**OFFICE OF**  **THE ATTORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAS**
**AUSTIN**

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### sane.Honorable Fred Erltman, P-8 I?

***The Rusk**  **lnrtltutlon refured**  **to rooept**  **Covln,** notwlthatanding the Juw **tlndln j'**  end **he** has heen oonilned to the Qregg County ,.ail alnoe **that Urn..**  **"Reaently Covln**  **euffersd a**  **fror** 

### a **kidney ailment**  **and for**  

### a thathe **would** not 1lY8. In the County dootors ltwas neoruary in the County hospital, so that nave hla life might be made. nevere illneu tire it ~appoared **oplnton of**  **the** 

## thathe be placed every

## errortto

*The Sheriff bid not hare a ruffloient **number** of deputies to gwrd CoYlnwhile h8 wa8 **In** the horpitti and thought,ltn404888ry t0 rwploy **OUt8id4** guard8 to ltt8nd thlqman **in** the **horpltrl.** The84 gimrdr were **pn** duty both aSy and night and ior 

### a lprge 8rt ot the tlae Corln was rhaokled to **the** ho8- g pltal rd.
l Th4rs ha8 been **lW8eZlt.d** to thi8 Offl~4 **a re**  **qU88t fOl** **’ 0!l**  **0ph%Otl &**  the **a0my Auditor,**  **h. u.**  **Wyohe,** as towhethw or not he may legallypay Alton Lee $110.00 Sor guardllyl Donald **Covln l?i?** day8 in the ~re~~~l(e~or~.l~~NO8p1fa1~ Lfkewl4r;~~~8~-+131 of Willie Thoma8' for #255.00 for 47 days, **guerdlng** 8uOh.prlrOaend Jodie Norrio, $125.00 for guarding thirprleoniE'i?S day8 **at** thehorpltal.

'Tha **County** p4slolan;~~ho was ln 8ttOndMQe **on Corln**  during hlr i11n488, t48tifi4d that in his OplniOn the84 gurr(L8

W4r4 Zl4aO88aX'y.

The Bharlffh8e al8o o6rtlfiSd that 8uoh guard8were neoeerary and that the OharK **for** 8uoh 8417ia88@IV F8UOllab10,hmlnq been **performqd** ?moughout **24** hours of the d8.y.

*TheUouaty **budget prOYide8**  that the Dl8trlot**At** tOrn4y'8 Offi 8ful1hay4 $745.00 for trifd l XP4nne.

Pit 18 the lnt4ntlon 0i this OffiOe t0 again t48t the siciity

of Donald Covin aa roan (LB he 18physlOti1y able to 8talIdtrial, and we expeot to uee the teetimony of these guards,who have been in aonstant attsndanoe
on hln for nsarly two Eonth8 to t88~tify aa to hi8 prerent ssnlty, togetherwith Qootors and nurse8 aad otherswho have yd amp14 opportunity to observehim.Honorable **Free** Erlaman, **Page** 3

'Theuounty hUbitOrh8 rcque8tod OUl'off104 for an oplnlon 

### a8 to iðer or not he may 1cgallJ pay **the** bills of **thus8** lndlvldualr and oharge the came **agalnet** the budget appropriation for thi'8office under the clraumstanoes.

*It 18 our opinion that under the provlrlone

## 0r **titlelo** 104l, Code a? CriminalProoedure, Gregg county hmvl3 in cxoe8c of 40,000popula~tlon,aooordLng to the 1 40 flgure8, that the gherlff oould cmploy k8 many guards as were neoctasary for the 8afc kocplng **of** thleprlroner,but bcoause of the partloular olrcumstancar involved ln thlrmatter, thathe would not be lImIted to 84.50 perday, 8.1rtated in the otatutes, slnoe theprlroncr waa held in thehor**pitd** wdtt the ogre of a **doutor,** rather than in the county Jail.

*Wehcvc 

### oarefullybriefed the **problems** presented here **and** find no oa8e cxaatly 

### onpoint.

“It 18 our opinion that the ~ommis8lonerrCourt mcy authoPI$s the Countrhudltar topay the 

### above bills end order the 8amowithdrawn from either the .gon*ysal

;;:ma,*,:~.ef~

.t& :.&untyor .ahug*:~*h**,'.againet th4 bUd&8t item Of th:i8 OfflOc UIIdCrthe ?mOts ctrted.
'Willyou please advice m8 whether or not our off104 18 oorrcot on our posltlon In thl8 **matter?*** Whena defendantbcoorcc lneanc aftsr oon*lctlon, Artloleq 925 snd 026, Code of OrlmlnalProoedurc, provide in **cffeat** that *if the defendant lr found to be lnune, al.1furthcr prooe+dlnga in the oane sgalnat him shall be 8uspendcd until he **becomes** pm*; th&t *the **court** shall make and have enteredupon-the ~&n&es an order aommltting the defendant .to the cuetody of the ehtrlff, to **be** kept 

