OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

Xonornblo Ronw hrrl8oa, JT., Mrrotor 

Toxsr Kmpartmmt or Publio fhrel 

cap M8brY 

Aurtin, TOM, 

D8rr Sir8 

quot8 trcm your letter 

th0 00nriot a ourrant 0r 

alent intefl8ity to OaUI@ death, and the apptie8- 

tion 8od oontinueno. Of 8UOh Ourrent through tha 

body df ruoh OOnliOt Ufltll suoh OOnViOt i8 4.84.” 
Iionorablo ?lOMr 68rri8On, Jr., p8go 2 

m0 d8iOnd8nt NntiOCIOd by YOU Ua8 OOINiOtOd &IIIdo? 8 8t8tUtO whirh 

bo by hrn&#&, rod t E 

tOVid*d thrt mOd0 O? l XOOUth¶ 8hOuli 

0 8bOW Qubt8d 8rtiOl8 manly ohan~or 

th* Wo of l xooutiom ?ror hrn&ng to sloetrooutioa. 

m0 court Oi Cd&B81 h9pO818 O? hX88 itl m p8rtO 

Johnron, 258 5. 9. 473, 8r%dl 

'?h18 8ppliO8tiOil ?Or dl8Oh8rm by W8J Of 

writ o? k8bo88 oo?pur 18 upon the @muad that thr 

rrrdlot do818r.8 th8t hi8 de&b 8h811 be by h8-0 

in(l, While th8 808tOaOO dO818rO8 that it 8h811 

k by 8f8OtrOOUtiOa. At tho tin of hi8 t?i81, 

undo? tho 18~ o f th i8 l t8to. the mode of oxeautloa whore tha dorth prnrlty x18 ordord ma by 

. ban&&. By rot of tho Thlity-Eighth Leglrlaturo, 

.S000nd Called !k88lOn, the mod0 e? l Watloa ~88 

ohangad to that of l l8otrOoutlon. So* oh8ptor 

51, AOt8 38th &I., 2d C81106 b88. 

l mO 

on tho (ul ! 

~inO0 O? tb JhWY W88 t0 dOOld UP 

t o? tho 8p?lloant, dnd whothor ho lhould 

be puniehod rt do8th or by oonilruamt in tho panlt8ntirry. That p8rt ot the vrrdlrt u8ing tho 

Word8 ‘by h8n&l6 rtntil d.84’ 18 IOTp1U88130, 8nd 

in no 8oam riti8tod the rordiot. m8 moth& oi 

l X~OUtiO#l WI IlOt within th8 8OOp0 Of thr JUFf’8 

ruthority, but 8t tha tiaI0 the 1erdiOt W88 randorod U88 fix.& by 18w. ‘he obaP(to or the mode 

or l xaoutlen ?ror hanging to l lsetrooutlOn wa8 

within th8 8OOpO Of the 1ftgi818t$V8 POWOr, 8IM3 

did not orfoad 888lnst the oonrtltutlonal prowl8iOn PFOhibiting 8X pO8t ?aOtO lt@8i8tiOfL Suoh 

ir the view l x pro 88by o d the Supremo Court o? tho 

VIiitOd $ht*8 8nd tb6 OOUTt8 in 8WW81 Of th0 

8t8tO8. 

.fll &811Oy’8 CI80, 237 17. 9. 180, 35 %p. 

ct. 507, 59 L Ed. 905, the qUO8tiOn hiOr@ th8 

oourt ua8 whether Malloy, who had ooarltted tho 

o??rara of surdor iu 1910, at uhieh tlra the mob 

o f l xooutioa W88 by h8n((ily, Urd who W88 Oonrloted in 1912, uhan the soda of rxeoution Wa8 by 

oleotrooution, rhotid bo dirohrrpd. In tho oplnion rodorrd in 1915, th8 SuprOrtr Court o? tho 
Xonor8ble Honr mrrl8on, Jr., pago 3 

Unit.& mt.8, 8ftW ?8+iOdn( 801pa 9rWiOU8 8nwunoam8nt8 by thhrt l oU?t, ~8.6 thl8 layu8@0: 

w*kpro8804 with tho rrrloor ob~oation to 

l S88UtiO88 by hrB&#, 8nd hopoiul th8t 808n8 

8l&t k fowd ru kkly life *in I 10~8 batbarOUI YDIIU,~ 8lu Oovornor or Row fork brought the 

rub l .t $0 th0 8ttontia Of tho &~i8f@tUr8 in 

188 c . A l #i#8iOll th8?.8?t,r 8p Obtod t0 (IIOOrt811 tho mO8t humno 8nd prrot P 081 wthod Of 

lnrllotly d88ul rontoasr roportoil in ?8VOr O? 

l l8Ot~OUtlOE. thi8 W88 rdoptod by th0 8t8tUt8 

e? 1888, 8lld, dth thr 8p~iot81 of tho ooWt8, 

h88 bOOa in OOStlllUOUB WO 81lhOO th8t tim0. Ro 

x8rlu 1% 0. s. 436, 34 L. Rd. 519, 10 3up. 

