Court Opinion

ID: 9768441
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 06:02:54.334866+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:40.906150
License: Public Domain

CLINTON, Judge,
concurring.
We decided to grant applicant leave to file his motion for rehearing, presumably to examine his vigorous contentions that not only was it inappropriate for the Court to depart from germane provisions in the Penal Code and resort to dictionary definitions to determine “common usage” of the term “sexual conduct,” but also that having done so the Court came to the wrong conclusion. While I believe appellant may have a point or two, the majority avoids discussing them by simply overruling his motion for rehearing without written opinion, thereby adhering to the opinion on original submission.
There is some merit to the contentions because on original submission the Court looked more for the common meaning of “sexual conduct” than for. what meaning the Legislature intended to give the term “victim’s sexual conduct” as used in context of § 22.065.1 Granted the opinion refers to “the history of the statute, its forerunner § 21.13, and the purpose of the statute to be served” — an endeavor that all but concedes the term “victim’s sexual conduct” is ambiguous — yet it does not examine those matters in great depth. For reasons about to be given, it is not all that apparent to me the Legislature favored such construction and the consequences it risks.
In the first place, the opinion on original submission alludes to Stone v. State, 574 S.W.2d 85 (Tex.Cr.App.1978). The offense in Stone is sexual abuse of a child; accused proffered testimony showing “prior sexual abuse of the [child] by her father and uncle,” purportedly to rebut testimony concerning psychiatric care for the child after the offense. Without any reference to former article 21.13 or citation of authority, the Court did indeed say such testimony is “evidence of the victim’s prior sexual conduct,” but found that it was unavailable as a defense under former § 21.10(b) of the Penal Code since the victim was less than fourteen years old, and thus the proffer “could not have been germane to any fact issue in the case concerning appellant’s guilt or innocence,” id., at 89-90; 2 it com*758pares Young v. State, 547 S.W.2d 23 (Tex.Cr.App.1977).
In Young v. State, supra, the Court noted § 21.13 was not followed (presumably because trial occurred shortly after its effective date), but found evidence of “the prosecutrix’s prior sexual behavior,” including engaging in sexual intercourse the night before the offense on trial and an earlier abortion, was “not germane to the issue of the victim’s acquiescence, or any other issue raised by the evidence,” id., at 25; thus failure to comply with the statutory procedure was of little moment.
One might mention Wilson v. State, 548 S.W.2d 51 (Tex.Cr.App.1977). While a hearing was conducted, the Court opined that the matters (treatment for venereal disease, previous sexual intercourse and using oral contraceptives) were “not germane to the issue of the victim’s acquiescence, or any other fact at issue as required by Sec. 21.13, supra,” see Young “and cases there cited.”3
Those three prior opinions do not even pretend to analyze the meaning of “victim’s sexual conduct.” Stone simply says prior sexual abuse of the victim by others is, suggesting erroneously that sexual abuse also shows “promiscuity;” Young and Wilson, however, deal with voluntary sexual conduct (or its consequences) on the part of the victim. They contribute little or nothing to resolution of the central issue in this cause.
Secondly, the opinion of the Court finds it “clear from ... the statute, its purpose and the spirit of the law itself that a prior rape is ‘sexual conduct’ of the victim”— “even though ... involuntarily engaged in by the victim.” The “spirit of the law” reflects a societal interest in protecting the victim in a sexual abuse case. Since § 22.065 is derived from former § 21.13 and it in turn is from the “Weddington package,” Acts 1975, 64th Leg., Ch. 203, p. 476, § 3 at 477-478, there can be no doubt that its “protection” was part and parcel of objective of H.B. No. 284, viz: “to make it less difficult to obtain convictions in sexual offense cases,” Hernandez v. State, 651 S.W.2d 746, 752 (Tex.Cr.App.1983). Still, there is nothing in the legislative history to indicate that Weddington or any other member of the Legislature contemplated “victim’s sexual conduct” be interpreted to include “sexual abuse of victim.” To the contrary, the entire thrust of the original bill she cosponsored was to advance dual propositions, viz:
“The authors of the bill felt that, except where such conduct pertains to the issue of consent, the victim’s past sexual activity is irrelevant to the question of whether or not a crime was committed. Even where consent is an issue, only particular acts, not the woman’s entire sexual history would be relevant to consent to intercourse with a particular individual.”
Weddington, Rape Law in Texas: H.B. 284, And the Road to Reform, 4 Am.J. Crim.Law 1, at 11 (Winter 1975-1976).4
*759Only after going through all those developments does Weddington set out in full the section that was ultimately added as § 21.13. Then she evaluates that section: “strongly worded in favor of excluding most of the victims' sexual activity — even more so than our original proposal,” adding:
“Attempted use of innuendo by defense counsel may be inevitable, but section 21.13 mandates the judiciary to control it and to warn the jury against it. If certain acts by the prosecutrix are relevant, they are admissible.”
Nowhere in her exhaustive treatment of problems, proposals, legislative developments, respective arguments, rationale and evaluation does Weddington identify any kind of “sexual abuse of victim” as a concern; nor does she claim that it is intended to be embraced within the meaning of “victim’s sexual conduct;” nor does she assert that the legislation actually includes it.
Thirdly, the legislative process thus produced the matters covered by § 21.13, viz:
