Case Name: Robert Wayne WALKER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1974-07-10
Citations: 513 S.W.2d 39
Docket Number: No. 48127
Parties: Robert Wayne WALKER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
Judges: ONION, P. J., joins in this opinion.
Reporter: South Western Reporter Second Series
Volume: 513
Pages: 39–44

Head Matter:
Robert Wayne WALKER, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
No. 48127.
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
July 10, 1974.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 18, 1974.
William F. Kortemier and Wallace P. Nobles, Dallas, for appellant.
Henry Wade, Dist. Atty., Wm. T. West-moreland, Jr., Asst. Dist. Atty., Dallas, and Jim D. Vollers, State’s Atty., Austin, for the State.

Opinion:
OPINION
GREEN, Commissioner.
Appellant was convicted by a jury of burglary. Punishment was assessed by the court at three (3) years' probation.
In his third ground of error, appellant complains the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction. Appellant contends that there was no positive evidence that the merchandise found on appellant on this occasion was taken on the night of the alleged burglary or that any of the merchandise had come from where the alleged burglary was stated to have occurred.
The evidence reflects that about 1:15 on the morning of February 23, 1972, Officer C. T. Walker observed that appellant's Volkswagen car had no front license plate and was loaded with merchandise, later determined by the officer to be 24 bedspreads, 14 in the rear compartment and 10 in the front hood. After stopping appellant's car Walker had the appellant come back to his police car away from the passenger in appellant's car. The stories of appellant and the passenger differed as to the source of the bedspreads. After obtaining the conflicting stories Walker then read appellant his statutory rights, and took him and the passenger to jail.
The labels on the bedspreads indicated they were from Regina Manufacturing Company, located approximately three minutes drive from the arrest scene. After placing the appellant in jail, Walker went out to Regina Manufacturing Company to determine whether a burglary had taken place. He found a vent removed exposing a hole in the roof of the building. The production manager, Clyde Lane, was notified and Officer Walker took the 24 bedspreads to the station and left them in the "pound."
Upon entering the building Lane and Walker found several bedspreads scattered in the aisle. Arranged directly underneath the hole in the roof was a table with a chair sitting on top. Also under the hole were more bedspreads scattered on the floor. Debris from the roof, a grayish sheetrock dust, was on the table, chair, and floor. Officer Walker testified the dust was similar to the dust found on the bedspreads recovered from appellant's car and found on the passenger in appellant's car.
Clyde Lane testified that he was the production manager of the Regina Manufacturing Company, which manufactured bedspreads and draperies. The bedspreads stored jp the warehouse were under his control and were his property in his capacity as production manager. The warehouse was locked and secured at 5 :00 P.M. on February 22, 1972, and no one was given permission to enter the building and remove the bedspreads.
Lane could not specifically identify the bedspreads found in appellant's possession nor specifically determine the number of bedspreads missing from the warehouse. However, he did testify they were the same type, design, and style number as the bedspreads found scattered in the warehouse. He also testified that an unauthorized entry had taken place because the condition of the warehouse had changed since it was secured at 5:00 on the evening of February 22. On cross-examination Lane testified the vent could have been removed and the debris could have been deposited by workmen repairing the roof during the week. Lane testified further on direct, that about a month later he went to the police pound and recovered 24 of his bedspreads. While he was unable to state definitely that they were articles stolen on this occasion, nor did he know the exact number of spreads taken, he did identify them as of the same type and design as came from the rack on which the bedspreads came that had been strewn down the aisle. He also stated that he was satisfied that the recovered spreads were, in fact, his bedspreads.
The appellant took the stand and testified he had bought the bedspreads from an acquaintance named "Chuck." He testified that "Chuck" was a door-to-door salesman appellant had met several times in local taverns. On February 22 "Chuck" had told appellant he might have some merchandise to sell to him that night. At about 10:00 P.M. "Chuck" called appellant and arranged a meeting for 12:00 midnight at a local tavern. According to appellant, "Chuck" left and returned with the bedspreads. Appellant stated he purchased the bedspreads for One Hundred dollars ($100.00). Appellant did not know "Chuck's" last name nor did he know where "Chuck" resided or could be located. The record reflects that "Chuck" was not the passenger with appellant at the time of the arrest on February 22.
The explanation made by appellant at the trial differed from the explanation given to the officer at the time of the arrest. His statement to the officer was that he had been given the bedspreads at a girl friend's house that night to take them to the house of a girl friend of hers.
The court charged the jury on the law of principals and circumstantial evidence. When circumstantial evidence is relied on it must be sufficient to exclude every other reasonable hypothesis except that of the guilt of the accused. Nelson v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 505 S.W.2d 271, and authorities cited therein. We find that the evidence raised issues of fact for the jury to resolve as to the fact of the burglary having been committed and the guilt of appellant. The appellant's conflicting statements concerning his recent possession in the proximity of the premises allegedly burglarized of what the jury determined was property stolen that night in a burglary of the premises alleged, together with the remainder of the evidence, constitute sufficient evidence to sustain the verdict. Appellant's third ground of error is overruled.
