Court Opinion

ID: 9863262
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 03:19:02.26834+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:40:20.199068
License: Public Domain

BAIRD, Judge,
dissenting.
The majority opinion is yet another attempt to circumvent applicable law in furtherance of a result oriented agenda. The majority holds “... a defendant may waive his statutory right to a jury of twelve members. Therefore, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals and remand the cause there for further proceedings consistent with this opinion and our opinion in Hatch. ...” Ante at 81.
While I dissent to the majority’s holding in this case for the reasons I dissented in Hatch v. State, 958 S.W.2d 813 (Tex.Cr.App.), I feel it necessary to comment on the majority’s disturbing and unprecedented mischaraeteri-zation in this case of defendant’s right of trial by a full jury as merely a “statutory right” subject to waiver. Until now, this Court has honored an accused felon’s right to a jury of twelve member's as a right protected by the Texas Constitution. See, Tex. Const, art. V, § 13 (jury in district court shall be composed of twelve members); and Tex. Const, art. I, § 15 (defendant’s right of trial by jury shall remain inviolable). Clark v. State, 161 Tex.Crim. 278, 276 S.W.2d 819, 820 (1955) (holding judgment in felony case where there is plea of not guilty based only on a verdict of eleven jurors violates defendant’s constitutional right of trial by jury and is absolutely void); Dunn v. State, 92 Tex.Crim. 126, 242 S.W. 1049 (1922) (same). With this additional comment, I dissent to the majority’s failure to apply Texas law requiring twelve jurors in a felony prosecution, consistent with my dissenting opinion in Hatch v. State, 958 S.W.2d 813 (Tex.Cr.App.).