Court Opinion

ID: 9761392
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 01:41:41.085544+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:23.483394
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON APPELLANT’S MOTION FOR REHEARING
W. C. DAVIS, Judge.
On original submission, this conviction was reversed; the majority of the panel holding it was error to deny appellant’s requested charge on self-defense. On State’s motion for rehearing, the judgment was affirmed on the basis that it did not appear that the objection to the charge was timely. As appellant points out in his brief on motion for rehearing, the jury did not return its verdict on November 2, 1977, but the record reflects that the jury was charged and the appellant was convicted on November 3, 1977. We turn then to reconsider the merits of appellant’s complaint.
The appellant urges that the trial court erred in denying his request for an instruction on the law of self-defense. If an issue is raised by the evidence, the accused is entitled to have that issue submitted to the jury. Rodriquez v. State, 544 S.W.2d 382 (Tex.Cr.App.1977).
The complaining witness, Frank Greenhaw, testified that he was driving a city garbage truck on the date of the offense. Greenhaw was unable to collect the garbage in front of a club because a pickup was blocking the way. There were three persons in the pickup. When Greenhaw asked the driver of the pickup to pull up, the appellant got out of the passenger side of the truck and started “cussing” at him. Greenhaw stated that the appellant appeared to be drunk. The complainant walked across the street to call the police; the appellant followed him, shouting obscenities. Greenhaw, paraphrasing appellant, testified that appellant told him “he was going to cut my rear off.” On the way to the telephone, the appellant pulled out his pocket knife, then staggered around the complainant, threatening him. After the complainant made his call, to protect himself, he pulled out his pocket knife and said, “Man, back up. I don’t think we should try to take care of this. Let the officer get here. When he gets here, let him take care of it.” The appellant continued to walk around the complainant, cussing, until the driver of the pickup impressed upon appellant that the police were on their way, at which point the appellant ran off.
Section 9.31(a), V.T.C.A. Penal Code provides:
“(a) Except as provided in Subsection (b) of this section, a person is justified in using force against another when and to the degree he reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to protect himself against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful force.”
Clearly, the testimony of the complainant did not raise the issue of self-defense. According to the appellant’s version of the events that transpired, the garbage truck drove up too close to the pickup. Appellant stated that he asked Greenhaw if he was trying to hit the truck. Appellant stated that he and Greenhaw cussed at each other. The appellant denied having a knife. The only testimony from appellant which would arguably raise the issue of self-defense is as follows:
“Q. [On direct examination]: Did you have a knife in your hand?
A. No, I didn’t have no knife.
*779Q. Did you threaten him with a knife?
A. I told him I would take his and use it on him.

Q. Did you see him have a knife?
A. He had one.

Q. In your own mind, was there a chance that you might see trouble that day because of that knife?
A. If he would have tried to hurt me with it we probably would have got into some trouble because like I said, I just got tired of arguing with him and we left.” (Emphasis added)
Section 9.31, supra, justifies the use of force against another when the actor reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect himself against the other’s use of force or attempted use of unlawful force. In Section 9.04, V.T.C.A. Penal Code, threat of force is justified when the use of force is justified by Chapter 9 of the Penal Code.
In this record there was no evidence that the use of force by appellant was immediately necessary to protect himself from the complainant. There is the undisputed evidence that the complainant had a pocket knife, but the record is void of evidence that the complainant ever attempted to use the knife or even threatened to use the knife. In fact, the record is silent as to whether the pocket knife was even open. Appellant’s statement, “If he had tried to hurt me with it... ” strongly implies that the complainant did not try to hurt appellant. Further, there is absolutely no evidence that appellant was in apprehension or fear of being the recipient of the unlawful use of force from complainant. The evidence does not raise the issue of self-defense; the appellant was not entitled to such a charge. See Cerda v. State, 557 S.W.2d 954 (Tex.Cr.App.1977); Dominguez v. State, 506 S.W.2d 880 (Tex.Cr.App.1974). The contention is overruled.
The appellant’s motion for rehearing is denied. The judgment is affirmed.
ROBERTS, CLINTON and TEAGUE, JJ., dissent.