could not have made these observations and experiments before the trial instead of after, and neither can it be contended that the witnesses whose affidavits are attached to the motion are the only parties that could have made these observations and experiments. We think it clear, in view of the fact that two months had elapsed between the date of the offense and the date of the inspection, and that the inspection was not made until after the trial, that the court correctly overruled appellant’s motion for a new trial. Page 70, Branch’s Ann. P. C.; Id., p. 127.

Finding no error in the record, the judgment is in all things affirmed.

PER CURIAM.

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. ’ .

On Motion for Rehearing.

LATTIMORE, J.

Appellant now makes the contention that the court erred in refusing to allow him to argue before the jury that he was intoxicated at the time of the alleged burglary. If there was such refusal on the part of the trial judge, it was not excepted to, nor is it brought before us by any sort of complaint in the record.

The result of an experiment made at the premises, or of an examination of the burglarized house, would seem to be as available-at one time as another, and we perceive no reason for holding the examinations made or the experiments -at the building after conviction, newly discovered evidence. These are the only matters raised in the motion, and, believing them to be without merit, said motion will be overruled. 
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