### OFFICR OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS

Honorable ivlllltm k. Grlffls, Jr. County kttorney **(3aiA68** COUnty %SdAOle, Texas

Denr Sir: OP~A~OA No. G-a691 Be: Does the suparinteAd8At of the staff oi the State Eoapltal at Big Spring have authority to oharge 8 ree or 8100 ior aA 8XaQiAatiOA aAd OplA~OA
es **to** the sanity of a prisoner charged with a ro1ony IA Gaines county? and related **queetiona.**

Your letter of 

### June 11, 1941, rsqueetln(j the oplaion of this D8~l-tn8At **UpOn th8**  qtle8tiOn~ herein etated, hatI

### been **reoelved.**

iieqtiote iron your letter as follows:

"The following question has arisen 

### inGalnes County, Texas, wbloh I should **like to**  have determined by your.ofiloe 

### byway oi AA OP~A~OA thereon, 1~1~0s I as unable to rind any authority OA the proposition: 

### 930 the county 

### Attorneyand/orSherifr or GE~ACMI **County, Teras,**  **have authority**  under the law to dsnmxl aAd r8C8iV8 a~ CUCAIUiMtiOA 

### EUId OpdAlOA irOn the medical AtAir 0r the State **Hospital et**  **3Isig** 

### Spring, Texas, aa to the sanity of a prisoner charged with a felony IA Gaines County, TBLaE, *8A 

### auoh 0phi0n 

### tUId examination is **requested** prior to any eotitmtmt oi tt.te subject in question to 

### suah hospital; and, lr suoh exasliAatioA is authorized under the law, doeo the superintendent eAd/Or 

## tittarr0r said hospital hareauthority to charge a r88 of ~100.00 for such 6XCXinZitiOrl, Cr .5IIy ret3

### WhRt5QeVer?

"'lke feats 

### eglVirig rise tc Ihie Queotioc are briefly as follms:

"&ne %lph Pratker was appreharded by the Lher

## iii’8 r.hpirtL20nt

0r Ga:neacounty, ‘I’axue,artar OWmlttlnp a 

### i?mderIn said county end being charged **by oom.glalnt**  

## withtrio0rrsnse or 

### murder

## wit:: aalice. After iiinarrest 

### hod takon place, tha Lhorlfr felt and I slso felt, as County Attome:;, tkt t&e aceusad was, and is, unquestionably insane and incapable of dit3tiIi@i8hiAg right :roElwrong. b.8th%lWpoA hed the accused **axamlnsd** *, tiythe 

### CountyLealth Grrloer, who 

## at&teathat 

## in hla ~P~AIOA the 1~~1was insan@; 

### The CountyBealt.2 Orrioer 8ugga8tod that the opinlor 0r
an UXpOrt ShGU;ldb6 GbtaiAed, fn 

### Vi6wof the rerioarA886 Or t&8 CriBI With WhiCh the 8OOCssd OtaAd6 ohsrgeti. To that and, 1 lrstruotad him to ta&phone the i%apsrintendoAt of 

### the **Stata** ~ospltal at Big Sprilrg an6 **mQUe8t** 

## BA**eXaFeifiatfOt** fIW suoh hospital, of 

### the 

## l oouiw3, with the W%rat~nUln& that the authorltlas 

## or <;cinse **County** 

## wouhltransport the acouceh to Big Spring aridreturn him at the&r om expn~se. IA this mtter, I **took** tte posit102 tbnt ii an axport X~B 

### 0r tte opinion theft the sag was hopolaasly inrane, it woufd b4 Ay duty to rpam the &tat47 F?AdOouAty the useless exkerse Gf a trletl **ror** 

### murderin the Dlstrlot 

### Courtor t,hlooounty, together with the unusual exparise 0r ca2liug a epcaial veAire for the trial, end that it w~ulb be Kg duty to iile 8 luor,oy **cor;plaint** againtt the fi~oufiedMCI have him tried end seat to the ?tats ~oopital. \ihOAthe County Eealth **Officer** talep&oned the 3uperlnteAdmt or the State 

### IIoapltal at X.g $priw, he wan Pnroruierdt&t 0~01;thou&h thr authoritiss provided trarrsportatlon ror the looused to a+3 rrom Eig **Spring,** Ieras, that the examlnatlon oould Aot b8 conduotsd on the *stats18 time,' a~6 that the 2uperinteAdeAt of tte State iTosplta1 woul.d charge
n fee of $100.00 for the oxaerination, since he was opt authorized under tte law to **mke** such **eXMiAetiOn**
aa an employee of tha State8 rti that be would furthar sxaot an additional fee of 100.00 should t8 **be** oall*d
upon to txstify upon trial of **the** aooused.@'