Rep. 936 ll9 If. 1. 569 

ct. 

St. ltop.'859, 24 1. X. 1. 

7 L. R. A. 715, 16 Am; 

g~I~luonood by the rorulto la Ilow Tork, 

l lo Veother B 8t8t.r hto 8dOptOd th8 88# modo 

iOr ill?liOtta( do8th lib l 8plt81 088.81 8&d, 88 

i8 001potiy kItOn, th18 rO8rilt i8 th8 OOn8OqUOnt 

of 8 roll-goondod klio? that rl~otrooution 18 

120~ 

P 

8yUim8~d MI0 bun. th8B h8ll&6. 

178 Y8rr. 549, 553, 52 L. R. A. 

620, 60 Ii. X.'ilOr St8tO v. Torm881, 75 1. t. L. 

739, 747, 69 Ati. 21L 

='%.I. 8t8tUtO -do? OOll8ldOr8tiO& did BOt 

0h811g0 tho posalty--dorth--?or mUMOr, but only 

tho mode oi produola(l thlr, todathor with 

l Oti8i8 MnO88088i81 dot8118 in MS Oat Of IUT- 

?O-a-8. mo puBi.hrat UO8 BOt P BQro88Od, 8nd 

8omo a? tho OdiOU8 fO88UTO8 inaidont to tho old 

mothod wuo 8ktod.“’ 

ThO t%lprUIO COW8 Of LOUl818a8 in Stat0 t. Pi@Jr’rO, 

200 La. 808, 9 30. (2d) 42, rrldr 

Wo point mado by the dofond8nt th8t tho 

?8iilm Of tho LIgi818tUrO to ineludo in A08 lb 
Eonorablo Homo? 08rri8On, Jr., p8p 1, 

Oi 1940 8 88Vim l 18U8a mU8t ll@Oo888?11y fro0 th. 

808U8Od 18 wIthout BUit, bO88WO U. ham 81n8dy 

doBon8tr8tod th8t tho 8t8tUt8 do08 not 8??eOt my 

8Ub8t8nti81 ri#It oi the 8rOU8Od 8dtOI8Olf, th8t it 

18 pLU.1~ proooduml, 8?t@OtiB6 Otiy DOB81 8&hi8- 

trrtiw by ,ubrtitutin(l th0 vthod of iUfliOtin& 

dO8$h by 8i8OtFOOUtlOn h u8U O? th0 rod0 O? infllrO1~ death by k8Hgily in o8pital 08808 8adB thoroiCU0, 88 18 l 8 III OX 9088 f8080 1 8% m0 Otiy l ??Wt 

th8t 8 88tin6 ti8UDO would bBV0, I? 0110 hrd boon 

p18006 irr tho Aot, wuld br to prorono 8nd 88~0 the 

old pmoduro of OxOoutIoa by h8n&ry, whloh the dofOBd8Bt thOn OOtid h-0 in818tOd Upoll bdn( 08RiOd 

Out by TiMdiO Of tho tWB8 Of th8 8t8tUtO it8eif. 

w88hilyfOJ v. Dowlin&, 1926, 92 ?18. 601, 109 So. 

588, rad la Xx p8rto Br~wno, 1927, 93 Pl8. 332, 111 

So. 518. 

Strom what wo h8rr 8816 it 18 l har that the 

dofond8Bt o8nnot bo l xooutod by hnglag 88 the law 

whioh 8UthOrirtod tk8t uthod Of C48l'Tyi~ Out the 

dorth pW8lty h88 b00a rope8lOd by the fAgi8htUre 

without 8 88V1~kd 018u8O in thO 8tatUtO. HO 18 llOt 

l ntltlod to bo di8o h rr 

oonvIotO6 8nd % 

l d b0oru8r ho rt8ndr valldly 

ront8aro to daath l nd oannot legally 

OOa9181ll O? tho d88th ponrlty klag laillotod by 

moan8 or l lootrooutlon under a oon8tltutIonal 8tatut0 pmvlding for that method or ~04 0 or l x o o utio n. 

V8vlng ro8ohod tho l onalu8lon that Aot 14, O? 