“(a) Evidence of specific instances of the victim’s sexual conduct, opinion evidence of the victim’s sexual conduct and reputation evidence of the victim’s sexual conduct may be admitted ...”
Facially, those provisions simply cannot reasonably be read to make “sexual abuse of victim” a form of “victim’s sexual conduct.” Nor will an analysis of that essen-tia] component of the statutory phrase permit such a reading. For purposes of the penal code “conduct” means “an act and its accompanying mental state,” § 1.07(a)(8). Putting “sexual” before it as an adjective modifies “conduct” to identify its quality. Use of the possessive case makes the phrase mean “the victim’s sexual act with an accompanying mental state” — “victim’s sexual conduct.”
When “material to a fact at issue” such evidence of the latter goes to “propensity” of a victim to engage in consensual sexual intercourse and, some say, credibility. Comment, Forcible Rape: The Law in Texas, 9 Tex. Tech L.Rev. 563 at 575 (1978); Comment, Limitations on the Right to Introduce Evidence Pertaining to the Pri- or Sexual History of the Complaining Witness in Cases of Forcible Rape: Reflection of Reality or Denial of Due Process? 3 Hofstra L.Rev. 403, 409 (1975); see also Comment, Rape — Admissibility of Victim’s Prior Sexual Conduct: What is the Law in Texas? 31 Baylor L.Rev. 317 (1979). In those instances where the prosecution introduces certain physical evidence, the accused is allowed to show such prior consensual sexual intercourse as may tend to explain the condition of her “private parts” after the alleged rape. Id., at 319, 326-327; Bader v. State, 57 Tex.Cr.R. 293, 122 S.W. 555, 556-557 (1909); Campbell v. State, 147 Tex.Cr.R. 192, 179 S.W.2d 547, 549 (1944); see Roper v. State, 375 S.W.2d 454, 456 (Tex.Cr.App.1964). Neither law review article discussing § 21.13, nor the Hofstra Comment surveying the subject generally, remotely suggests that evidence of “sexual abuse of victim” is part of the problem or any way implicated in solving it.
To find that it does include “sexual abuse of victim” turns § 22.065 on its head and creates a risk that evidence of specific instances of sexual abuse of victim, opinion evidence of sexual abuse of victim and reputation evidence of sexual abuse of victim will get to a jury on an illadvised *760finding by a trial court. The risk is great enough that under the Act consequences of the construction given the statute by the majority must be taken into account. Code Construction Act, § 311.022, V.T.C.A. Government Code, 10 Vernon’s Texas Session Law Service 1985, 3247. Yet there is no real indication they have been. It is a wry construction of a statute designed to be protective of a victim of sexual abuse that may force her to reprise sexual abuses previously perpetrated against her. That risk ought not and need not be created.
Section 22.065 is essentially a procedural device to shield a testifying victim of sexual abuse — a sort of statutory order in li-mine. It places on attorney for accused a burden of first realizing that a proposed question pertains to the victim’s sexual conduct and then informing the trial judge of an intent to ask it. However, § 22.065 does not purport to be an exclusive procedure to initiate a hearing to bar inadmissible evidence of victim’s sexual conduct. A motion in limine is still available to prosecutors. Weddington, op cit., at 13. Indeed, since it should be more conducive to a better understanding of what is verboten than a unilateral determination by counsel, as a practical matter a written motion in limine may well provide better protection than a statutory order.
For all those reasons the majority grievously errs in adhering to the construction of § 22.065 in the opinion on original submission, and I must dissent to its conclusion in this respect. Should the majority insist on enlarging scope and effect of § 22.065, surely it can cause the Court to frame a more definitive rationale than “[cjonduct is conduct,” Maj.Op.P. 756.5
Turning to the result, it is not necessary that the Court apply so much judicial gloss to the statute in order to uphold the order of contempt in this cause. That order finds, inter alia, that applicant posed a question “intentionally ... in direct violation of the provisions of Article [sic] 22.-065, supra, and in direct violation of the orders of this Court on January 23, 1984 ...” The verbal order was couched in terms of “prior sexual activity.” The stipulation reveals smoking a joint of marihuana, oral sex, attempted intercourse and actual intercourse. In that context broadly to ask a female complaining witness “I take it that nothing like that ever happened to you before?” .reasonably anticipates that she might easily allude to prior consensual sexual conduct. Thus, should we agree with Judge Teague that the ensuing colloquy may not serve to define breadth and substance of the question, see his dissenting opinion at pp. 754-755 and 756, and still in light of all surrounding circumstances a judge may infer from its breadth and substance that the question does trespass into forbidden territory.
As I understand it, the majority has concluded that the verbal order was clear and certain enough to authorize the trial court to render its order of contempt after finding applicant in violation. In his own opinion Judge Teague agrees the verbal order has the same force and effect. Dissenting opinion, p. 756. On that basis much said in the opinion about § 22.065 becomes dicta, and need not be written at all.
Also, on the same basis, the Court may leave open the question of whether a criminal defense lawyer engages in contemptuous conduct merely on a bare failure to comply with § 22.065(b), although the opinion on original submission seems to answer it affirmatively. Creating such uncertainty is not too helpful to the bench and bar. I would hold that, without more, a failing to conform with § 22.065(b) is not contemptuous per se.
Given my own views of the matter and my understanding of the way this cause is being resolved, I reluctantly join the judgment but not the opinion of the Court.

