1 ... S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH
NO . 2- 07- 242- CR
ALM OOR E AP P E L L ANT V . TH E STA TE O F TEXA S STA TE

----- ----- -- FR O M CRI M I NA LDI STRI CT CO URT NO . 3 OF TARRA NT CO UN TY

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- I n t w o poi nt s, A ppel l antA l M oor e c h a ll enges t he l egal and f act ual
s u f f i c i e n c yo f th e e v i d e n c e to s u p p o rt h i s c o n v i c ti o n fo r s e x u a l a s s a u l t. W e a f f i r m. Back gr ound The c om pl ai nan ti n t hi s ca sei s M ary Tay l or ( a p se udony m ) . M aiW i l so n, a fri e n d o f M a ry ’s , te s ti fi e d th a t s h e w a s a t a p a rtyw i th h e r b ro th e r w h e n M a ry2

and ot her s, i ncl udi ng A ppe l l ant and A bbi e Tayl or , ar r i ved . M ail eftw i t h M ary, A ppel l ant , and t he ot her s t o go t o a part y att he hom e ofA ppel l ant ’ s uncl e, Pr i nceM oor e. M ait es t i f i ed t hat sh e di d nots eeM ary dr i nk anyal coh ol att he fi rs t p a rtyo r i n th e c a r o n th e w a yto P ri n c e ’sh o u s e . W he n th e y ar r i ved atPr i nce’ s house, t her e w as no part y, and a m an na me d Qu i l l e n s S t e v e n s t o o kt h e i rc a rk e y s . Ma i a r g u e d l o u d l yo u t s i d e t he ho u s e w i t h St eve nsab outt he ke ys , an d a ne i ghborca l l ed t he pol i ce . The p o l i cet ol d St eve nst o r et ur n t he ke ys , an d St eve nss ai d hew oul d do so , but
w hen t he pol i ce le ft , he agai n r ef used t o r et ur n t he keys. M ai t est i f i ed t hat
a fter t h e p o l i c e l e ft, sh e sa w M a ry d r in k in g so m e th i n g . M a ry th e n w e n t i n to th e h o u s e to u s e th e b a th ro o m . M ai sa i d t hat w hen sh e att em pt ed t o ent ert he hous e t o c hec k o n M ary, S tev e n s w o u l d n o t l e t h e r i n . M a i sa i d tha t w h e n sh e fi n a l l yg a i n e d en tryi n to t he hou se, she f oun d M ar y l yi ng un consci ous i n a b at hr oom cl osetw i t h her dr ess pul l ed up, her panti es pul l ed t o t he si de, her sexual or gan part i al l y vi si bl e, and se m en on he r . M ait es t i f i ed t hatA ppe l l antw asi n t he bat hr oom , butt oni ng up hi s p a n ts, an d St eve nsw ass t and i ng ov erM ary w i t h hi s pan t s hal fdow n a n d h i s h a n d so n h e r b re a s ts . M a i b e g a n to y e l l , a n d S te v e n s e v e n tu a l l yre tu rn e d th e c a r k e y s . M a ry cou l d notw al k b y he r se l fan d a ppe ar ed t o beunde rt he i nf l uen ce ofs om et hi ng.3