1940 18 8ppfiO8bl. 8Zhd OOli8titUtiOM~ 8lid th8t it8 

pIWi8iOB8 do not dOpri+O th0 IOl8tOI Of 8nJr 8Ub8t8nti81 rl*t rnd that ho 8t8n68 oondomnod undu 8 

valid ooarlotlon 8nd nntoaoo Of d08#, thr puertlon 

8ri888 88 t0 tiethor OI aOt that 9rOT181On iZb the 

rantonoo prmldlng for the mad0 0r lnfllatlnC: the 

pea81ty by ban&d my bo trertrd 88 rurplura6e and, 

by OpOr8tIOu 0r 18~. the new method or oarrylng out 

the ponaltp by l l~otrooutlon may bo rubrtltutod In 

it8 pi800 Without th8 n80888ity Of thi8 dOU?t UWndlng tho 8ontoaor in thlt rorpoot or romrndlnd the 

0880 to the dirtriot oourt to have tho rontenor 

8MBdod 80 88 to oonfom with thr now law, Aot 14 

or 19w. 
Honor8 blo Honr Oarrl8on, Jr., DlrootOr,'p8ga 5 

‘In the 08108 a? Woo Dlk !?8U V. Sata 8~6 

i!O?llrBd88 V. Strto, 8upX’8, who?0 tho dofOndMt8 hrd 

kOn 8OBtOae8d to 408th by h8 lng UB~O? the 18W, 

but b.fOrO tho l XOOUtiOn8 8OU1 4 take 91800, 10618- 

i88iM ww p8888d WhiOh Oh8agOd BhO rod8 Of iatllotl~ tA8 dorth pomlty fro8 hwglng to oloatrOotit;on 8&d 1Oth81 e8, ro8~otiVo1y, tho Court 

rpwrOn$ly l Oa 8ido nth8t d by Yr. OpO?8tiO8 Of 18W 

tho a8w mthod o? l XOOUtiOn m# tho ~Og81 w8y t0 

oUry Out the poB8lty Without msoadln~ tho 8OBtOBOO8, 

bOOIU80, Ln th0 tOmOr aa8a 18 dlreatad l XOOUtlM 

Of th8 88lLtUbOO 9l-OBOUllO86 8nd in tho 18ttOr, On 

8p98@1, it 8tp1t 8ffltm8d tho dUdgl8at8. 

” 

. . . 

'I8 st8tO v. bOwn, 8Upr8, thr dofond8nt ~88 

oonrlotid of mu&u In the flrrt 4 8 

f 

l o rnd 8ontonood to 408th by h8a#ily, 88 pmr 

in *??06t It th8t tb0. 

do6 by the l8w 

8Ub8oqUontly, the k618- 

18tUrO D88aad 8 8t8tUtr, whioh r~p08104 Outri&t, 

wlthout a 88~1~16 018~88, th0 18~ protl6lng for tha 

In?lletlon of the do8th pea8lty by h8n(In& Thr 

now 8Ot 8ubrtitut.d th8 rothod of the l xooutlon by 

th0 8dItdni8tr8tiOn Of lOth8i 688. The Attorney0OnOr81 iii06 8 mtiOn to h8te the Oofhno. am.&@- 

l d to OOnform with th8 BOW 18W. The oourt rollowod 

tho ralo Of tho M811Oy 0880 and other 8UthOritie8 

thrroln elted 8nd ooaoluded th8t 88 the dafond8at 

W88 not 8ffMitOd ia 8lly Of hi8 8Ub8t8nti81 OOnltitUtioM1 or 8t8tUtOry r-t8 and aI the ohawe we8 

pU?Oly pI'OOOdCW81, nl8tiu 80101y 80 PM1 8diiIb 

i8tr8tiOns thOr0 V88 BO ?888On Why thh, B@W hW : 

rbould not l 

P 

ply to 08808 pondlh( 88 UIO tlm8 t&o 

Oh8ngo not at0 8ffOOt. The Court thon oomlduod 

the quartion of crhO#Or or not it 8hould tmpa~o the 

rontrnoe in 8aoordanoo rdth th0 a8w law or rebpad 

tha oa8o to the 618trlot oowt for that purpom and 

oonoladod by 8rfitrily the oonriotlaa of the 8ppO1- 

lant or aurdu in tho rlrrt a0gr00 8nd tho lnillotion ot oapitrl puni8hmnt 8Bd 8Ot 88ide the 8ontmnom to 8UffOr drrtll by h8n&n& md rrmndod WI0 

0880 to the trial ooutt to h8TO tho IaBtOBOO Imgod la l ooordanoo with tho prorbloa8 of th8 new 

. 