### artlals 83 of 

### Vernon'sAnnotatedPenalCodeprod8war

"The 

### word ***acauseti*** 

### Is intendedtoreier toany~wrson.who, 

### in (L 1wgaSmnnnwc,**16** 

### hwldto amwwr foran 0rftbtiww. 

### atanyrt*gwoftheprooweding, or **agclnst** whom complaint in a 

### lawful
mwmr is nmdw char@lnC( 8n offen88, lnoludlng all p~oeodings iron;the or5er 

### for arrwst to tbo final 

### sxeautlonof thelaw. Theword 

### *befwndont' i6ueed in thw 6-0 8wnsw."

iIt14 atatwd In TWX68 Jurlrpru~enaw, t'olumo 18, pegw 388, thatt

"Thw 

### m6klngofa Oom#.alntandthe filing of tbo UBU in the County Court 

### inaa8wofofienoo is6ml6demsanor,

orwltbamo618troteoftheoounty, lfthaoffen?wira felony,18thecommwneemwnt o?a erimlnol 

### eotlonorproreontlon; and **thw proawlding**  

### i8 

### hwldtobe mndiag irea that 

### t&e. The filtngor prorontmwnt of on lntorlatlon, or the 

### flnillng of wn 

### lntiotment,18notneoeoury tothw oumawnwemwnt of the pro8woutionoraotlon.

"In8pur8lyarlminalpM8ecution, thaoaew18 pen8lng,

SQlongasthe **quortion** 

### ot theguiltor innooenoeoftherocturrd **rosmiar** 

### undetermined,

. . ."

Art1618 8561a, **Vernon16 4motatwU**  **Civil Bktutae,**  

### net8 forth the mnnwr ol'appr8hension. arrortr 

### sad **trial** of persenr who are wllwagw5 to bw of 

### unooundmiod csd'not ohargwd with a rrimlnml offwnee.

Wwr the fsotn **et6teQ** in your 

### lwttwr,on0 Ralph Prather 18 

### orhargwd

by oomplalnt with the ofrensw of 

### muHer with nallcw. A6 thw above nwntioned **person** 18 charged with a orimlnal cffenrw, it is apparent that a judiolal proaemll~ 16 not 8utlioriseU 

### er ammat bw had undwr k-title SLIOla, 

### Vwrmn's kni:&ated Civil Ststtitw8, 

### to determine whwtbar or 

### not the 

### eowuawdin of un6Ound mind.

Xberw a pwreon is ahmgwd with 

### a oriminolofions@, insanity m6y bw interposwd al)e **clwP4~nsw**an5 tha dofandwnt tried on 

### tbiat laeuw alonw. irhan

### insanity16 **intarpossd** a8 a defenrw, tb8

e i roawdure to be followw5 1s that 8et out **by Artlolw**  OS@, wr:lon'w i.nnoteted :ode of CrlrPin6Z Proew4urw*wtlols 1036, Lode of Crfminal Praaedure provide8 OCCI

### pwnsotion for wit3xwmew in fdony aowee in attwndanoe upon thw i;ietrlot Court -6 grsnd jury in aountiw8 othwr then that 02 thlr rwaidenaw. 

### fltneataws **for 8ttwndanoe**  

### uponthe **Nstrlat court8**  an5 p,rana juries ulth:n thw aountJ of their rerldenaw lrw not aoffip3nsatwD.

iie

### Guotwfixair.

Bu. JUT., 

### vol. lo, pg0 453, 66 

### r0ihm:

“An wxpwrt nay be **rwqulro4** to 

### testify6. 

### to the 

### fade wlthlr 

### his kmnvled,go 

### withoutany wmpenSa8iOn cthsrthwa that 

### r608ir8dby aa ordinery wltnesr for 

### l ttwabaoae on aourt, notalth- ~tonbily much 

### knOwl8dg8s6Jr havebeea 'eaqufred thra4& 

### 8tudy uid 

### proatio~; Be my 

### not, 

### ha8ver, **bo r@guird**  to 8ng

### "fi

0 

## inl xperlrsnt8 

### or **lnwur wxputser**  **in orQ8r**  **to quo1**  

### fyhlm8wlitotw8tltyla6portioulor068*. **TbU8,** 

### wher8 **6** media01 

### 8xpex-t hermob 6port1cort8m wxominatlon 

### hemaybe oonrpe~ld to 

### 4180108ethe TO8Ult8 Of that OX8mi~6tlOZI

### WitbOUt 8Xtr8 eomJMM6- tlon, but,hw 6my not be ooagelled ta make rush 

### *t&8- tlonwithout bwia(rpaid ior it.

*Ii the 

### 8wnlcwr required of the expert ore rush 

### that

### he lpag

not be aompellsd ta **r8nder** it under the brdiouy **proawor** cf the court, or ognom8nt 

