Court Opinion

ID: 9681470
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:51:08.38903+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:34.150405
License: Public Domain

UTTER, Justice,
concurring.
I concur with the majority in the result reached in its opinion. I disagree with the majority regarding the original admissibility of the extraneous offense evidence. The State prevailed upon the trial court to admit evidence of the subsequent murder of *243Granelda Henderson (1) to show appellant’s motive for killing Rona Lou Brown and (2) to show “the context in which the criminal act occurred.” However, I submit that appellant’s murder of Granelda Henderson was not relevant to proving appellant’s motive for killing Rona Lou Brown and, furthermore, the State had virtually shown “the context in which the criminal act occurred.”
Prior to the admission of the extraneous offense evidence, the State had shown by numerous witnesses the arguments between appellant and Granelda Henderson, the placing of appellants’ belongings outside the apartment and the request by Gra-nelda Henderson to have Rona Lou Brown change the locks on the apartment door. Also, the State proved through police testimony the arguments and fights between appellant and Granelda Henderson. In addition, the State adduced direct evidence from an eyewitness, who identified appellant and testified regarding the conversation between appellant and Rona Lou Brown immediately prior to her murder by appellant. By such evidence, the State had successfully proven all of the extenuating circumstances, which occurred prior to appellant’s killing of Rona Lou Brown.
In Bush v. State, 628 S.W.2d 441 (Tex.Crim.App.1982), the Court of Criminal Appeals stated:
It must be remembered that the initial inquiry in determining the admissibility of evidence involves a comparison of probative value to potential prejudice. Further, in determining the admissibility of extraneous offenses, this Court must examine the “evidence which the state has to offer in proof of the essential elements of its case”, Albrecht supra at 101; Ruiz v. State [579 S.W.2d 206 (Tex.Cr.App.1979)], supra, in order to establish the necessary relationship between the offenses and the crime for which appellant stands charged.”
Bush v. State, 628 S.W.2d at 445. I would hold that, in the instant case, the admission of the extraneous offense evidence was not necessary or even warranted to prove the essential elements of the offense of the murder of Rona Lou Brown for which the appellant was charged.
I do concur with the majority that appellant waived error because appellant’s attorney interrogated the State’s witnesses regarding the two murders as evidencing “bizarre behavior” on the part of appellant and because appellant’s attorney in his jury argument repeatedly referred to the two murders. These statements, which appellant brought to the attention of the jury, were not used to meet, destroy or explain the admission of the improper evidence. Howard v. State, 599 S.W.2d 597 (Tex.Crim.App.1979). These continued references by appellant constituted a waiver of the improper admission of the extraneous offense.
Concurring opinion ordered published.
Tex.R.Crim.App. P. 207.