Case Name: REVILL v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1919-12-10
Citations: 218 S.W. 1044
Docket Number: No. 5429
Parties: REVILL v. STATE.
Judges: MORROW, J., concurs in the view above expressed.
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 218
Pages: 1043–1046

Head Matter:
REVILL v. STATE.
(No. 5429.)
(Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
Dec. 10, 1919.
On Motion for Rehearing, Jan. 14, 1920. On Further Motion for Rehearing, Feb. 18, 1920.)
1. Indictment and information <&wkey;>32(3)— Indictment must conclude against tiie PEACE AND DIGNITY OF THE STATE.
Where an indictment failed to conclude with the words “against the peace and dignity of the state” or any equivalent declaration, it was void under Const, art. 5, § 12, declaring that prosecutions shall be carried on in the name of the state of Texas and shall conclude “against the peace and dignity of the state.”
On Further Motion for Rehearing.
2. Criminal law <&wkey;627(2) — Refusal of COURT TO DIRECT SERVICE OF INDICTMENT REQUESTED BY ACCUSED IS ERROR.
Where no copy of the indictment had been served on accused, it appearing that before it was returned he had been arrested and given an appearance bond, held that, where accused demanded service-of a copy of the indictment before trial, the refusal of the court to direct service was reversible error; accused being entitled to service of a copy under Vernon’s Ann. Code Cr. Proc. 1916, art. 553, even though he was at liberty on bond.
S. Criminal law <&wkey;590(l) — Defendant who WAS AT LARGE ON BAIL IS NOT ENTITLED TO TWO DAYS’ DELAY UPON SERVICE OP INDICTMENT.
Where defendant was at large on bond, field that, while he was entitled to service of indictment on demand( he was not, under Vernon’s Ann. Code Or. Proc. 1916, art. 557, entitled to two days’ delay for preparation for trial upon his demanding service of indictment.
Appeal from District Court, Upshur County ; W. R. Stephens, Special Judge.
Henry Revill was convicted of burglary, and he appeals.
Reversed, and cause remanded.
C. E. Florence, of Gilmer, for appellant.
Alvin M. Owsley, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.

Opinion:
MORROW, J.
The appellant is charged by indictment with the offense of burglary. The indictment fails to conclude with the words "against the peace and dignity of the state," and contains no equivalent declaration. The Constitution (article 5, § 12) contains the following:
"All prosecutions shall be carried on in the name and by the authority of the state of Texas, and shall conclude 'against the peace and dignity of the state.' "
This is an imperative command, and the failure to observe it renders the indictment void. " Bird v. State, 37 Tex. Cr. R. 408, 35 S. W. 382; Harris' Constitution, p. 430.
The insufficiency of the indictment requires that the judgment be reversed, and the cause ordered dismissed.
On Motion for Rehearing.
The conviction was for burglary. The appellant, before announcing ready for trial, presented to the court a motion in writing stating that he was not under bond when the indictment was returned, had not been served with a certified copy of the indictment, and concluded as follows:
' "Wherefore we respectfully ask the court to postpone this cause for at least two full days, and that the officers be required to serve him a copy of said indictment before he is required to further answer herein."
It appears from the bill as qualified that the appellant had not been served with a copy of the indictment, and that no copy was delivered to him; that at the time of the indictment he was under bond. The bill of indictment was returned in July, 1918; appellant having previously been arrested and given an appearance bond. After his arrest on July 6, 1918, he was again released upon bail. The cause was continued, and this trial took place at a subsequent term of the court February 8, 1919. The appellant being at large on bail at the time the indictment was filed, the law did not require that he be served with a copy of the indictment. Code of Grim. Procedure, art. 553. He was, however, entitled to a copy of the indictment upon making his request therefor of the clerk. It is manifest from the bill of exceptions that the object sought by the appellant was that the trial be delayed two days, and that the motion was directed to that end upon the mistaken theory that the appellant had been in custody at the time the indictment was filed. He or his counsel could, at any time within office hours during the six months intervening between the time he was indicted and released on bail and the time of his trial, have requested the clerk to deliver a copy of the indictment. His failure to do so renders his present complaint unavailable, particularly in view of the fact that the motion made was manifestly not intended nor at the time construed by the court or counsel as a request for a copy of the indictment, but, as stated, was a demand for delay on the theory that the circumstances were such as to require the service of a certified copy of the indictment. It has been frequently declared that, when the facts are such as to require the service of a certified copy of an indictment, as required by artiales 551 and 552, Code of Crim. Procedure, the accused may by his conduct waive the right (Barrett v. State, 9 Tex. App. 33; Rice v. State, 49 Tex. Cr. R. 574, 94 S. W. 1024; Keener v. State, 51 Tex. Cr. R. 590, 103 S. W. 904); and this principle has been applied to the provision of the statute requiring the clerk on demand to deliver to the accused a copy of the indictment (Scoville v. State, 77 S. W. 792; Encyc. of Pleading and Practice, vol. 10, p. 471; Record v. State, 36 Tex. 521).
On a former hearing the prosecution was ordered dismissed because of a defective indictment. It now appears on a motion for rehearing that the original indictment was not defective, but that it was incorrectly copied in the transcript. This has been remedied, and the reversal and order of dismissal are set aside, the motion for rehearing granted, and the judgment affirmed.
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