1 ... S eeTe x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OFAPPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOF TEXAS FORT WORTH NO . 2- 08- 274- CR DE NNI S M I CH AE LGOS DI N 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 . 4OF TARRA NT CO UN TY

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### MEMORANDU M OPI NI ON 1

----- ----- -- D enn i s M i cha elG os di n a ppe al s hi s co nvi ct i on f ort w o c ount s of aggr avat ed sexual assaul tw i t h a deadl y w eapon . I n t w o poi nt s, he chal l enges t he l ega l an d f ac t uals uf f i ci enc y oft he evi den cet o s upportt he j ury’ s f i ndi ng t ha tthe kni f e h e u se d orex hi bi t ed dur i ng t he as sa ul t s w asa dea dl y w ea pon. W e a f f i r m.2 Back gr ound Th e com p l a i n ant , “Er i ca” ( a pseudon ym ) , i s a pr ost i t ut e. She tes t i f i ed t hatA ppe l l antpi ck ed herup of ft he st r ee ti n hi s pi ck
- up t r uck , dr ovehe rt o a secl uded l ocat i on, and— w hen s he i nsi st ed t hathe pay her“bef or e anyt hi ng el se w enton”— pul l ed out a kni f e. Er i ca descr i bed t he kni f e as “ [ l ] i ke a Bow i e kni f e, a l ong one, ” “a hug e kni f e, ” w i t h “spi kes” on t he back edge. She tes t i f i ed t hat A ppe l l antl ea ned t ow ar d he rw i t h t he kni f e i n a t hr ea t eni ng m ann er , poi nt ed t he kni f e ather st om ach, and or der ed hert o und r ess. She sai d t hatshe bel i eved t he kni f e c oul d c aus e s er i ousbodi l y i nj ury orde at h, t hatA ppe l l antha d t he p r e s e n ta b ilit yt o c a u s e s e r io u sb o d ilyin ju ryo rd e a t h , a n d t h a ts h e w a sa f r a id A ppe l l an tw as goi ng t o k i l l he r . The kni f e w asad m i t t ed i nt o e vi den cean d sh ow n t o the j ury, an d a phot ogr aph oft he kni f e a ppe ar s i n t he r ec or d. The k n if e h a sa b l a d e s e v e n a n d th re e -q u a rte r i n c h e sl o n g , a b a rb e d o r d e e p ly se r r at ed sp i ne, an d “ knu ck l es ” on t he gr i p. A ppel l antf or ced Er i ca t o per f or m o r al sex on hi m ; t hen he pen et r at ed her f em al e sexual or gan w i t h hi s peni s. A ft er w ar ds, A ppel l ant al l ow ed Er i ca t o get outofhi s t r uck . She m em or i z ed hi s l i ce ns e p l at e n um beran d r epo rt ed t he assaul tt o t he pol i ce. A gr and j ur y i ndi ct ed A ppel l ant f or t w o coun t s of aggr avat ed se xual a s s a u l t, a l l e g i n g th a t A p p e l l a n t “ u s e d o r e x h i b i te d a d e a d l yw e a p o n , to -w i t: a3

kni f e, t hati n t he m ann erofi t s us e or i ntend ed us e w asca pab l e o fca us i ng dea t h or se r i ous bodi l y i nj ury. ” A j ury con vi ct ed A ppe l l ant on bot h cou nt s. The t r i al co urtf ound a r epe at - of f end er al l ega t i on t o be t r ue and s ent enc ed A ppe l l ant t o t w o l i f e sent ences. S t a n d a r d so fR e v i e ws W h e n rev i e w i n g th e le 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 on, w e v i ew al l oft 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 det er m i ne w het herany r at i ona l t r i eroff 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 ginia , 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 ev i d 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 all i ght , f avo r i ng ne i t herpa rt y. Nea l v. S tate , 2 5 6 S .W .3 d 2 6 4 , 2 7 5 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ), cert. denied, 129 S . C t. 1 0 3 7 (2 0 0 9 ); W a tso nv. S tate , 204 S . W . 3d 404 , 414 ( Tex. C r i m . A pp. 200 6) . W e t hen as k w het hert he evi den ces upport i ng t he con vi ct i on, al t hough le g a llys u f f ic ie n t , is n e v e rt h e le s ss o w e a kt 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 c le a r ly w r o n g a n d m a n if e s t lyu n ju s to rw h e t h e rc o n f lic t in g e v id e n c e s o g r e a t ly o u tw e i g h sth e e v i d e n c e s u p p o rti n g th e c o n v i c ti o n th a t th e fa c tfin d e r’s4

