Case Name: GRAY v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1920-06-02
Citations: 224 S.W. 513
Docket Number: No. 5843
Parties: GRAY v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 224
Pages: 513–516

Head Matter:
GRAY v. STATE.
(No. 5843.)
(Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
June 2, 1920.
On Motion for Rehearing, June 23, 1920.
On Second Motion for Rehearing, Oct. 13, 1920.)
I.Bali <&wkey;70 — Appeal bond must be approved by trial judge.
Appeal bond given under Code Cr. Proe.. 1911, art. 904, after adjournment of court, must be approved by the trial judge, as well as by the sheriff.
On Motion for Rehearing.
2. Witnesses <®=o387 — Cross-examination of defendant’s wife as to conflicting statement legitimate.
It was legitimate cross-examination of defendant’s wife, who, as witness for him, testified that it was late at night before the day of the killing that she told defendant of deceased’s assault on her, after her insisting that her testimony was correct, and qualifiedly denying that at the examining trial she stated that she told him early in the evening, to produce and ask her to read her statement at the examining trial.
3. Criminal law <&wkey;l092(5) — Bill of exceptions as to matters after jury retirement must be taken during term.
Bills of exceptions, setting out testimony with reference to matters' occurring after the jury’s retirement, must be taken and approved during the term, that they may be considered on appeal.
4. Criminal law <&wkey;720(9)— Argument of prosecutor as to cause of homicide authorized by circumstances in evidence.
Circumstances in evidence in a homicide case' held to authorize the deduction, and so to authorize the prosecuting attorney in argument to intimate, that jealousy on account of a certain woman was at the bottom of the affair.
5. Criminal law <&wkey;>l 171(1) — Statement in ar gument of hip-pocket defense being threadbare held harmless.
Statement of prosecuting attorney in argument that the hip-pocket defense was threadbare, and always interposed in homicide cases, held harmless, on the ground that the record presented neither self-defense nor manslaughter, and that the jury gave the minimum punishment for murder.
6. Homicide 4&wkey;250 — Manslaughter held eliminated by defendant’s testimony.
Defendant eliminates manslaughter by testifying that, after he was told by his wife of an assault on her by deceased, and before the time of the killing, he met deceased, and they then were friendly, and that he would not have killed, but for deceased’s hip-pocket play.
On Second Motion for Rehearing.
7. Criminal law &wkey;>1099 (5)— Statement of facts with reference to ground for new trial must be filed during term.
Statement of facts with reference to any ground of motion for new trial, to be considered on appeal, must have been filed during the term at which the case was tried.
Appeal from District Court, Robertson County; W. C. Davis, Judge.
Howard Gray was convicted of murder, and appeals.
Affirmed.
Ben L. Parten, of Calvert, and Morehead & Bush, of Eranklin, for appellant.
Alvin M. Owsley, Asst. Atty. Gen,, for the State.

Opinion:
DAVIDSON, P. J.
Appellant appeals from a conviction for murder, in which lie was allotted five years in the penitentiary.
The Assistant Attorney General moves to dismiss the appeal, because the appeal bond is not in compliance with the statute. Appellant did not enter into a recognizance during the term, but gave an appeal bond after the adjournment of court. This bond was approved by the sheriff, but not by the judge who tried the case, as required by the statute. See C. C. P. art. 904. Under' that statute it is necessary, where an appeal bond is given, not only for it to be approved by the sheriff, but it must also be approved by the judge who tried the case, or his successor in office. This bond was not approved by the judge, and therefore it is not in compliance with the law.
The motion of the Assistant Attorney General is well taken and must be sustained. The appeal is dismissed.
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