R. 674, 17 S.H. (Zd) 623. at p. 926.
Cles.rly,a countyoaaaissioner, while servingas a magia- trate,is a peace offioerwithin the meaningof the terms of Arti- ale 484, Penal Code, supre,which, maong other things,makes inap- plieableto peace offioersthe provisionsof Artiole 483, Penal Code, aupra,definingthe ,offenseof unlawfullyoarryingarmso Rut we cannotbring ourselvesin agreementwith the last statementquotm ed abovefraa the Patton base, i.e., that a magistrate,3 magistrate, is authorizedto,oarry a pistol on= oocasionwhen not in the actual dischargeof the'dutiesof his office. In additionto the language of Judge.Rawkins, mritingon the ~ats.te's.motion for rehearingin the patton o*se, "Ho oannotagree, as insistedby the state, that on the night of the killing appellantwas not in the dischargeof the duties of his office,'.whiohwethink olearlyindicatesthe statementin the originalopinion.tobe obiter dictum,we showingthat the languageof the statute literallywhat it sayswhen it exemptsaany actual dischargeof his officialduty:".TrimbleV. Nate. 132 Tex. Cr. . 6, 04 S.H. 2d 31 at pp. 34-35 (specialranger; dr%v.ving cattleat¬ on officiald&)~~Gti&ci V. State,-94Tex. Cr. B. 636; 252.S.W.156 (deputysheriff,drivingjitney and not on'offioralduty)3 Ransomv. State.73 Tax. Cr. R. 442, 165 S.H. 932 (deputysheriffout- side oounty).
Wethink the proper Lnswer to your queation'iathat a cow&. oommisaioneris a -gistrate by virtue of his officesthat when he acts in the oapaoi* of suoh~magistrate he is a -peaOeOffiOerJ',?$atfi~isE8 end when he sots as aoh peaoe offioerin the aotual disoharg officialduty,..~. he la _..anthoriaedto oarry a pistol and at othe,rtimes he 'i in diEferentpoaition~~than any other citizenor civil offiber. Gd in?hia connection, we point out that s%rince its originaleneats&& our presentArticle484 of the'Penal-Code has been amended;-This~&at- ute was formerlyknown as Article47.5in the 1911 reviaionJandwas Artiale 339 in the revisionof 1596 and Article 319 in the revisionof 1679* The learned judge,writingin the Patton ease on originalsub- mission,must have overlookedthe ohsnge.appearing for the first time inthe oodificationof 1911, the languagein the exemptionsof 1896 and 1879 providing,that the prohibitionas to bearingamas shouldnot apply to ' a person in aotual aervioeas a militiaman,nor to w peace offi- oer or a poliocman,or person summonedto his aid, nor to a revenue Hon. Haaer O@rriaon,Jr., Page 6
or other civil officerengaged in the disohargeof offioialduw," etc., thus showingthat a "peace offioerawas iamme uuder those codes fram prosecutionfor Faring anaa at a~ tfme or plaae, whereasthe peaent statuteolearlylimitsthe peace officer's exemptionto the time end plase where he would be "in the aotual disohargeof his officialduty.*
Truatingthat the above fully anwrs yvur inquiry,we are
Yours vergtru1y ATTOBBEXGENEEiAL OF TEXAS
s/ Benjamin&ode11 By Benjtiin%bdall &saistant APPROVEiD HOV 15, 1941
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