Case Name: WALKER v. STATE
Court: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1925-04-15
Citations: 271 S.W. 384
Docket Number: No. 9257
Parties: WALKER v. STATE.
Judges: 
Reporter: South Western Reporter
Volume: 271
Pages: 384–385

Head Matter:
WALKER v. STATE.
(No. 9257.)
( Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
April 15, 1925.)
(. Criminal law <&wkey;369 (2) — Cross-examination of defendant, in robbery as to forcible carnal knowledge with other women held incompetent.
In prosecution for robbery, in which defendant also ravished his victim, cross-examination of defendant as to his forcible carnal knowledge with other women held incompetent, where he was not accused of taking any personal property from such women.
2. Judges <&wkey;19 — Question as to qualification of special judge held waived, where not raised until motion for new trial presented.
Question as to qualification of special judge trying defendant for robbery held waived, where not raised until motion for new trial was presented.
<S=»For other cases see same topic and KEY-NUMBER in all Key-Numbered Digests and Indexes
Appeal from Criminal District Court, Harris County; C. W. Robinson, Judge.
Fred Walker was convicted of robbery, and he appeals.
Reversed and remanded.
F. O. Fuller, of Houston, for appellant.
Tom Garrard, State’s Atty., and Grover C. Morris, Asst. State’s Atty., both of Austin, for the State.

Opinion:
LATTIMORE, J.
Appellant was convicted in the criminal district court of Harris county of robbery, and his punishment fixed at 55 years in the penitentiary.
This record reveals a revolting story of human depravity. The injured party was a woman, who testified that on the occasion mentioned appellant came to her room and made her a proposition to come and work for his wife at a stipulated salary per week, and volunteered to accompany her to his home and show her the way and introduce her to his-wife. She testified that she agreed to go, and went with him, and that, after traveling quite a ways on the street car, they left same and walked finally into the woods near Houston bayou; he telling her his home lay in that direction. She further testified that at a certain point appellant assaulted her, and, by means of force and threats and the use of a pistol, ravished her. She further testified that after this was accomplished, but before they left the scene, •he also jerked her purse out of her hand and took therefrom $4 in money, and then by the use of his pistol forced her to deliver to him two rings which she had on her hand. That appellant was seen about this time in possession of two rings answering the description of those claimed to have' been'forcibly taken by him was shown by another witness. That the parties were in the neighborhood of the alleged assault was also shown by another witness. Appellant admitted going with the woman and having intercourse with her, but denied its forcible character, and also denied taking any property from her.
On the part of the defense, the bad character of the prosecuting witness was testified to by a number of people, and the fact that she was frequently out at all times of the night with men was given in testimony. Appellant took the witness stand in his own behalf and was asked by the state, over objection, if he had not taken other women under similar pretenses out in the same neighborhood and forcibly had carnal knowledge of them. He was also asked. If he was not with another young woman on the street, going in the general direction of the same locality, at the time he was arrested. This was partially denied and in part admitted by him. He testified that he went out to this locality with one of the women mentioned, and, she agreeing, had intercourse with her. He also admitted that'he was with a strange young woman, walking along the street at the time of his arrest. He denied being with one of the other women, and denied any forcible carnal knowledge of any of them.
This entire matter, in so far as it sought to put before the -jury his forcible carnal knowledge of other women, was incompetent, but most of the bills of exception evidencing appellant's complaint of the admission of this testimony are in such condition, by reason of being in question and answer form, as to not permit our consideration of them. However, one of said bills does present appellant's complaint of the reception of this character of evidence in proper form, and, inasmuch as it would call for affirmative action on our part, and inasmuch as we deem the evidence inadmissible, the matter will be discussed as a whole. If appellant, had been on trial for rape, the question as to the forcible character of his assault, he admitting connection with the woman but denying its being by force, might present a different question in passing upon proof of other assaults upon women carried to this locality under similar pretenses, but appellant is not charged in this case with rape or assault to rape, but is charged with robbery, and we observe nothing in the testimony of either of the other women, or in any of the predicates laid from examination of appellant while on the witness stand, suggesting that he was accused of taking any personal property from any of said other women. This being true, we are unable to perceive, on any legal hypothesis, the admissibility of the testimony regarding the transactions with the other women. Manifestly it must have been of great injury to appellant if not admissible. There are certain well-defined and well-understood exceptions to the general rule rejecting testimony of separate and distinct transactions, but the testimony of the other ravishments, as given in this case, seems not to come under any of said exceptions. To prove against a man charged with robbery that he had by force ravished different women would 'necessarily be of great injury to him, and, however shocking to the morals might be the story of the várious crimes charged against this appellant and narrated by these women, he is entitled to a fair and legal trial, which does not seem to have been accorded him.
An interesting question is raised as to the qualification of the special judge who tried the case, but, in view of the fact that the question was not raised until the motion for new trial was presented, we would be of the opinion that same was waived.
For the admission of the testimony above discussed, the judgment of the trial court is reversed, and the cause remanded.