### l **ubJeot** to the Further order of the county **Judge** of the oounty"; and thatwhen he ha8 been so committed, the aproc8cdlng8shell forthwithbe oertlfled to the oounty Judge,who &all at onoe ta&e theneoc88mry steps to have fho dcicndant confined in the lunatic asylum until he beoomer eene.
. . .*

**It** Is apparent from the forcgolng feats that the defezbent WWF lncllctedfor thr off'cneeof murder in @-egg County,,---

~,F,... ., Honorable **Fred** Erl8mM, Page **4**

**wa8** tried in said oountr, fauna guilty end given a death 8entenoe. The **oa8e** wa8 appcrlrd to the Court of CrlulnalAppeal8 and afflrmcd **bye**erid Court. A,**fCW**d4$8 i8tCC, M cf?ldaYlt alleging that the defendanthad beo~ac ln8am 8lnochi8 oonviction **wa8**filed 8nd upon trial of **thir** 188~4, the defendant
was found to be insane and wa8 aommltted to a Strtc lnstltutlon at Rusk, TIxa8. **About** two year8 later, tb defendant asoaped from the above mentioned Inetltutlon and In a few months wa8 captured again. Soon thereafteran arridarltalleging **that de**  fendant had **regalned** hlr 8anltywe8 fllcd ac provldcd **by~Artiolc** 928, **Code**of Crimlnrl 

### Proocdure. **A** Jury found that the defcndant wa8 insane. ~Thelnotitutlonat Ruck, Tcxa8, rcfuused to aoccpt the,

defendant, notwithstanding the Jury flndlnp;c, and he
was confined to,the Orrgg Countr Jail. WC ascupH) that the oourt entered the 8amc order on the tinutee Of the oourt bm ua8 **pre** viously enteredwhen the defendant wa8 first tried to determine whether he wee Ine~ne, oonmlttinf: the defendant to the ouctom of the sheriff, to be kept oubjeat **to** further **order** sf the county judge; therefore,the defendant '1116

### a prl8oncr leg811y coamIttcd to the **OU8tO6$ of**  **th8 rhoriff.** 

Article 6871, Vernon'8Annotated DltFl Statutea, reads RI **fOllOW8;**
~,,,: ,.':,,, :..::.

#Mary*:* ny;,,q~mty., .I*,

~00~~ .n**~*~:,:,~: :.:_...,, .:, _,: to cmploy **a** guard for the rcfe keeping **of** prI8oaerr and the 8cOWity Of~Jti18, the rherlffmcy, with the appro+cl of the eomnlr8iancr88oourt, or in the 088a of emorgcn~y,with thqapprcval of the oounty Judge, employ suoh **nwnber of**  **guard8 a8**  **may**be aeo88aczrp; end **tic aooount**  therefor, duly ltem.Ued **and sworn**  to, rhallbc alloredb **laid** court anapaid **out** of **the** oounty tresourg. frovldedfurthcrthatrlloountIe8 In thlo State hiving 6 population of **more**than one hundred and forty **thou86nd** (140,000)lnhabIt8nt8 and le~88than +&ohundred 8nd ninety theu8Md (290,000) Inb8bi~tanta,

acoordlng to the lastprcoealng Federal ocnsus, no guard, mtron. Jailer, or turnkey rh~ll **qork** more thsn clght (8) hour8 In one dcy. And all OOWltiC8 ooming under theprorlrlons of this &t,8t 1cPst one man shall be on guard on eaoh floor of 8dd Jsll where male prisoners crc kept, .andot lecrt one matron &all be on guard on etch floorwhere female prlconcrr arc kept; and that aot lcsa thmn two (2) 4111p1O~cc8

ohs11 be on guard in them8ln office of said jail at any one time. In CWBC of 

### uacrgcnoy,t&ore oom-Honorable Fred Eriaaan.Page 6

ing *underme provlrlont of thieAot shall be aubJeat to the oall oi the 8heriif.’
Articles 1037 and 1041, Code of CriminalFrooedure, read 88 tolloue:

Artiole 1037. *Eaoh oounty &all be liablr ror all l xpeaaer Inourred onl ooount of **tne** atie keeping of prisoaero oontined in Jail or kept under $wrd exoept prlroners brought from enother aounty tor rare kteplng, or on hebeata oorpue. or ohnnge of venue; in whloh oaaem the oounty from which theptiiaoncr 3s **brought** l

F&n be liable for the cxpeneca of -Ma safe kceping.a
Arti41e 1041. ‘The eherlff ehallbe allow’ed for eeah guerd 3~ etatron ncotaearilJr

employed in the rar6 keeping of prisoners two dollare and firty Benta (#q5Of for eaah day. .Roallowanos &all be asde **ror the**  board bf suoh guard 