M ai , M ar y, A ppel l ant , A bbi e, and ot her s l ef t i n t he car . The other s dr opp ed M ai
o ff a t h e r h o u s e . M aica l l ed M ary’ s aun t , Jua ni t a M oor e, and t ol d he rw hatha d ha ppe ned . Juani t a pi cked up M ai , and t hey dr ove t ogeth e r t o A ppel l ant ’ s house. M ai t est i f i ed t hatA bbi e w oul d not l etheri nt o A pp e ll ant ’ s hom e, butshe di d l et Juani t a i n. Juani t a cal l ed t he pol i ce and br oug htM ar y out of t he hou se. M ai sai d t hatM ar y w as no t w ear i ng herow n cl ot hes and appeared t o have been b a th e d b e c a u s e h e r h a i r w a s w e t. J u a n i ta t es t i f i ed t hatw hen s he f ound M ary i n Appel l ant ’ s hous e, M a ry
w a s u n c o n s c i o u s . J u a n i ta s a i d th a t A b b i e to l d h e r th e yh a d b a th e d M a ry “because t hey di dn’ tw antt o f i nd evi dence. ” M a ryte s ti fi e d th a t o n th e d a yi n q u e s ti o n , sh e a t t e n d e d a w e d d i n g , a gr adu at i on part y, and t he part y i n Dal l asw her e s he m etM ai . She sa i d t hats he h a d n o t h in g t o d r in k a t t h e w e d d in g a n d t h a t s h e d r a n k o n e w in e c o o le rw h ile
r i di ng i n t he ca rt o t he part y w her e s he m et M a i . M a ry sa i d t hataft ert he
a rg u m e n t o v e r c a r k e y s a t P ri n c e ’sh o u s e , sh e w a s th i rs tya n d a s k e d fo r a d ri n k . A p p e l l a n t’s b ro th e r, C h ri s to p h e r, b ro u g h t h e r a re d -c o l o re d d ri n k . M a ry t est i f i ed t hat t he dr i nk di d not sm el l l i ke al coho l and t hatshe dr ank i tal l . A f t er f in is h in g t h e d r in k , s h e s a t d o w n o n a b e n c h o u t s id e P r in c e ’s h o u s e . S h e s a id t hatshe di d not r em em beranyt hi ng af t erconsum i ng t he dr i nk unti l she w oke4

up i n a hos pi t al t he nex t day . She t es t i f i ed t hats he di d notco ns entt o ha vi ng sexual i nt er cour se w i t h A ppella n t, Stevens, orC hr i st oph er . O n cr ossexa m i nat i on, t he f ol l ow i ng c ol l oquyoc cur r ed: Q . Y o u g a v e n o o n e co n se n t t h a t yo u rem e m b e r; i s th a t co rr e c t? A . I know I di dn’ tgi ve nob ody p er m i ssi on t o do any t hi ng t o m e. Q . Y ou do n’ tr em em beranyt hi ng af t ery o u s a t d o w n on t hat b e n c h , c o rr e c t? A . I d o n ’t re m e m b e r. Q . Ok a y . S o y o u d o n ’ t k n o w i f y o u d i d n ’ t g i v e s om eon e p e rm i ss i o n o r no t? A . Ev en i fI di dn’ tr em em berorw hat eve r , I w oul dn’ tgi ve nobod y per m i ssi on t o do anyw r ong t hi ngs t o m e. I fI w ant ed t o have had so m et hi ng t o do w i t h Al - -I ’ ve kno w n hi m al l m y l i f e - -i t ’ s not goi ng t o be t hat part i cul ar ni ght bec aus e w e h ad so m et hi ng do i ng, y o u k n o w. Q . S o i t i s i m p o ss i b l e for y o u to h a v e g i v e n an y b o d yco n se n t? A . N o , a i n ’t n o th i n g i m p o s s i b l e . D urin g cr oss- exam i nat i on, A ppel l ant ’ s counsel al so exposed i ncon si st enci es bet w een M ar y’ s t est i m ony an d a pr i orsw or n st at em entshe m a d e t o pol i ce, i ncl udi ng he rs t at em entt o pol i cet hatt he r ed l i qui d w as a w i ne coo l eran d t he
om i ss i on f r om he rpol i ces t at em entt hats he r em em ber ed si t t i ng do w n on a b e n c h a fte r d ri n k i n g th e l i q u i d .5

