Court Opinion

ID: 9648614
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 14:30:29.781313+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:04.222677
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON STATE’S MOTION FOR REHEARING
DUNN, Justice.
On appellant’s motion for rehearing, we held that appellant met the first prong of the Royster1 test because the lesser included offense of possession of drug paraphernalia was included within the proof necessary to establish the offense charge of possession of cocaine, so that possession of drug paraphernalia was a lesser included offense of the offense of possession of cocaine. However, we found that appellant failed to meet the second prong of the Royster test because he did not show that if he was guilty, he was guilty of only the lesser included offense. After reconsideration, we hold that appellant did not meet the first prong of the Royster test.
At trial, appellant objected to the trial court’s jury charge and requested a charge for the possession of drug paraphernalia as a lesser included offense. Appellant argued that possession of drug paraphernalia is a lesser included offense of possession of cocaine.
Before a charge on a lesser included offense can be given, two requirements must be met. Lincecum v. State, 736 S.W.2d 673, 678 (Tex.Crim.App.1987); Johnson v. State, 773 S.W.2d 721, 722 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1989, pet. ref’d). First, the lesser included offense must be included within the proof necessary to establish the offense charged. Lincecum, 736 S.W.2d at 678. Second, there must be some evidence in the record that if the defendant is guilty, he is guilty of only the lesser offense. Id.; Royster, 622 S.W.2d *10at 447. “Merely because a lesser offense is included within the proof of a greater offense, however, does not always warrant a jury charge on the lesser offense.” Aguilar v. State, 682 S.W.2d 556, 558 (Tex.Crim.App.1985).
The offense of possession of drug paraphernalia is not within the proof necessary to establish the offense of possession of cocaine. Tex.Code Crim.P.Ann. art. 37.-09(1) (Vernon 1981); see Sims v. State, 833 S.W.2d 281 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.], n.w.h.). Therefore, appellant did not meet the first prong of the Royster test. Royster, 622 S.W.2d at 447. Also, appellant failed to meet the second prong of the Royster test because there was no evidence presented at trial which showed that appellant, if guilty, was only guilty of the lesser included offense of possession of drug paraphernalia. Id. We note there is no conflicting evidence concerning an element of the greater offense (possession óf cocaine), which is not an element of the lesser included offense of possession of drug paraphernalia, so that the trial court needed to give a charge on possession of drug paraphernalia. Id. at 446.
The State’s motion for rehearing is denied and the judgment is affirmed.

. Royster v. State, 622 S.W.2d 442 (Tex.Crim.App.1981).