Case ID: sw_140/html/0099-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "PRENDERGAST, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

SPRINGER v. STATE.
    (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
    Oct. 11, 1911.)
    1.Criminal Law (§ 1115) — Appeal—Insufficient Recoed.
    Objection that a juror was insane cannot be considered when not presented by bill of exceptions and when the record does not show the facts in relation thereto.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Dec. Dig. § 1115.]
    2. Criminal Law (§ 1129) — Assignments oe Error — Sueetciency.
    Assignments of error, on a criminal appeal, that the verdict is against the law and the evidence, and that the instructions were contrary to the law and evidence and misleading, are too general to be reviewed.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 2954-2964; Dec. Dig. § 1129.]
    3. Criminal Law (§ 981) — Accused’s Sanity — Inquiry.
    Under Code Cr. Proc. 1895, arts. 982, 983, authorizing inquiry as to one’s sanity after conviction on affidavit that there is good reason to believe that accused “has become” insane, it was not reversible error to refuse an inquiry on affidavit made one month after the trial stating that accused “is” insane, where an issue as to his sanity was tried in the main case.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Law, Dee. Dig. § 981.]
    Appeal from District Court, El Paso County; James R. Harper, Judge.
    Herman Springer was convicted of forgery, and he appeals.
    Affirmed.
    C. E. Lane, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
    
      
      For other cases see same topic and section NUMBER in Dec. Dig. & Am. Dig. Key No. Series & Rep’r Indexes
    
   PRENDERGAST, J.

The appellant was indicted and convicted of forgery and his penalty fixed at two years in the penitentiary.

It seems his defense, or at least chief defense, was insanity. The court' and jury heard all the testimony on that point as well as the whole case. The court, in .appropriate charges which are not complained of, submitted that issue to the jury, and the jury found against the appellant.

There are no bills of exception or other complaints of the action of the lower court by motion for new trial, except: First, the verdict of the jury is contrary to the law and evidence; second, the charge of the court was contrary to the law and the evidence in that same did not cover the law of the case and was misleading to the jury; and, third, that one of the jurors (naming him) was, at the time of being sw.orn, impaneled, and charged, insane and of unsound mind, and as a consequence the appellant was denied his constitutional right of a trial by twelve men.

The third ground is not presented by bill of exception and cannot be considered, because the record does not show what the facts are with regard thereto.

The other two grounds are too general and present no error.

We have carefully considered the evidence —the whole of it — and it clearly justified the conviction.

The indictment was returned and filed September 13,1910, charging the forgery to have been committed on August 17, 1910. The trial was had September 30, 1910. Said motion for new trial was acted on and overruled November 1, 1910, and the appellant was sentenced the same day.

However, on October 31, 1910 — we find in the record — Dan M. Jackson, one of appellant’s attorneys who represented appéllant on the trial of the case, filed an affidavit wherein he says: “That he has good reason to believe, and does believe, and here alleges the fact to be, that Herman Springer, the defendant, in the above styled and numbered cause, is of unsound mind and insane and respectfully moves the court to have the said defendant tried on the question of insanity as provided for in article 982, Code of Criminal Procedure.” The state, by its district attorney, filed an opposition to this affidavit, claiming that “it was insufficient, under articles 982 and 983 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for the reasons that the affidavit is on information and belief and does not make known to the court that defendant is insane; that the affidavit is by one of the attorneys of record of the defendant and sets out no good reason to believe that defendant has become insane and is evidently based on the same facts as were known to the defendant and his said attorney at tlie time of the trial of said cause; that the cause was tried September 30, 1910, and on the trial the evidence of defendant’s insanity was introduced, pleaded before, and passed upon by the Jury, and the matter of the'sanity or insanity of the defendant was duly and properly passed on by the jury and properly adjudicated by the jury.”

The record does not show what action, if any, the court took upon this affidavit. The action or failure to act thereon is' in no way presented by the appellant to this court other than what we find in the record as above stated. Evidently this affidavit of insanity by appellant’s attorney was made under title 12, c. 1, art. 9S2 et seq., 'of the Code of Criminal Procedure; Article 982 provides: “If it be made known to the court at any time after conviction, or if the court has good reason to believe that a defendant is insane, a jury shall be impaneled to try the issue.” The next article (983) provides: “Information to the court as to the insanity of a defendant may be given by the written affidavit of any respectable person, setting forth that there is good reason to believe that the defendant has become insane.”

We think the proper construction of these two articles clearly is that the affidavit, and especially when that issue was tried on the trial of the main case, should set forth that the defendant has become insane since the trial. This affidavit does not do this The, point was clearly raised by the state’s objection thereto at the time, and, we take it, that the lower court so held, or, if it did not directly do so, indirectly did so and necessarily must have done so. Otherwise no sentence would have been pronounced against the appellant the next day and the issue would have been submitted to another jury. At any rate, we think as the proceeding is presented to us it does not show reversible error of the lower court.

If as a matter of fact the appellant has become insane since the trial of his case, it can yet be properly presented to the lower court, and that question can be tried. Certainly the law does not contemplate that, after a defendant has been tried and has pleaded insanity and the court and jury on the main trial have heard and decided that issue against him, he can again and again prevent the execution of that judgment by some one filing an affidavit or information and belief that the defendant is insane, without stating that he has become insane since the trial.

There being no reversible error, the judgment is in all things affirmed.

DAVIDSON, P. J„ absent.