### br the 

### Ona808kiJMJ

thw68rVi08%fi

OOm M8tw thwexpertfer **it** lb **valid; but**  the r 

### ccmpenut on of the u98rt may 

### notbwm&w to 

### dependupon the 

### eontlnpmay of thw **8UOUW88fUl OUtOCSa**  **Of th8**  **liti&wtiOZl. ”** 

***w ;;uotw**  **rmffi A.**  **1. k.** **’ vol.**  **16, QOgW8**  **468-s-4, &Vii**  **iOllOWBt**

The rule Is that 

### 6 so4allwd export 

### wltnerr 1s 

### not entitled to extra oomp6nntSon 

### for any **teithony** ,:*hiah hw nay **be rsqulrwd**  **to (Jlrw**  

### andwr
en ordinary subpowno of the aourt. . . . A phy6ial.m aalled to attend aourt **88 6**  **witner8 aamot**  bsrqfo 

### for extra aompwnsatlon 

### forthe aerrlow of attendirig 

### ccurt68 6 rltncss. **futl bw**  

### cannot**rake** ahargee for wx6minatione ana ooneult6tlona prwperotory to trial, dwpwn4wnt upon thw aontinfywncy of b+iw rwquirwd to tw8tify in (Iinw 8ult. The aourt says thet p16intiiY16 duty 08 a aitlten oom~wl himto app8ar aa a witness and eive te8tlmonJ, vithout any other pay than fees allowed by leiw,aua ho should not I;e

### permittedto svada that duty by the palpable exouuo of contract ror e contingent fee. (Burnet v. iCrbonwin,115 S. F..488.)

"In general, If the eerrloe required of the expert la such that he 8aMot be compellad to **render** it **undar** the ordinary prooer8 or the oourt, an agreem6nt by the one seeking the **BBIPV~OB,** to eonpeneete the expert for It, iu ralltLn

In the oaae of Phlller v. Waukssha County, 180.X. 1;'. 889, (Wie. 

### @sue) whleh wae an aotlon by 

### a physlolan againat the oounty for remloer pertorsmd as an rrpert in a erlmlnal oaae, there la 

### a dlotUm to the 

### effeot that, it a person 40- 

### 8ir.8 that any **witas** equip hlmaelf wlth knowledge 

### by recroarah
or lnapeotion, he 

### may employ hi&to 

### do so but uueh eq)loym8at $;;lb13XtlWlled 

### by 

### the **Ordinal ’** **y TUh8**  **oi OontZaOt**  **OX$rOra@8**

In People8, **OX Cd,**  ***ipp 78.**  **c8=8** hUntY, 50 

### 1. r. sup.‘l6, whloh **ia~O1var** tha validity of 

### a oontraot b? **8** alstrlot attorney employing 

### an expert for **a** 

### mrdsr trial, the 00-t 8ay@ that it **18 a**  **Well kMlW5**  **ii?iOt that**  **UpUt ritllO88@8**  are usually paid ertra oomperumtion for 

### their clenioer when oalled in laRny QP8e8, uid the QUe8tion as to the amount ther 8hall reoelve is u8~al3.y regu.lato6 by eontraot. In People, ex ref. Eemilton vs. Jeffernoa County, 54 8. W. Sup. OBll,whioh **~a8** 

### an notion for 

### sorrlae8 

### rendueb by an **expert** 

### In a orlmlnal oa8e, it appear8 that the etatute provided 

### for paynnnt of empensem 

### lnaurred by the dfatriot attorney, aed, the oontract harlng been made by hla, th6 court sald It Wa8 cbqmtent for bhe attorney to blnd the oounty for 8~ob **8erddeS.**

The Code of Criminal ProoeduFe 

### (Art. 1079) provides that the **aorb aooruing**  from the attendanee of **WitIle88.8 in**  criminal oaae8 shall be taxed 

### l @alnat the defendant 41 he **i8 005tiQt6d,**  and **&W~TfaiOn** i8 iladefOT the ppJl6 **Of WitIN**  **te.8** by the Stete in feloa~r **oases by**  Art1018 1095, Code Of crlmlnal Procedure, **8upra.**

In this etate the right of witnsasee to reoeire oompen**8atiOn** for their attendanoe is **StatUtorp, 1358**  they 

### are entitled to such fees only a8 the statutes premribe.

Artiole 2359,Vernon~e &motet&d Code of CriJdnel **PrOcedUre, provide8**  **a**Bon. ~illli8m A. Grlffis, Jr.,'page 6

*Upon eurnlnstion of one aooused of 

### a capital OffOR86, no saglstrate other than a julge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, district court or aounty oourt, shall have power to **Ai8charge** the **defendant.** "cy rraglatrato may admit to ball, exoept In capital oase8 where the **proof** ia 

