Case Name: ROBERT v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1920-11-17
Citations: 228 S.W. 230
Docket Number: No. 5971
Parties: ROBERT v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 228
Pages: 230–232

Head Matter:
ROBERT v. STATE.
(No. 5971.)
(Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Nov. 17, 1920.
On Motion for Rehearing, Jan. 12, 1921.
State’s Rehearing Denied Feb. 16, 1921.
State’s Second Rehearing Denied March 9, 1921.)
1. Bail <&wkey;66 — Recognizance held insufficient on appeal.
Recognizance on appeal reciting that appellant stands charged with “violation of the liquor law” is not sufficient to describe the offense for which he stands charged.
2. Bail (&wkey;65 — Recognizance on appeal should state punishment.
Recognizance on appeal should recite the punishment awarded.
On Motion for Rehearing.
3. Intoxicating liquors <&wkey;l3, 132 — Dean Prohibition Law valid.
The Dean Prohibition Law is not in conflict with the Eighteenth Amendment to the federal Constitution and Volstead Act, and affords a basis for a prosecution for sale of intoxicating liquor.
4. Criminal law <&wkey;507(l) — Purchasers of liquor under Dean Law “accomplices.”
Under the Dean Prohibition Law, purchasers of liquor are “accomplices” of the person selling it, and their testimony must be corroborated to warrant a conviction.
[Ed. Note. — For other definitions, see Words and Phrases, First and Second Series, Accomplice.]
On State’s Motion for Rehearing.
5. Criminal law <&wkey;507(l) — “Accomplice” defined.
An “accomplice,” as used in connection with the testimony of a witness who requires corroboration, includes all persons connected with the crime by unlawful act or omission transpiring either before, at the time of, or after the commission of the offense, and whether such witness was present or participating in the crime or not.
6. Criminal law <@=507(I) — Intoxicating liquors <&wkey;!46(l) — “Sale” defined; purchaser of liquor an “accomplice.”
A sale of intoxicating liquor is the transfer of title of property from one person to another,, and under the Dean Law the purchaser is connected with the sale and is an accomplice.
[Ed. Note. — For other definitions, see Words and Phrases, First and Second Series, Sale.]
7. Criminal law <&wkey;535(l) — Corpus delicti not established by confession alone.
The corpus delicti, or crime itself, cannot be established by confession alone of the party charged with the commission of the crime.
8. Criminal law <S=>1173(2) — Failure to charge on accomplice’s testimony held not harmless.
It cannot be said that failure of trial judge to charge on the law of accomplice’s testimony was not calculated to injure rights of one convicted of the sale of intoxicating liquor under the Dean Prohibition Law, as required by Code Or. Proc. 1911, art. 743, in that accused made a confession which was introduced in evidence; there being no evidence other than that of accomplices to show that there had been any sale of liquor, except the confession.,
Appeal from Criminal District Court, Harris County; G. W. Robinson, Judge.
P. Robert was convicted, of a violation of the Dean Prohibition Law, and appeals.
Reversed and remanded.
Harry C. Gerlach, P. C. Del Barto, and F. Charles Hume, Jr., all of Houston, for appellant.
Alvin M. Owsley, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.

Opinion:
DAVIDSON, P. J.
This conviction is for a violation of the Dean Prohibition Law.
Motion to dismiss the appeal is made upon the ground that the recognizance is insufficient, in that it does not comply with the statute. It recites that appellant stands charged with "violation of the liquor law." This is not sufficient under the decisions of this court to describe the offense for which he stands charged, nor does it recite the punishment awarded appellant. It is necessary under the form prescribed by the Legislature that the amount of the punishment be stated in the recognizance.
For the reasons indicated, the motion of the Assistant Attorney General must be sustained. The appeal is dismissed.
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