Court Opinion

ID: 9666418
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:14:15.155391+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:28.445015
License: Public Domain

ELLIS, Justice,
dissenting.
Finding myself in disagreement with the majority members of the panel, I record my respectful dissent. I would sustain appellant’s first point of error because I believe the trial judge erred in allowing members of the jury to submit written questions which were propounded to the witnesses. The procedure allows the jurors to become advocates rather than impartial finders of fact.
An accused has the right to a trial by a fair and impartial jury. Article 36.13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that “the jury is the exclusive judge of the facts ...” Tex.Code CRIM.PROC. art. 36.13 (Vernon 1981). Further the burden is on the State to introduce evidence sufficient to prove appellant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, (emphasis added). Tex.Code CRIM.PROC. art. 38.03 (Vernon Supp.1991). Finally Article 38.04 of the Code of Criminal Procedure recognizes that “the jury, in all cases, is the exclusive judge of the facts proved, and of the weight to be given to the testimony ...” Tex.Code CRIM.PROC. art. 38.04 (Vernon 1979).
In every criminal trial under both Federal constitutional grounds and State law, the prosecution (The State) has the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt on each element of the offenses and all persons are presumed to be innocent. Homan v. State, 662 S.W.2d 372 (Tex.Crim.App.1984).
In the instant case, during the guilt stage of the trial, the trial court permitted the jurors the opportunity to question the witnesses. The process the Court used was to inquire at the end of a particular witness’s testimony if the panel had any questions. On three separate occasions with three different witnesses, the jurors advised the Court that they had a question. They were then instructed to write the questions on material provided by the Court. The panel was then excused to the jury room and the questions were read, at which time the Court inquired as to any objections from either attorney. Appellant’s counsel objected to this practice and was granted a running or continuing objection to preserve his error. The objection was overruled by the Court. The questions were then propounded by the Court in front of the jury and the witness was instructed to answer. Finally, the Court allowed the attorneys to ask any follow-up questions before the witness was excused. The first questions were propounded to State’s witness, Bruce Edward Lyle and consisted of three questions: (1) “How is he identifying the motor from the picture? Were there identifying marking?”; (2) “Was the boat motor stolen from his house or Bryan Marine? Did he take the boat and trailer home to make the trailer street legal?”; (3) “What was the value of the motor?” The next set of questions were propounded to Officer Dan Jones and eon-*648sisted of the following: (1) “What was the serial number of the motor cycle purchased at the shop?”; (2) “I am misunderstanding what police report has been reviewed by Officer Jones. Is the report the one reporting the motorcycle stolen or the one regarding the motorcycle’s purchase?”; (3) “What is the serial number of the motorcycle that was reported missing?”; (4) “Are the ID numbers on the police report and the ID numbers on the owner’s certificate different?” Finally, appellant’s witness, Christopher James Green, was asked: (1) “Was the phone booth that Eric used across the street from his house or the place the motor was sold?”; (2) “Kon Tiki Lounge is on the other side of Texas Avenue than what Chris Green is saying. He would have to cross Texas Avenue to go to the west side of town. Am I mistaken?”; (3) After the three, Chris, Eric, and Melvin left what did Melvin say to the other two regarding the motor being stolen? Did Melvin confront the other two after they had sold the motor?” After the jury submitted written questions, appellant renewed his objection to the procedure.
Appellant is entitled to be tried by a fair and impartial body who is charged with the duty to be the exclusive judge of the facts proved and of the weight to be given to the testimony. The procedure utilized by the trial court has completely undermined that duty and puts the jury in the untenable position of being an advocate. To allow the jury to propound questions to the witnesses relieves the State of its burden to introduce evidence sufficient to prove the appellant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Further, the trial court in its charge instructed the jury in both cases in the following language:
In all criminal cases, the burden of proof is on the State. All persons are presumed to be innocent and no person may be convicted unless each element of the offense is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, if you find the State has failed to prove each element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt or if you have a reasonable doubt thereof, you will acquit the defendant and say by your verdict “not guilty.”
The procedure the trial court used allowed the jurors to clear up any doubt they may have had by listing a question for each witness to answer. This lessens the State’s burden to prove its ease beyond a reasonable doubt and in my opinion is reversible error.
Appellant has been harmed by the procedure utilized by the trial court. The questions directed to Mr. Lyles, in effect, put in evidence the value of the boat motor which was essential to the theft charge. Also, the identification of the boat motor was elicited from the witness even though the State did not inquire as to how he knew it was his boat motor from the picture identified as State’s Exhibit No. 2. The State then failed to match the serial numbers on the motorcycle missing and the motorcycle purchased at the shop. This was propounded to Officer Dan Jones by the jury not the State. The questions posed to Christopher James Green sought to impeach the witness which is clearly not within the province of the duties of the jury. I find that the trial court erred in allowing the jury to submit written questions which were propounded to the witnesses allowing the jurors to become advocates rather than impartial factfinders and I would sustain appellant’s first point of error and reverse the District Court’s judgment and order a new trial.