CASE NO. 01-14-00174-CR

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE

FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS

************************* STEPHEN CLARK WEBB,

Appellant

vs. THE STATE OF TEXAS,

Appellee

*********************** Appeal from the 337 TH Judicial District Court

of Harris County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. 1389676

**************************

APPELLANT’S MOTION FOR REHEARING OF THE COURT’S APRIL 2, 2015 JUDGMENT

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ORAL ARGUMENT JOHN S. COSSUM REQUESTED TSB# 04854500 440 Louisiana, Suite 900 Houston, Texas 77002 Telephone: (713) 222-6134 Facsimile: (713) 222-6144 jcossum@cossumlaw.com
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT, STEPHEN CLARK WEBB ACCEPTED 01-14-00174-cr FIRST COURT OF APPEALS

HOUSTON, TEXAS 5/1/2015 11:58:57 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE

CLERKTABLE OF CONTENTS

Tab le o f Co n t en t s

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i In d ex o f Au t h ori ti es

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i i I. INTRODUCTION.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II. SUM M A RY OF ARGUM ENT.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
I I I ARGUM E NT AND AUTHORITY.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 IV PRAYER FOR RELIEF.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Cert i fi cat e o f Serv i ce an d Co m p l i an ce.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

i

.INDEX OF AUTHORI TI ES

TEXAS CASES PAGE

M ay fi el d v . St at e, 1 1 4 Tex . Cri m 4 2 5 , 2 5 S.W

. 2 d 8 33 (1 9 30 ).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 , 2

CASES FROM OTHER J URI SDI CTI ONS
Co mmo n wea l t h v Al mei d a , 4 3 3 M as s . 7 17 , 7 46 N.E.2 d 1 39 (2 00 1 ).

. . . . . . . . . 3

S t a t e v. Al a n , 1 2 Neb . Ap p

. 2 6 1, 6 7 0 N.W .2 d8 1 4 (2 0 0 3 ).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Go d f r ey v. S t a t e 2 5 8 Ga. 2 8 , 3 6 5 S.E.2 d9 3 , 9 4 (1 9 9 8 ).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

S t a t e v. Po s t en 3 0 2 N.W .2 d 6 3 8 (M i n n 1 9 8 1 ).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

TEXAS STATUTES

TEX. R. EVID. 4 0 2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

TEX. R. EVID. 4 0 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

TEX. R. EVID. 8 0 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

i i

.I
. I NTRODUCTI ON

By t h i s m o t i o n fo r reh eari n g , Ap p el l an t as ks t h i s Co u rt t o rev i s i t i t s d eci s i o n

t o affi rm Ap p el l an t ’ s co nv i ct i o n fo r t h e offen se o f i n decen cy wi t h a ch i ld

. Reh eari n g
i s ap p ro p ri at e b ecau s e, i n affi rm i n g t h e t ri al co u rt v erd i ct , t h e Co u rt m i s ap p l i ed t h e

ex ci t ed u t t eran c ex cep ti o n t o t h e h ears ay ru l e t o s t at em en t s m ad e i n o n e’ s s l eep

. Fo r

t h at reas o n , Ap p el l an t as k s t he Co urt t o reco n s i d er i t s ru li n g an d t o rev ers e t h e t ri al

Co u rt ’ s ad m is s i o n o f cl earl y i n fl amm at o ry an d u ni q u el y u n rel i ab l e hears ay ev i d en ce.
I I
. SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT Ap p el l an t su b m i t s t h at t h e C o u rt ’ s fi n d i n g t hat “ s o m n i l o qu y ” i s ad m i s s i b l e
h ears ay un d er t he ex ci t ed u t t eran ce ex cep ti on t o t h e h ears ay ru l e i s e rro n eo u s

. Sp eci fi cal l y , Ap p el lan t co n t en d ed at t ri al , i n h i s Ap p el l at e bri ef, an d co n t en d s ag ai n
i n t h is m o t i o n fo r reh eari n g , t hat t h e “ s l eep t al k ” fro m t h e Co m p l ai n an t d o es n ot

q u al i fy as an ex ci t ed ut t eran ce b ecau s e it is n ot a co n s ci ou s refl ect i o n o f t h e th o u g h t s

o f t h e Co m

p al i n an t , b u t rat h er u n co n s ci o u s b an t er.
I I I
. ARGUMENT AND AUTHORI TY

In as s ert i n g i t s p o s i t i o n t h at th e s l eep tal k o f t h e Co m p l ai n an t was p ro p erl y
ad m i t t ed , t h e Co u rt s u g ges t ed t h at th e p ri m ary T ex as cas e rel i ed up o n b y Ap p el l an t , Ma yf i el d v S t at e , 2 5 S.W .2 d 8 3 3 (Tex

. Cri m

. Ap p

. 1 9 3 0 ), th o u g h v al i d l y d eci d ed , n o
l o n g er ap p l i e d b e c a u s e th e en act m en t of t h e Tex as Ru l es of Ev i d en ce ren d ered i t