A b b i e tes ti fi e d th a t sh e h a d o b se rve d M a ry d ri n k i n g alco h o l at th e p a rt y i n D a l l a s e a rl i e r in t h e d a y . S h e sa i d tha t on the ri d e fr o m P ri n c e ’s h o u se to A p p e l l a n t’ s h o u se , M a ry h a d v o m i ted o n h e rse l f, so A b b i e too kM a ry’s d res s o ff and pu tsom e ofA bbi e’ s ow n cl o th e s on her . She tes t i f i ed t hatshe pour ed
w at eron M ar y’ s head i n an ef f ortt o r ouse her . A bbi e t est i f i ed t hatshe had obs erved M ary and A ppe l l ant f l i rt i ng ea r l i er on t he dayi n que st i on a nd t hats he t o ld p o li c e t hatshe w oul d not be sur pr i sed i fA ppel l antand M ar y had sex b e c a u s e M a ryto l d A b b i e th a t A p p e l l a n t w a s c u te . P r in c e M o o r e t e s t if ie d t h a tM a i s u m m o n e d h im t o t h e b a t h r o o m c lo s e tin hi s hous e, w her e h e s aw M ary l yi ng on t he f l oor , ap par ent l y i nt oxi ca t ed, an d S teve ns “j us t l i ke st and i ng up. ” Pr i nce cou l d not r em em ber w het her M a ry ’s dr ess w as pul l ed up, and he den i ed havi ng t ol d t he pol i ce t hathe had seen her dr ess pul l ed up, herpant i es pul l ed t o t he si de, and sem en al l overhergeni t al s. H e s ai d t hatA ppe l l antl at ert ol d hi m t hathe di d not hav e se x w i t h M ary i n t he b a th ro o m c l o s e t. E rn e s ti n e M o o re , P ri n c e ’sw i fe , te s ti fi e d th a t s h e a w o k e w h e n s h e h e a rd y e l l i n g a n d s c re a m i n g i n th e h o u s e o n th e e v e n i n g i n q u e s ti o n . S h e s a w o th e rs as s i s t i n g M a r y o u t o f t h e h o u s e . S h e s a i d M a r y wa s y e l l i n g , “ Un c l e Pr i nce, don ’ tcal l t he pol i ce. ”6