. All emphasis is mine throughout unless otherwise indicated.

. Denouncing sexual abuse of a child, former § 21.10(b) provided a defense to prosecution if the victim was at least fourteen and prior to the offense had "engaged promiscuously in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse.” Though the particular abuse involved appears to have been nonconsensual, see Stone, at 88, the opinion seems to equate prior sexual abuse of a victim with "promiscuity” on the part of the *758victim. For me and I venture most parents, that notion is wholly unacceptable.

. They are Campbell v. State, 147 Tex.Cr.R. 192, 179 S.W.2d 547 (1944) and Tyler v. State, 145 Tex.Cr.R. 315, 167 S.W.2d 755 (1942). Both regard Graham v. State, 125 Tex.Cr.App. 210, 67 S.W.2d 296 (1933), as a leading case that collects the law on admissibility of "victim’s sexual conduct,” and it is helpful, to note that in each instance her prior conduct was voluntary. Nothing in any of the three opinions indicates evidence of past "sexual abuse of victim” is admissible. See also Satterwhite v. State, 113 Tex.Cr.R. 659, 23 S.W.2d 356 (1929).

. To better comprehend the points Weddington sought to make about this legislation one must follow the format of her presentation. Earlier at page 6 she outlines relevant provisions of the original bill under the italicized heading "G. Victim's previous sexual conduct." It would have forbidden evidence of and any references to the victim’s previous sexual conduct unless in an in camera hearing the trial court found it came within certain limitations of time and was relevant. Inter alia, she explains that the proposal was "careful to preserve the right of the defendant to impeach the victim's credibility by showing any prior felony convictions involving sexual conduct on her record." (That right is retained in § 21.13(d).)
Then, under "Part II. Development of the Final Bill,” by subject matter Weddington explains why sponsors made certain concessions, what was deleted and how the original proposal was modified; it is while making such explana*759tions that she comes to the "most divisive issue retained in the final bill” — "the extent to which information relating to a woman’s past sexual conduct should be permitted by law." Wedding-ton, op cit., at 11. She then relates how "authors of the bill felt” about that issue, as quoted in the text above. Weddington goes on to support their "feeling" by, inter alia, arguing from a proposition laid down ninety years earlier by Judge White in Wilson v. State, 17 Tex.App. 525, 536 (1885), that opponents to the proposal were wrongheaded.
That done, Weddington provides a rationale for § 21.13, viz:
“The accused enjoys many protections during the course of his prosecution, including the inadmissibility of his own past sexual behavior — even if other women have previously accused him of rapes or rape attempts. In voting to add section 21.13 ..., a majority of House members asserted that irrelevant testimony about the victim’s past at trial did not meaningfully protect the defendant.” Id., at 12-13.

. The term fashioned by the majority is a solecism, saying at once everything and nothing at all. See Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157, 166 (Tex.Cr.App.1985). Fortunately for victims of sexual abuse, by restoring a shield Rule 412, Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence captures more of the spirit of the original legislation. What is done today will soon pass away.