1m o ot as i t ap pl i ed t o t he fact s o f t h i s cas e. Th i s ev al u at i o n i s s eri o u sl y fl awed an d

s h o u ld b e reco n s i d ered

. In fi n d i n g th at s t at em en t s m ad e b y t h e C o m p l ai n an t wh i l e un co n s ci o u s i n a

m u rd er cas e ag ai n s t t h e Defen d an t were i n ad m is s ib l e, t h e T e x as Co u rt o f Cri m i n al Ap p eal s i n Ma

yf i el d fo u n d t h at wh en a “ d ecl arat i o n i s o ffered , i t m u s t ap p ear t h at t h e
d ecl aran t was co ns ci o u s

. ” Id

. at 8 3 4

. Th is lan g u ag e was at l eas t i m p l i ed l y reco g n i zed
b y th i s Co u rt i n i t s deci s io n as a v al i d i n t erp ret at i o n o f t he co m m on l aw. Th e Co u rt , h o wev er, t h en erro n eo u s l y co n c l u ded t h at w i t h t h e co d i fi cat i o n o f th e “ ex ci t ed

u t t eran ce” ru le i n t h e T ex as Ru l e o f E v i den ce, th e M a yf i el d req u i rem en t t h at a p ers o n

act u al l y b e co n s ci o u s wh en a d ecl arat i o n i s m ad e f o r i t t o b e ad m i s s i b l e, so m eh o w

w en t away

. It was t h en co n cl ud ed t h at Ap p el l an t ’ s p ro p er o bject i o n (b as ed o n t h e
Co u rt ’ s ap paren t co n ces s io n o f t h e q u es t i o n ab l e rel i ab i l i t y o f s tat em en t s m ad e in

o n e’ s s l eep ), s h ou l d h av e b een u n d er Ru l es 4 0 2 an d4 0 3

. W h ereas cert ai n ly

Ap p el l an t co u l d h av e o b ject ed t h at an u n co n s ci o u s o u t cry
i s i rrel ev an t u n d er Ru l e 40 2 , t he i n ad m i s s ib l e h ears ay q ual i t y o f t h e s u ch an o u t cry

ren d ers a Ru l e 4 03 b al an ci ng ob ject i o n n o t o n l y u n n eces s ary , b u t i n ap p ro p ri at e (t h ere

can b e n o p reju d i ci al v s p ro bat i v e b a l a n c i n g t es t wh ere t h e p ro ffered t es ti m o n y i s
i n ad m is s i b le). Th e s u gg es t i o n t h at t h e ex ci t ed u t t eran ce h ears a y e x c e p t io n , b as ed

en t i rel y o n t h e prem i s e t h at su ch s tat em en ts are ad m is s i b l e b ecau se t h ey are rel i ab l e,

2s h o u ld ap p l y t o an o u tcry m ad e w h i l e o ne i s u n co n s ci o u s , g o es ag ai n s t t h e en t i re

b as i s o f t h e h ears ay ex cep t i o n

. T h i s i s t h e so u nd h o l d in g i n Co m m o n w e a l t h v
Almei d a , 4 3 3 M as s

. 71 7 , 74 6 N.E.2 d 1 3 9 (2 0 0 1), wh ere t h e Co u rt h el d “ (a)d m i t t i n g
h ears ay ev i d en ce of s t at em en t s m ad e wh i le a pers o n i s s l eep i ng , so -cal l ed ‘ s l eep t al k ,’

wo u l d ru n co u n t er t o o n e o f t h e cen t ral p ri n ci p l es go v ern in g t he ad m i s s i b i l i t y o f

ev i d en ce, n am el y , t h at t h e p ro ffered m at eri al i s rel i ab l e.” Almei d a at 7 1 9

. It s h ou l d b e n o ted t h at Ru l e 8 0 3 of t h e M as s ach u s et t s Gu i d e t o Ev i d en ce, l i k e
Ru l e 8 0 3 o f t h e Tex as Ru les o f Ev i d en ce, al l o ws ex ci t ed u t t eran ces as an ex cep t i o n

t o t h e h ears ay ru l e, y et d eci ded Almei d a as i t d i d. Si m i l arl y t h e ru les o f ev i d en ce in
Neb r a s k a , Ge o r g ia an d M i nn es o t a al l h av e a Ru l e 8 0 3 , y et in su ch s t at es s l eep t al k

h as n o t b een d eem ed ad m i s s i b l e a s an ex ci ted u t teran ce. S ee S t a t e v. Al a n , 1 2 Neb

