Court Opinion

ID: 3979196
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-07-06 10:36:23.564559+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:59:45.866765
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING.
At a former day of this term this case was affirmed, and it now comes before us on motion for rehearing. We have carefully considered the grounds set up in the motion, and in our opinion none of them are tenable, except that which is set up in appellant's ninth bill of exceptions. Said bill brings in review the refusal of the *Page 279 
court to permit the appellant to testify as to his intention at the time of inflicting the corporal punishment upon Owen Plummer, who was his pupil; the appellant proposing to show by his own testimony that it was not his intention to whip Plummer severely, but that his object was merely to inflict moderate corporal punishment. In the opinion heretofore rendered in this case, we held that, in view of the testimony in the case, it was immaterial what his intention was. Upon a more critical examination of the question, however, we believe we were in error in so holding. The appellant was entitled to this testimony, in view of the peculiar facts of this case; and, whether it was worth much or little, he had a right to have the court consider his testimony as to his intention at the time. As a school-teacher, he had the right to inflict moderate corporal punishment upon the prosecutor, Owen Plummer, for sufficient cause, and his intent and purpose in inflicting such punishment were material. The authorities hold that he could testify as to such intent. Berry v. State, 30 Tex.Crim. App. 423; 9 Crim. Law Mag. p. 166, and authorities there cited. For the error committed by the court in rejecting this testimony, a rehearing is granted, and the cause is reversed and remanded.
Reversed and Remanded.