d e te rm i n a ti o n i sm a n i fe s tl yu n j u s t. L an c o nv. S tate , 253 S. W . 3d 69 9, 704 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ); W atson , 204 S. W . 3d a t414– 15, 417. D i sc us si on A l t hou gh a kni f e i s not a d eadl y w eapon perse, t he courtofcr i m i nal app ea l s hashe l d t hat an obj ec t , su ch as a kni f e, ca n bea dea dl y w ea pon i ft he ac t ori nt end s t o us e t he obj ec ti n a w ay i n w hi ch i tw oul d beca pab l e o fca us i ng d e a th o r s e ri o u sb o d i l yi n j u ry . Mc Ca i nv. S tate , 22 S. W . 3d 497, 502– 03 ( Tex. C r i m . A pp . 2 0 0 0 ) ; Russ el l v. S tate , 8 0 4S .W .2 d 2 8 7 , 2 9 0 (T e x . A p p .— F o rt W o rth 1 9 9 1 , n o p e t.); see al soTex. Pen alCode Ann. § 1. 07( 17) ( B) ( V er non 200 2) ( def i ni ng “de adl y w ea pon”as “a nyt hi ng t hati n t he m ann erofi t s us e o r i nten de d us e i s ca pab l e o fca us i ng de at h ors er i ousbodi l y i nj ury” ) . Ser i ous bod i l y i nj ur y m eans bod i l y i nj ur y t hat cr eat es a subst ant i al r i sk ofdeat h ort hat ca us esde at h, s er i ouspe r m ane ntd i sf i gur em ent , orpr ot r ac t ed l os s or i m pai r m entoft he f unc t i on ofan y bo di l y m em beroro r ga n. T ex. Pen alCode A n n . § 1 .0 7 ( a ) (4 6 ). F a c t o r sc o n s id e r e d in d e t e r m in in g w h e t h e ra k n if e is c a p a b l e o f ca u sing d e a th o r se ri o u s b o d i l yi n j u ry i n c l u d e the p h y sica l p rox i m i ty oft he part i es ; t he t hr ea t s orw or dsus ed by t he def end ant ; t he si z e, s hap e, an d sh ar pne ss of t he w ea pon; t he m ann er i n w hi ch t he def end antus ed t he w ea pon; a n d th e w o u n d s i n fl i c te d o n th e v i c ti m . Brownv. S tate , 716 S. W . 2d 939, 946 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 1 9 8 6 ); Ba i le yv. S tate , 46 S. W . 3d 487, 491– 92 ( Tex.5

A p p .— C o rp u sC h ri s ti2 0 0 1 , p e t. re f’d ) (o p . o n re m a n d ); Ga rci av. S tate , 17 S . W . 3 d 1 , 4

– 5 ( T ex . A pp . — H ou ston [ 1 st D i st. ] 1 9 9 9 , pe t . re f’d ); se e al so Mc Ca in , 22 S. W . 3d at50 3 ( “[ T] he m er e car ryi ng of a but cher kni f e dur i ng such a v i o l e n t a tta c ka so c c u rre d i n th e p re s e n t c a s e w a sl e g a l l ys u fficie n t fo r a f ac t f i nde rt o c onc l udet hatt he ‘i ntend ed us e’ f ort he kni f e w ast hati tbe c a p a b l e o f c a u s i n g d e a th o r s e ri o u sb o d i l yi n j u ry .” ). I n t hi s ca se , A ppe l l antpoi nt ed a k ni f e w i t h a bl adeove rs eve n i nch esl ong atEr i ca’ s st om ach w i t hi n t he cl ose conf i nes ofhi s pi ck- up’ s cab and or der ed hert o un dres s. Er i ca t es t i f i ed t hat , i n he ropi ni on, t he kni f e w asca pab l e o f causi ng death ors e ri o u s bo di l y i nj ur y and t hatshe w as af r ai d A ppel l antw as g o i n g to k i l l h e r w i th i t. T h e k n i fe w a sa d m i tte d i n to e v i d e n c e , a n d th e j u ry cou l d a ss es s t he si z e, s hap e, an d s har pne ssoft he kni f e f or i t sel f . Fr om t he b l a c kan d w h i te p h o to g rap h in th e rep o rt e r’ s re c o rd, w e ca n se e tha t t h e kn i fe i s a c om bat
- st yl e w ea pon w i t h a l ong, cu r ve d bl ade , a bar bed s pi ne, an d a knu ck l ed gr i p. A ppe l l antci t ess eve r al c as esi n w hi ch app el l at e c ourt s dee m ed t he evi dence i nsuf f i ci entt o pr ove t hata kni f e w as a deadl y w eapon . Th ose cases a re e a sil yd i sti n g u i sh a b l e b e c a u se the kn i v e s i n q u e sti o n w e re n o t offe red i n to e v i d e n c e a n d , i n s o m e c a s e s , n o t e v e n c l e a rl yd e s c ri b e d b yte s ti m o n y . S ee , e. g. , Bl a i n ev. S tate , 6 47 S. W . 2d 2 93 , 2 94( Te x . Cr i m . Ap p . 1 98 3) ( h ol di ng6

