Court Opinion

ID: 9672584
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:57:35.011981+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:17.353970
License: Public Domain

ON APPELLANT’S MOTION FOR REHEARING
BELCHER, Commissioner.
In his brief which has now been filed, the appellant complains of a comment made by the trial judge during a conference with the attorneys at the bench relative to a previous statement made by the prosecuting witness to an attorney for the state. The record reflects that after extended statements by the attorneys, the state’s attorney said, “I would like to stipulate further that he did make a verbal complaint and oral statement on November 20th.” Then the Judge said: “We have • been talking about it all day.” To this statement the appellant objected on the ground it was a comment on the weight of the evidence and highly inflammatory, and moved for a mistrial which was overruled. There is no showing that the jury heard said comment. An abundance of testimony was before the jury pertaining to the statement of the witness without objection. No benefit to the state is perceived in the court’s remarks or injury to the appellant which would call for a reversal.
It is insisted that the trial court erred in admitting in evidence the fingerprints taken of the appellant in 1958, which *389were marked State’s Exhibit No. 7. Appellant objected on the ground that the prints were irrelevant, immaterial, and were taken at a time long prior to the commission of the offenses charged in the indictment.
The testimony shows only that the fingerprints were taken in 1958. There is no evidence of where they were taken, or that he was in custody of an officer, or that the taking had any connection with crime.
Appellant complains of the admission in evidence of State’s Exhibit No. 8, which consists of fingerprint cards and photographs attached to certified copies of indictments, judgments and sentences of convictions from the records of the Texas Department of Corrections, which were admitted alone on the certification of the Record Clerk of said Department. Appellant objected thereto because he was denied the right to cross examine the person or persons connected with the production or custody of said records, and that they were hearsay.
The instruments complained of correspond with and support the prior convictions alleged for enhancement. Further, it was shown by expert testimony that the fingerprints taken from the appellant in 1958, were the same as those on the fingerprint cards included in the certified copies of the records of the Texas Department of Corrections introduced to show the alleged prior convictions.
This manner of proof in establishing the prior convictions alleged, and that the appellant is the same person so convicted, has been approved. Appellant’s contentions are overruled. Spencer v. State, 164 Tex.Cr.R. 464, 300 S.W.2d 950; Tomlin v. State, 170 Tex.Cr.R. 108, 338 S.W.2d 735; Self v. State, 171 Tex.Cr.R. 222, 346 S.W.2d 850; Broussard v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 363 S.W.2d 143. However, the court submitted only one of the prior convictions alleged in its charge to the jury.
Appellant further complains of the action of the trial court in permitting the attorney for the state to prove by him on his cross-examination that he was convicted for the offense of swindling with a worthless check, June 2, 1961, in a District Court of Harris County. The prior conviction was not too remote and was for an offense involving moral turpitude, and could be used for the purpose of affecting the credibility of appellant as a witness. Sweat v. State, 132 Tex.Cr.R. 122, 102 S.W.2d 226; Porter v. State, 163 Tex.Cr.R. 485, 293 S.W.2d 667.
The other contentions of the appellant have been considered and they do not show error.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.
Opinion approved by the Court.