D onn a D ecl ow , a sexual assaul t nur se exam i ner , t est i f i ed t hatM ar y w as i nt oxi ca t ed w i t h a l coh ol w hen s he w asad m i t t ed t o t he hos pi t al a n d w a s not
so beren o u g h t o b e i n t e r v i e we d u n t i l s e v e r a l h o u r s l a t e r . T h e S t a t e an d A ppe l l a n t s t i pul at ed t hata t es tofM ary’ s ur i ne sa m pl e “ r eve al ed an al coh ol l eve l of0. 29 G M per ce ntan d w asne gat i ve f ort he pr es enc e o fG H B and am i nof l uni t r azepam , al so know n as Roh ypno l . ” W hen D eclo w c o n d uct ed a sexual assaul texam , she f oun d no i nj ur y or t r aum a t o M ar y’ s bod y. D ecl ow t est i f i ed th a t it i s notunusual f ora sexual assaul tvi ct i m t o exhi bi tno i nj ur y and t hat M ary’ s l eve l ofi nt oxi ca t i on “ abs ol u te l y”m ay hav e c ont r i but ed t o he rl ac k o f i n j u ry . A r l i ngton pol i ce ser geant C hr i st oph erM oor e t est i f i ed t hat he i nt er vi ew ed A ppel l anti n conn ect i on w i t h t he al l eged assaul t . Ser geant M oor e t est i f i ed t hat A ppe l l ants ai d he had se x w i t h M ary i n a cl os etathi s unc l e’ s hous e. Appel l ant t ol d Ser gea ntM oor e t hataft erheha d s ex w i th M a ry , hel efthe ri n t he bat hr oom cl os etw i t h St eve ns . C ar ol yn V an W i nkl e, a DN A s pec i al i stw i t h t he Tarr antC oun t y M edi cal Exam i ner ’ s O f f i ce, t est i f i ed t hata D N A t eston sam pl es f r om M ary’ s vag i na exc l ude d 99. 99 per ce ntof u n rel at ed i ndi vi dua l s butnot A p p e l l a n t. T h e j u ryc o n v i c te d A p p e l l a n t o f s e x u a l a s s a u l t, a n d th e tri a l c o u rt
as se ss ed puni sh m entatt w o ye ar s’ co nf i nem ent . Thi s app ea l f ol l ow ed.7 S t andar ds ofRev i ew W h e n rev i e w i n g t h e l e g a l su ffi c i e n c yo f t h e ev i d e n c e to s u p p o rta con vi ct i o n , w e v i ew al l t he evi den cei n t he l i ghtm os tf avo r abl e t o t he pr os ec ut i on i n or dert o de t er m i ne w het heran y r at i ona l t r i er of f ac tco ul d ha ve fo u n d th e e s s e n ti a l e l e m e n ts o f th e c ri m e b e y o n d a re a s o n a b l e d o u b t. Jacks on
v. V ir gin ia , 4 4 3 U .S . 3 0 7 , 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . C t. 2 7 8 1 , 2 7 8 9 (1 9 7 9 ); Cl a y to nv. S tate , 2 3 5 S .W .3 d 7 7 2 , 7 7 8 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 7 ). W h e n rev i e w i n g the fac tu a l su ffi c i e n c yo f t h e e v id e n c e to s u p p o rta con vi ct i on, w e v i ew al l t he evi den cei n a ne ut r al l i g ht , f avo r i ng ne i t herpa rt y. W a tso n v. S tate , 2 0 4S .W .3 d 4 0 4 , 4 1 4(T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 6 ); D r i cha s v. S tate , 17 5 S . W . 3d 79 5, 79 9 ( Tex . C r i m . A pp. 20 05 ) . W e t hen ask w het her t h e e v id e n c e s u p p o rt in g t h e c o n v ic t io n , a lt h o u g h le g a llys u f f i c ie n t , is
nev ert hel es s so w ea k t hat t he f ac t - f i nde r ’ s det er m i nat i on i s cl ea r l y w r ong a nd
m ani f es t l y un j us to r w h e t herco nf l i ct i ng e vi den ces o gr ea t l y ou t w ei ghst he
e v i d e n c e s u p p o rt in g t h e c o n v ic t io n t h a tt h e f a c t -f in d e r ’s d e t e r m in a t io n is
m a n i fe s tl yu n j u s t. W atso n , 2 0 4S .W .3 d a t 4 1 4