Appellant's first ground claims error in the court's refusal to grant his motion to suppress evidence and statements made by him while he was under arrest.
Appellant's second ground of error is that the court erred in permitting testimony of statements made by him while he was under arrest and prior to his having been given his statutory rights.
Prior to the introduction of any evidence, the court, in a hearing outside the presence of the jury, heard testimony of the arresting officer C. T. Walker pursuant to appellant's motion to suppress evidence seized as a result of his arrest, viz; "Certain items, including, but not limited to, bedspreads or other personal items taken from his automobile at the time of his arrest." Walker testified to the circumstances of his stopping appellant's car about 1:15 A.M. due to a traffic violation of having no front license plate as stated earlier in this opinion. The bedspreads were in plain view, and the parties gave conflicting stories concerning their possession.
Appellant under these two grounds of error, grouped together in his brief, does not make any claim of having been illegally arrested. His contention is limited to his claim that the court committed reversible error in allowing the statements made by him during custodial interrogation to be introduced in evidence.
On direct examination, Officer Walker was allowed to testify, over objection, that appellant was under arrest and that appellant and his passenger made conflicting explanations of their possession of the merchandise. However, the State was not permitted to show what their explanations were.
Thereafter, on direct examination, appellant testified that he had a conversation with Officer Walker at his car about the bedspreads on this occasion, in which he explained to the officer where he had acquired them. He said that the officer was not satisfied with his explanation. On cross-examination, when appellant was asked about his explanation made to the officer that night, the only objection was, "We object to any testimony along those lines. It hasn't been before the court on direct examination or on cross-examination." This objection was overruled, and the defendant testified that he didn't tell the officer exactly like he stated in court, but that he stated to Officer Walker that he got the bedspreads from a young lady's apartment, and that he didn't know the address. Thereafter, Officer Walker returned to the stand and testified on direct in answer to questions by the State that appellant told him he had obtained the bedspreads from a girl friend's apartment, and that she had asked him to take them to the house of a girl friend of hers. The only objection to this testimony was, "That's repetitious. He testified that his partner talked to him."
Under these circumstances, it is not necessary that we determine whether appellant was under arrest at the time the statements were made to the officer. Having testified on direct examination that he had made an explanation to the officer of his possession of the merchandise which was not satisfactory to the officer, he is in no position to complain that on cross-examination he was asked of such explanation. Hayles v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 507 S.W.2d 213; Moulton v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 486 S.W.2d 334. Furthermore, the objections were too general to show error.
Appellant's first and second grounds of error are overruled.
In his fourth ground of error appellant complains the State committed material error resulting in serious harm and prejudice when it continually referred to the prior trial of Algie Robinson, appellant's passenger at the time of his arrest. The result of the trial was not mentioned.
Before the trial appellant had filed a motion in limine to keep the State from referring to the trial of Algie Robinson and the motion was granted by the court. The State, despite the motion, referred to the prior trial on three separate occasions. On each occasion the court sustained appellant's objection and instructed the jury to disregard, but refused to grant appellant's motion for a mistrial.
This Court will not reverse a conviction solely because an improper question was propounded. To cause reversal the question must be obviously harmful. Hartman v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 507 S.W. 2d 553; Mistrot v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 471 S.W.2d 831 (1971); Sensabaugh v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 426 S.W.2d 224 (1968). An error in asking an improper question may be generally cured or rendered harmless by a withdrawal of such testimony and an instruction to disregard the same except in extreme cases where it appears that the question is clearly calculated to inflame the minds of the jury and is of such character as to suggest the impossibility of withdrawing the opinion produced on their minds. Mistrot v. State, supra; White v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 444 S.W.2d 921 (1969).
While the questioning in the present case was clearly improper and in violation of the court's order, in view of the court's ruling and its instructions to the jury, we find no reversible error.
Appellant's fourth ground of error is overruled.
Appellant in his fifth ground of error again complains of improper questioning on the part of the State. While cross-examining the appellant the State asked the following two questions:
"Have you heard of double jeopardy?" "Well, you understand if this jury finds you not guilty of burglary, then we can't come back and try you . . . "
The court sustained appellant's objections in both instances and instructed the jury to disregard with respect to the first question. Appellant did not request an instruction from the court when his objection was sustained concerning the second question. The State further asked appellant, without objection, "We should have charged you with receiving and concealing?", to which the appellant replied that he should not have been charged with anything.
The State's cross-examination was improper and cannot be condoned by this Court. However, in light of the trial court's action, the error was rendered harmless. Hartman, supra; Mistrot, supra ; White, supra.
Appellant's fifth ground of error is overruled.
The judgment is affirmed.
Opinion approved by the Court.