### or matron, nor shall tony ~allawsnoebe ma&e ror Jailer

### or t*umkey,exoept In oounFi48having a Populatlan in exoese **or** rorty thousand (40,000) **inhabi** tants 

### aoaordlhgto the laotpnoedlng or any Suture Federal 08n8ua. Bu4h 4ountler 4r rorty thoueand (40,000) 'orr6r~~~%&iib%.tantr %he **aornrlesionsrl:*** **.-.oo~rt ‘** **nay** allow 

### eaeh Jail guard, Patron, and turnkey~four boilar8 a& **rifty** cents ($4.50) par byi provided that In oountier having a population in excess of tbme hun&ed pnd fiftyrlre thouoand (355,000) lnhabitantr,asoordlng to the last preoetiing or any future Federal oenmis, e-h&%1 guard, matron, Jailer and turnkey shallbe paid not less ,thanone hundred and mventy-five (C176.03)dollar8 per month.l
The a‘qovq

mentioned etatuterare the only atatuten that we hays been able to fin4pertslning to the employing of guards and providing oompenaation’for their servieea. The 

### oaae of Stat4 v. Carnar, 100 8. iT.(Z&l)587, among other thingr, hold* In errect that oole~ie6ionera* aourts are not preoluded from approving and allowing guarda in oouritiee 0r leoa than rorty thournndpopulation.

Artialc 1026, Vernon'rAnnotated Clvll Btftutes, remIs in pnrt aa followe;Honorable Fred Erlsrmn, Page 6

Wlriaa against a oounty shall be reglsterad ln three olaasee, a8 follows:

. . . (S). All the getieralindebtedness of the oounty, lnoludlng feeding **and** guardlng prlaonera,and pauper's 

### olaina.a
Oounty offlolala in Oregg County sre oompenaatad on an annual salary bade. The Offloara~ Salary Law, **among** other things,provldaa lo **etreot that**  in all oaseswhere the county ofiioera or preoUa4t orrioerr or a oounty are oompnaatad r0r tha aertloeaby thepsyment of sn annual. aals.ry,

neither the State of Texas nor sny county ahsll be ohsr&edwith or pay to sny ot the ofiloera so oompensated,sny fee or aoamlsalon ror the perrormanoe of any or all 

### of the 

### dutiesor their offloes **ror** such offioer &a&l1 reoelvs auoh aalrry iti 114~ or a13 othar reea, oommlcslona or compensationwhioh they **would** gtharwlaobe authorized to retain.

**A** sherlrrwho is oompensatedon 

### a ralarybasis oannot be allowed the 

### sum of $2.60 per day for aaoh gusrd neoeasarllp employed **ior** the **SRre**keeping of prlronerr. Howevers we are 

## 0r the oplnlon that this **statute** fixer the Ramant of odmpenoatlon to be sllowrd a guard employed in the asfekeeping of prisoners in those oountlerhsv1ng.a population of 

### leai than 

### fortJ thousand lnhsbltsnts aooordihg to the last **reoedlng FeQer+l**  oen8ua.

~~ Art1410 lO4l'ptitiWi'~'that ln~oounti4i"

Llng a piqutation' in 4xoess or rorty thooasmd inhsbltsnts rooordiqg to ths last prroedlng or any future F4d4ral 41318~8, the 00mml8814a41u~ 40~~ m8.y allow aaoh Jail guard, eto. the sum of 44.60 per 4. In view of thelasts atatod ln your lnqulry and the authoritler above mentioned, you are raapeotiully sdvlsed that It ia-th8 opinion of WY.8 Department that the expenses lnourrrd In employing guarde aa above stated would ba general Indebtedness of the oounty and couldbe pald only out or the general f'und.

It is our further opinion that after the 1940 **Feder** al oensuawas Offi4iRiiy statedand the oensua showed that Gregg County had R population in exoess of rorty thousand inA habltanta, the gusrda employed oould be prid the maximum of 64.M) par day ind would not be entitled to the sum of 6;5.00 per dsy RS shown in thair olaiaa. Aocordlng to the lQJ0 oanaua, Gregg Countyhad a population of 108s than 40,000 inhabltsnta* tharerose,the ~provlalonaof Artlole 1041, aupra,providing 44.80 per d&y as themaximum ooolpsnaation forguards,eta., would not apply to Gregg County until the 1940 oanauabeoame o~fflolsl ehowlng the populatlon of said county to b4 ln~axoeaa of **forty**, .

Homrable Fred.

EriSlrlR,

P8ge 7

~hOU8alid

lahabltant8. 

### xr a part or all 0r tbr~8ervloe8 l bovs aentloned pwrormea **by** the gum-da WM perrormed or renden6 berore the 1940 Federal oenrus b~oa~4 errSOtiVe, then :, it IS our Opinion that #!.80per dw iOr eaoh guard 18 th8 nut$&#Um#imoUntthat the ooUnty could 14gallypay for SU8h serrl4aa.
Trusting that the roregolng ruriy t4nswerayour lnquiry, W8 ar8

Iours very truly

**ATTOSWEX**

GENERAL OF TEXAS

AWrBBB

APPROVEDSP 43, 1940

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