evi dence i nsuf f i ci entt o pr ove defendantused a deadl yw e a p o n w hen com pl ai nant t est i f i ed t hat def endan t di spl ayed “ som et hi ng l i ke a ki t chen kni f e” dur i ng r obbe ry but cou l d not sa y w het her i t had a s har p e dgeorhow l ong t he b l a d e w a s ); D a vi

dso nv. S tate , 602 S. W . 2d 272, 274 ( Te x. Cr i m . App . 1980 ) ( hol di ng evi dence i nsuf f i ci ent t o est abl i sh t hat kni f e w as a deadl y w eapon w hen
w i tn e ss e s e sti m a ted th e b l a d e ’s len g th to b e an y w h e re from tw o -an d -a-h a l f t o f i ve i nches, t he kni f e w as noti nt r odu ced i nt o evi dence, an d t he S t at e of f er ed n o te s ti m o n ya b o u t th e k n i fe ’sp o te n ti a l to i n fl i c t d e a th o r s e ri o u sb o d i l yi n j u ry ); T urner v. S tate , 688 S. W . 2d 698, 701 ( Te x. App

— Hous t on [ 1s tDi s t . ] 1985 ) ( hol di ng evi dence i nsuf f i ci ent w hen kni f e w as not i nt r odu ced i nt o ev i dence; t her e w asno t es t i m ony abo utt he kni f e’ s si z e o rbl adeorev en w het hert he bl adew asope n; an d t her e w as no testi m ony oft hr ea t s orf ea rofde at h or s e ri o u s b o d i l yi n j u ry ), vacated on other grounds , 7 2 0 S . W . 2 d 5 3 3 ( T e x . C r i m. A pp. 1986 ) . I n t he ca sebe f or e u s, unl i ke the c ases u pon w hi ch A ppe l l ant r el i es, t he kni f e w as t hor oug hl y descr i bed, and the act ual kni f e w as adm i t t ed i nt o e vi den ce , al l ow i ng t he j ury t o a ss es s w het hert he kni f e w as c apa bl e o f ca us i ng de at h ors er i ousbodi l y i nj ury. 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 ona l t r i eroff ac tco ul d ha ve f ound bey ond a r ea so nab l e d oubt t hatA ppe l l ant ’ s kni f e w as , i n t he m ann erofi t s us e ori nt end ed us e, ca pab l e o f7

ca us i ng de at h ors er i ousbodi l y i nj ury and w as , t her ef or e, a dea dl y w ea pon. T h u s , th e e v i d e n c e i sl e g a l l ys u fficie n t to s u p p o rt th e j u ry ’sv e rd i c t. S ee Jacks on , 4 4 3 U .S . a t 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . C t. a t 2 7 8 9 ; Cl ayton , 235 S. W . 3d a t778. W e o v e rr u l e A p p e l l a n t’ s fi rst po i n t. C ons i der i ng the e vi den cei n a ne ut r all i ght , i ti s nots o w ea k t hatt he j u ry ’sv e rd i c t i sc l e a rl yw ro n g a n d m a n i fe s tl yu n j u s t. S ee Lancon , 253 S. W . 3d at 704 . N or i s t her e any con f l i ct i ng evi den ce w hat so eve r . Ther ef ore, t he evi den cew asal so f ac t ual l y s uf f i ci en t , an d w e o ver r ul e Appel l ant ’ s se con d p o i n t. 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’sp o i n ts , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s j u d g m e n t.

A N N E GA RD N ER J U S T I C E PA N EL: GA RD N ER, M C C O Y, an d M EI ER, JJ. DO NO T P UBLI SH Tex. R. A pp. P. 47. 2( b) DEL I VERE D: J ul y 2, 2009