I . . . 
Honor8Uo Hour Ourl8on, Jr., 04. 4 

VI tbo ln8t8nt MM thr aoourod ~88 8omtenoed 

to death and tha mod. of htllrtl~ thr penalty 

WI by h8wa(l, in rOOO?d8MO With th8 18W 88 it 

8Xi8t8d l t tb 8t tb I0. ml10 th0 8880 WI8 pOadin@, 

th0 8t8tO 8t8tUte Oh~IQh~ tho -thOd Of l X8OUti~ 

to l ~OOtl'OOUtiOIl boo-8 l fiOOtlVO. A8 thi8 II8U l8W 

h8d rOtrO8~OtitO OttOOt 

8t8t86 in tho 8OlltOn8. d i 

8XOOUtiO~ by h8w 88 

d no t l OllfO?m t0 th0 R8W 

m8thOd Of 1ntllOtla~ th8 do&h pomlty. %?I. V8rdiOt 

O? tho #lry tlndlrU tho d8t8lId8at 6IJilty 88 Oh8r68d, 

l a uapuallfled rerdlet, 88 roll 88 the rentmoe lmpO81ll 

thi8 8 

the d88th POMlty, UO?O hold t0 b8 +811d by 

Ourt, 8Bd th. %Qwom Wut Ot tho United 

Strter refured to rotlor tho 0880. Rooutln( the 

prerent trlid doeth 8entonoo by bragI tho dotendant 18 not in oonformltr with the new law rogulrlnu the infl~ot~oa of the dorsh poarlty by oleotrooutlon. A8 th8 n8nnor of ue8utlng the death 

penalty by l leotrooutlon 18 more hurrae mad doe8 

UOt 8ffeOt 8ay rubrt8ntirr or 8Ub8teatl81 ri&ht Or 

tho dorend8nt. ho OfsMOt OMDtin or the rentenoe 

being 8mended-80 I8 t0 OOniOb 81th th8 prOvi8bdI8 

of Aot y of 1940." 

The Supreme Oourt o? Louidrnr In Henry v. Reid, 

201 La. 858, Mldl 

"The 818111 Oarplmlmt OS the rel8trlI 18 that 

for uny yo8r8 under the prerlou8 18~ Of thlr 

State, it h88 been ourtmery to prowldo in tho 

Judpeot or rentonoo of 608th thr unnor or mod8 of 

l ooutlOm Of tho prl8OnU (1. 0. death by h8muln(o, 

and th8t th18 U88 8 88fe 8ad deiht0 VI8 

1116 out the law and 8bOUid hare boon to1 3: 

Oi 08r’ryolod. 

%ven li it be oonoeded th8t rtfpulrting In 

the Judgment of aentonoe the manner end mode ot the 

exeoutlon of the death rrntenoe war the bett8r 

pr8otioe, it 18 obrerred thrt the relatrix ha8 not 

polntrd to 8my 18W th8t 8hOW8, under tie f8Ot8 8nd 

oirouutsmoer of thi8 088e, rhe 18 beiq~ deprived 

02 any legal right, or 18 about to be l xeouted in 

I mnner 8nd by I mean8 oontrrry to the 1~ a8 it 

Wi8t8 tOd8y. Her 8ttorney8 cnre mare o? the iaot 

thrt the Judgment 0r rentenoo w88 to be omrlod out 

l ooordin6 t0 hw, 8t the time her 8ppe81 ~a8 fb811y 

pa88ed upon by thl8 Court rnd did not then r8iro thi8 

i88Ue. Stete 'I. Henry', 200 La. 875, 9 So. 2d 215. 
I!onor8blo Hmier Curlron, Jr., 98&e 7 

*Rarlne failed to ahou that 8ha W(I8 in ray 

dtprlved of any 

_ _ 

my prejudload or w118 m8wruiiy 

right, thr trlrl Judge properly rerwea to gent 

8 prolinln8~y lnjunotlon to rertrdn thr rherlrf 

and hi8 drputlor r-m thr porforarinoe of their 

dutler in oatryl~ out the rmtenoo 0s the oourt 

and the death rnrrrnt of the Oovemor. 

Vlth roteronoo to th8 oontentlon that Aot 

x0. 14 Of i!&o 18 UnOOn8titUtiW8i bO8U80 it 18 

80 l x pO8t raoto bar, it 18 8UffiOi8nt to My that 

thl8 Court 9888*4 upon thir ldentloal quertlon 

ln the 0880 OS Sate 1. “larra, 200 La. 606, 9 30. 

:;,gi and held that the Aob ~88 not unoon8tltuThOre8fter, the rooured rpplled to the 

Suprem; Court 0r ths United St8ter for I nit 0s 

oertlomrl, nhloh ~88 denied on Ootobor 12, 19I.2. 

3~. State of Loulrlrru l x rel. Huxh Pl8rre t. 

I?On&ablr SUB Uou8ton JOne8, tiloriior Of i6ulilan8, 

63 5. Ct. 64, 67 L. 36." 

In view 0s the foregoing tuthorltlo8 lt 18 the 

opinion or thl8 department that when the defendant 18 rpprehended and returmd to Taxm8, he may br l lrotrooutad. 

VUY trUlY JrOlW8 

ATTORNXY bKNXRAL OY TEXAS 

BY .cm, . 

91 

. C. D8vi8, Jr. 

A88iBtant