. Ap p

. 2 6 1 , 6 7 0 N .W .2 d 8 1 4 (2 00 3 ) (ex p res s i o n s o f a pers o n m ad e wh i l e as l eep are n ot
ad m i s s i b l e as s p o n t an eo u s s t at em en t s , s i n ce t h ey p ro ceed fro m an un co n s ci o u s an d

i rres p o n s i b l e co n di t i o n

. It h as b een s ai d t h at s u ch ex p res s io n s h av e l it t l e o r n o

m ean i n g , are as l ik el y t o refer t o u n real fact s o r co nd i ti o ns as to t h i n gs real , an d are
wh o l l y u n rel i ab l e ) Go d

f rey v. S t a t e 2 5 8 Ga. 2 8 , 3 6 5 S.E.2 d 93 ,9 4 (1 9 98 ) (s l eep t al k

n o t s u ffi ci en t l y rel i ab l e t o m eri t ad m i ss i o n i n ev i den ce); S t at e v. Po s t en 30 2 N.W .2 d

6 3 8 (M i nn 1 9 8 1 )(wh i l e d ream s are i n s o m e sen s e co n n ect ed t o wak i n g h o u r’ s d es i res

an d an x i et i es , t h ere i s n o i n d icat i o n t h at d ream s eq u en ces m i rro r act u al ev en t s ”).

3It i s im

perat i v e t h at t h e Co u rt co n s i d er wh et h er t here is a s u ffi ci en t i n d i ci a o f
rel i ab i l i t y t o ju s t i fy th e ap p l i cat i o n o f a h ears ay ex cep t i o n b efo re co n s id eri n g an

en t i re cat eg o ry o f s t at em en t s a dm issible , pa r t i cu l arl y s t at em en t s wh i ch b y t h ei r n at u re

are u n i v ers al l y co n side red s u sp ect

. Th i s d i d n ot occu r i n t h e Co u rt ’ s o ri g i n al d eci s i o n.
In l i g h t of t he m i s t ak e o f t h e C o u r t in co ncl u d in g th at t h e ad m i s s i o n o f

o u tb u rs t s b y t h e Co m

p l ai nan t wh i l e s l eep in g s h o u ld b e al l o w ed , t h e Co u rt s h o u l d
fu rt her reco n s i d er t he o t h er erro rs i d en t i fi ed b y Ap p el lat e i n hi s b ri ef, co n s i d er t h ei r

cu m m u l at i v e effect , an d fi n d rev ers i b l e erro r.
I V. PRAYER FOR RELI EF

W HEREFORE, PREMI SES CONSI DERED, t h e Co u rts h o u ld reco n s i d er
i t s o p i n i o n ren d ered Ap ri l 2 , 2 01 5 , fi n d t h at rev ers i b le erro r ap p ears i n th e reco rd o f

t h e t ri al o f t h is cas e, rev ers e t h e co n v ict i o n o f Ap p el l an t an d rem an d t h e cas e t o t h e

t ri al co u rt fo r fu rt her p ro ceed i n g s

. Res p ect fu l ly s u b m i t t ed :
/ s /J o h n S. Co s su m J OHN S. COSSUM TSB# 0 4 8 54 5 0 0 4 4 0 Lo u i si an a, Su i t e 9 0 0 Ho u s t o n , Tex as 7 7 0 02 Tel ep h o n e: (7 1 3 ) 2 22 -6 1 34 Facs i m i l e: (7 1 3 ) 2 2 2 -6 1 4 4 E-m ai l : jco s su m @ co ss u m l aw.co m ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT, STEPHEN CLARK W EBB

4CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

As req u ired b y Tex as Ru l e of Ap p el lat e Pro ced u re 6 .3 an d 9

. 5 (b ), (d ) an d (e),

I cert i fy t h at a t ru e an d co rrect co p y o f t h e fo reg o i n g d o cu m en t h as b een d el i v ered to

co u ns el fo r t h e St at e o f Tex as , Eri c Ku g ler, v i a el ect ro ni c t ran s m i ss i o n, o n t h i s , t h e
1 s t d ay o f M ay , 2 01 5 , as fo l l o ws :
ERI C KUGLER , As si s tan t Di s t ri ctAt t o rn ey TSB # 7 96 9 1 0 E-M ai l : k u g l er_ eri c@ dao .h ct x .n et HARRI S COUNTY DI STRI CT ATTORNEY’S OFFI CE 1 2 0 1 Fran k l i n , Su i t e 6 0 0 Ho u st o n, Tex as 7 7 00 2 Tel ep h o n e: (7 1 3) 7 55 -5 8 2 6
/ s /J o h n S. Co s su m J OHN S. COSSUM TSB# 0 4 8 54 5 0 0 4 4 0 Lo u i si an a, Su i t e 9 0 0 Ho u s t o n , Tex as 7 7 0 02 Tel ep h o n e: (7 1 3 ) 2 22 -6 1 34 Facs i m i l e: (7 1 3 ) 2 2 2 -6 1 4 4 E-m ai l : jco s su m @ co ss u m l aw.co m ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT, STEPHEN CLARK W EBB

5