### l vlAeut.*

It 16 6tated In your letter that the aoou8eA la oharged 

### by oomplalnt with the offense 0r murAer. The eqme Is a oapital offenee, 

### and the Court of Crlmlnal Appeal8 

### held inthe O&80,**Lx part0**  **&iynn, 88**  **6. K.**  (6a) My, that vdtm-0 the 

### l OOu80$ Is charged with a capital offehle, the exadnlng **mgirrtrate 18**  without authority to discharge the accuseA. You have 

### not rtated whether or not the xaglatrate before whom the oomplalnt 

### Wa8 filed lo a just108 of the 

### pesrce.IioweVeT, iri the absonoe of a 8tntOUMt to the contrary, ior the purpose of thlr eplhlon,
weaamnm that this complaint waa filed with a jurtiae of tha peaoe sitting as a 'iuagi8trate. Theraters, the aragl8trete OM 

### not Alroharge the aOOU8ed. 

### Inordertodeterainethe 8hnity of the aocuaed, we think the oely procedure Is to 1nAiOt hlr ohargiug the offense of murder. Mter the lndiotsent ha8 **beon** returneA, and where 

### +manlty 15 interpoeed a8 a defen88,.th* defendant or aooused may be tried on that issue **alone in**  **the** I)ietrict Court 

### before the main oharge. If the Jury find8 the AefenAaht 158ahe, or to 

### havebesn ln8ane at the time the 

### not 18 

### alle(ged to have 

### been oommltted, they 8hall eo rtate in thdr 

### rerdiot,or IS the Jury find8 that the defendaat wa8 inrum at the tlm the 

### aot is allsgea to have 

### been oommltted 

### but *ano **at** the trial, he &all be irumebiately AlschargeA. If the jury flnde that the defendant was insane at the tia*r the eat is alleged to have been oomaltted MA lnrrane

### at thetimeof 

### the trial, or sahe at the tlm the aot is al.legeA 

### to have **bea** oonmltted 

### and insam at the time or the trial, the aourt 8hnLl thereupon **make** and have antored on the minute8 

### of the oourt ah order ooaunlttlug the defendant to the cu8todr of thr sheriff, to be kept subJect to the further 

### orderof the **county JuAge**  **of** the oounty, anA the prooeedings shall forthwith be oertifled to the county **judge** who shall at onoe 

### takethe 

### aeoas8arysteps to have the defendant oommitted to and conrined in the 

### State I!oepltal for the insane until he bsocmss 8a13e4 

### 3n the other hand, when the defense on the trial of the min charge 18 the limanlty of the defendant the jury shall be **lnatruoted, if**  thq **aoquit him**  **on that**  **ground, to**  **atate that**  

### raot with their verdict, auA lf they further 

### find the defendant to have **bean** Insan at the time the act 16 alleged to have been oommlttaA, **but 8~**  at the time 

### or the trial; 

### iie 'shalf,be lraweAlately 

### dleohargeb.

### 1 son. riilliam i.. Grlffis, Jr., page 7

rowever, if the jury f’lnddathat the dofender& wae insano at the tim the act ia alleged to hare been oommittsd and insane pt the time of trial, or IMe 

### at the 

### timethe eot is alleged $0 have bean. omtitted end Insane at the time of the trial, the oourt eball themupon make end have entered on the Inlnuter of the oourt 6n order oolillPitt.fag the $etendant to the oustody of the sheriff, to be kept aubjeat to further orber of the oounty judge of the county, and the promodings @hall forthwith be **oertilied** to the oounty judge nho ahall at moo tekr the neoessery step6 to hare the dofondant oommltted ,toand oodined in a Gate iioepital for the insane until he beeomee **sane.** (ht. **932a, 7.**  A. **0, C.**  **P.)**

In view of the fore&oing authorltiea, 

### youare 

### rmpeotfull~ **adviSed** that It is the opinion of this Departnent thrt the oountr attorney or 8heriSf of Gainee County doe8 not have **the** legal authority to demand **and** reoelve an e-nation end opinion of the medical 

### stairOStheStatsHospital at Big Spring, Texas, as to the sanity of the prl8oner ohareed with a felony in Geinea County, Taxes. It fS our further opfnion that the party ohargsd with a 

### arimlnaloifenm oannot now **be** 

### ttlai**In** the oounty oourt to determine whether or not he i8 of tqmund mind under Article bBdla, **Vernon ’** **n** Annotated Civil Statutes. It is olear under the above rmntloned authorities that the ph eioian would not be authorized 

### by&r to char&e end reoeiro
a i100 fee in the event he ir eel&ad upon to tertfiy upon the 

### trial **of** the eooueed. AD etated ebove, ia thSr State the right of witneesee to receive compensation ror their 

### attendance la statutory, end they are entitled to SW& faoe only am tha atatutea preroribs.
Trusting that the f’ore$olng rully enawere /cur inquiry,
we are

Yourr very truly