– 1 5 , 4 1 7 ; Jo hn so nv. S tate , 23 S. W . 3d 1, 11 ( Tex. C r i m . A pp. 2000 ) . To r eve r seunde rt he se con d gr ound,
w e m ustdet er m i ne, w i t h som e o bj ect i ve basi s i n t he r ecor d, t hatt he gr eat
w e i g h t an d p rep o n d e ra n c e o f al l the ev i d e n c e , th o u g h l e g a l l ysu ffi c i e n t,
c o n tra d i c ts th e v e rd i c t. W atso n , 204 S. W . 3d a t417.8 D i sc us si on A p e r s o n c o m m it s t h e o f f e n s e o fs e x u a l a s s a u lt if t h e p e r s o n in t e n t io n a lly
orkn ow i ngl y c aus es t he pen et r at i on of t he se xua l or gan of ano t herpe r so n by
a n ym e a n s w i th o u t th a t p e rs o n ’sc o n s e n t. T EX . P EN AL C ODE A NN . § 22. 011 ( a) ( 1) ( A ) ( V er non Supp . 2008 ) . A se xua l as sa ul t i s w i t houtco ns ent if t h e o t h e r p e r s o n h a s n o t c o n s e n t e d a n d t h e a c t o rk n o w s t h e o t h e rp e r s o n is
u n c o n s c i o u s o rp h y s ic a llyu n a b le t o re s is to rk n o w s t h a tt h e o t h e rp e r s o n is
u n a w a re th a t th e s e x u a l a s s a u l t i s o c c u rri n g . Id. § 2 2 .0 1 1 (b )(3 ), (5 ). A ppel l antconcedes t hatt he r ecor d show s t hathe had sexual i nt er cour se
w i t h Ma r ys o me t i me o n t h e d a yo ft h e a l l e g e d s e x u a l a s s a u l t . B u the
c h a l l e n g e s th e l e g a l a n d fa c tu a l s u fficie n c yo f th e e v i d e n c e to s h o w th a t M a ry di d notco ns entt o t he se xua l co nt ac t . Appel l antco nt end s th a t w h i l e t he
s t ip u la t e d e v id e n c e s h o w s t h a tM a r yw a s in t o x ic a t e d , t h e e v i d e n c e is i nsuf f i ci entt o show t hatshe w as unconsci ous w hen A ppel l anthad sex w i t h her and t hatM ar y coul d not r em em berw het hershe ha d consented t o have sex
w i th h i m . M ar y t est i f i ed t hatshe di d not consent t o havi ng sex w i t h A ppel l ant . H er st at em enton c r os s- exa m i nat i on t hat“ ai n’ tnot hi ng i m pos si bl e”an d t he
e v i de nc e of he r a l c oh ol i nt ox i c a t i on c r e a t e d a f a c t qu e s t i on f or t h e j u ry to
re s o l v e . S ee L o sa dav. S tate , 721 S. W . 2d 305, 309 ( Te x. Cr i m . App . 1986 ) ( noti ng t hat t h e r e c o n c ilia t io n o f c o n f lic t s a n d c o n t r a d ic t io n s in t h e e v id e n c e is9

w i t hi n t he pr ovi nce oft he j ur y; t he j ur y m ay bel i eve som e w i t nesses and r ef use t o bel i eve ot her s, and i t m ay ac ce pt port i ons of t he t es t i m ony ofa w i t nes s and
r ej ec tot herport i ons ) . M ai t es t i f i ed t hats he f ound M ary l yi ng un con sc i ouson t h e c l o s e tf l o o ra n d Ap p e l l a n ts t a n d i n g near b y , b u t t o n i n g h i s p a n t s . As A ppe l l antco nce des , t he evi den ces how s t hatheha d s ex w i t h M ary. C ons i der i ng t he evi den ce i n t he l i ght m os t f avo r abl e t o t he pr os ec ut i on,
w e hol d t hata r at i on a l ju r y coul d have f oun d al l oft he el em ent s ofsexual
a ss a u l t— i n c l u d i n g M a ry’s l a c ko f co n se n t an d h e r u n c o n sc i o u sn e ss , i n a b i l i ty to
r e s is t , o ru n a w a r e n e s s t h a tt h e a s s a u ltw a s o c c u r r in g — b e y o n d a re a s o n a b le d o u b t; th u s , th e e v i d e n c e i s l e g a l l y s u fficie n t. S ee Jacks on, 443 U. S. a t319, 9 9 S . C t. a t 2 7 8 9 ; Cl ayton , 235 S . W . 3d at778. Consi der i ng a l l oft he
e v i d e n c e i n a n e u tr a l l i g h t, w e h o ld t h a t ev i d e n c e i s a l so fac tu a l l ysu ffi c i e n t. See W atso n , 2 0 4 S .W .3 d a t 4 1 4

– 1 5 , 4 1 7 . W e th e re fo re o v e rru l e A p p e l l a n t’s t w o poi nt s. C onc l us i on H a v i n g o v e rru l e d b o th o f A p p e l l a n t’s p o i n t s , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s j u d g m e n t. P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: GA RD N ER, D A U PH I N O T, an d HO LM A N , JJ. DO NO T P UBLI SH T EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 2( b)10

DEL I VERE D: Aug us t26, 2008