Case Name: GUAJARDO et al. v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1923-12-19
Citations: 257 S.W. 247
Docket Number: No. 7976
Parties: GUAJARDO et al. v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 257
Pages: 247–248

Head Matter:
GUAJARDO et al. v. STATE.
(No. 7976.)
(Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Dec. 19, 1923.)
1. Indictment and information <&wkey;>137(6) — Misspelled name not grounds for quashing.
That accused’s name, “Zeferino L-,” was misspelled in an indictment, “Sefrino U — ,” is not grounds for quashing the indictment, in view of yernon’s Ann. Code Cr. Proc. 1916, arts. 559, 560, authorizing amendments to cure such defects.
2. Criminal law <&wkey;7831/2 — Refusal of charge withdrawing whole of testimony, because improper testimony is incorporated with proper, not error.
Refusal of charge withdrawing from the jury the whole of certain testimony because improper testimony is incorporated with some which is proper is not error.
3. Witnesses &wkey;o37(4) — Testimony of deputy sheriff as to defendant’s reputation improperly submitted to jury.
Where a deputy sheriff on the issue of a suspended sentence testified that he knew defendant’s reputation, that it was bad, but disclosed that his knowledge was based solely on statements of two officers in the county of defendant’s residence which was other than that of prosecution, the court improperly refused to withdraw such testimony from the jury.
4. Criminal law &wkey;»7M — Argument of counsel held prejudicial error.
Argument of prosecuting attorney bringing out the fact that defendants had offered to plead guilty if given a suspended sentence and the state had refused to so agree held prejudicial error.
5. Criminal law &wkey;>723( I) — Argument of counsel held improper.
Argument of the prosecuting attorney calling attention to a large crowd in the courtroom, and to the class of people composing it, with no interest there except to learn what sentence would be imposed, held not legitimate argument.
Appeal from Criminal District Court, Kle-berg County; A. W. Cunningham, Judge.
Nicolas Guajardo and Zeferino Lopez were convicted of unlawfully transporting intoxi- eating liquor, and they appeal.
Reversed and remanded.
Perkins & Floyd, of Alice, and C. H. Reese, of Kingsville, for appellants.
Tom Garrard, State’s Atty., of Midland, and Grover C. Morris, Asst. State’s Atty., of Devine, for the State.

Opinion:
MORROW, P. J.
The conviction is for the unlawful transportation of intoxicating liquor ; punishment for Guajardo at confinement in the penitentiary for a period of one year, and for Lopez for a period of two years.
A motion' was made to quash the indictment, for the reason that the name of the appellant was in fact "Zeferino Lopez," while in the indictment it is spelled "Sefrino Lopez." The indictment was not bad. The misspelling of the name could have been corrected upon suggestion 'of the 'appellant. The statute makes such a provision. See articles 559 and 560, C. C. P.; also Wardlow v. State, 18 Tex. App. 356, and other cases listed in Vernon's Tex. Crim. Stat. vol. 2, p. 286. The court correctly proceeded under this statute, and permitted' an amendment of the indictment.
Each of the appellants applied for a suspended sentence in accord with article 865b of C. C. P. Proof was introduced to* the effect that they were under 25 years of age, and had not been convicted of a felony. There was testimony that the reputation of the appellants as law-abiding citizens in the community in which they lived was good. Upon this issue the' state introduced the witness Burwell, who, on direct examination, testified as follows:
"My name is Charles Burwell. I hold the official position of deputy sheriff in Kleberg county. I have been deputy sheriff since the 1st day of January, 1923. I know these defendants only by what I have heard of them. I have had occasion to investigate their reputation as to being peaceable and law-abiding citizens. I know their reputation as to being peaceable and law-abiding citizens in the community in which they live and are best known. It is bad. This applies to particularly one of these defendants. The one in particular is Zeferino Lopez. Zeferino Lopez has a harder reputation in his community than the other boy. Guardo's reputation is bad, but not as bad as the other one."
Cross-examination:
"I talked to two people about these men. They wére in Falfurrias, Brooks county, They were the county attorney and the sheriff. I have their statement and no others; that is all I have. I have never lived in Brooks eounty."
Objection was urged against the receipt of this testimony, and a special charge was presented seeking its withdrawal. This was refused. As we understand the record, the appellants were residents of Brooks county, and the witness developed no knowlege of the reputation of the appellants in Brooks county or elsewhere, save that he had been told by the sheriff and county attorney of Brooks county that both of the appellants bore a bad reputation in that county.
Another witness gave similar testimony over appellants' objection, but it was incorporated with some evidence which was proper, and the effort to withdraw the whole cannot be sustained.
The opinion, is entertained that the court was not warranted in refusing to instruct the jury to disregard this testimony. Its effect was not to prove the reputation, but to prove that the witness had been informed by officers in Brooks county that the appellants bore a bad reputation in that county. If the state had contented itself with the mere proof that the witness knew the general reputation of the appellants in the respect mentioned in the community in which they lived, and that it was bad, the record might have presented no error; but, having gone further, and revealed the damaging fact that the reputation was regarded by the officers in Brooks county as very bad, at least as to one of the appellants, the rules of evidence would not sanction its receipt. The only real question presented was whether, in view of the youth of the appellants and the mitigating facts to which they testified, the jury would recommend the suspension of the sentence.
Another matter to be mentioned is that during the argument the prosecuting officer said to the jury that, preliminary to the trial, the appellant's attorneys offered to plead guilty upon the condition that they be given a suspended sentence, and that this proposal had been refused by the state's attorney. This was putting into the case facts not otherwise developed and clearly not admissible. The court instructed the jury to disregard this statement. It was obviously prejudicial, however, and, as one of the appellants received more than the minimum punishment, it cannot be said to have produced no bad result. It may have been appropriated by the jury against both of the appellants on the issue of the suspended sentence.
In his closing argument the' state's counsel called upon the jury to note the large crowd in the courtroom and the class of people of whom it was composed, who were there with no interest in the appellants other than to learn -what sentence they would receive. We are not able to appraise the bill on account of its meager recitals. However, so far as we are able to discern, the remark was not -within the scope of legitimate argument.
Because of the errors pointed out, the judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded.
<&wkey;>Kor other eases see same topic and KEY-NUMBER, in all Key-Numbered Digests and Indexes