Case Name: J. C. Wyatt v. The State
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1906-01-31
Citations: 49 Tex. Crim. 193
Docket Number: No. 3462
Parties: J. C. Wyatt v. The State.
Judges: 
Reporter: Texas Criminal Reports
Volume: 49
Pages: 193–195

Head Matter:
DALLAS TERM, 1906.
J. C. Wyatt v. The State.
No. 3462.
Decided January 31, 1906.
1,—local Option—Newly Discovered Evidence—Alibi.
Where the motion for new trial shows that if the facts stated are true they were well known to defendant before the trial, and that no effort was made to secure the witness to prove the alleged alibi, there was no error in overruling the motion.
2.—Same—Absence of Defendant—When Verdict is Returned—Statutes Construed.
In felony cases the defendant must be present when the verdict is returned, whereas in a misdemeanor it is not necessary. Articles 633 and 749, Code Criminal Procedure, harmonized.
Appeal from the County Court of Panola. Tried below before Hon. J. G. Woolworth.
Appeal from a conviction of a violation of the local option law; penalty, a fine of $25 and twenty days confinement in the county jail.
The opinion states the case.
L. W. Alfred and B. W. Baker, for appellant.
White Crim. Proc., art. 633.
Howard Martin, Assistant Attorney-General, for the State.
White Crim. Proc., art. 634.

Opinion:
DAVIDSON, -Presiding Judge.
Conviction for violating the local option law. The indictment was attacked. It follows the approved forms, and is sufficient.
Newly discovered evidence is alleged. An examination of it, however, shows that if the facts stated are true, they were well known to defendant before the trial, and no effort was made to secure the presence of the witness. It went to prove an alibi. If the testimony of the witness whom it is alleged would testify to the facts is true, then appellant was with him and knew of the facts at the time of the trial and no effort was made to secure his presence.
It is also urged as a ground for reversal that defendant was not present at the time the verdict was returned into court. This is shown to be a true statement of the fact. This constitutes no ground for reversal. Article 749, Code Criminal Procedure, provides that in all felony cases the accused must be present when the verdict is returned into court, but in misdemeanor cases the verdict may be received in the absence of the defendant. There is a conflict in the facts. The evidence for the State supports the conviction. The jury saw proper to believe the State's version, and we have no authority to set aside the judgment where the evidence is in conflict. The judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed.