Court Opinion

ID: 9683015
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 13:20:48.249983+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:43.995543
License: Public Domain

WALKER,- Chief Justice,
dissenting.
Based on the following, I feel appellant’s first point of error should be overruled, thus my respectful dissent.
Appellant argues the trial court erred in admitting medical records which contained evidence of prior injuries to the child, precisely evidence of prior broken ribs and prior *385brain hemorrhages. This evidence was introduced by the State as Exhibit No. 3. Appellant argues the evidence is an extraneous offense which cannot be tied to the defendant and therefore the trial court erred in admitting the evidence. The State replied the evidence was not being introduced as an extraneous offense but instead was offering it under Tex.R.CRIM. Evid. 105. The State argues the evidence was relevant as part and parcel of the medical records to show the child’s medical condition.
The record shows us the following statements transpired between the trial court, prosecutor, and defense counsel regarding the evidence:
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: ... Where you face a serious problem on these is that they are talking about broken ribs and the prior hemorrhage, brain hemorrhages. They are saying I think there are 21 broken ribs, and prior brain hemorrhages, I think I’m using the right medical word. There is no way that these records are, any way can connect this defendant with that extraneous offense. That’s what you’re dealing with is an extraneous offense .... So now you’re in the position of admitting the records, we are asking — We don’t have a problem with the records going into evidence except where they talk about prior broken ribs and prior brain hemorrhages. That is an extraneous offense that they cannot tie this defendant to. Could they do that, it might become relevant, which is the first test you have under, whatever it is, Montgomery or whatever the extraneous rule cases are. You got to show relevance, and you’ve got to show a sort of special relevance that it’s not going to prejudice the jury. But more importantly, in this case, you got to show that the defendant can be connected at all to the extraneous offense. And that’s where they fail completely.
THE COURT: How is this an extraneous offense? There could be multiple reasons why there are broken ribs or previous hematoma. You’re assuming the worst, is what you’re telling me. You’re assuming that the inference that the jury might take or that the implication is that there is a previous beating of some sort, but is there anything in these records, without me looking at them, that says, that insinuates that, or is he just reflecting that that is found? There’s a big difference between insinuation and paranoia and fear that that’s what the case is.
What do the records say?
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: ... [0]ur point is this, it is an extraneous offense, period. It will prejudice this jury because they will assume that the defendant broke the ribs. And they’re not tied — That’s why Judge Martin, [the former Judge ruling on pre-trial motions], ruled they are not admissible. They are not admissible because you can’t tie the broken ribs to him.
THE COURT: Is the sole purpose of this offer to get in those two pieces of information to the jury?
[PROSECUTOR]: No, Your Honor, it’s not. I would agree with counsel for the defendant that Judge Martin ruled that evidence of extraneous offense was not going to come in in this case. However, there are other reasons for the admissibility of these records. Under Rule Criminal Evidence 105, a piece of evidence that may be inadmissible for one purpose but admissible for another can come in if it’s relevant.
THE COURT: And not overprejudicial to the defendant.
[PROSECUTOR]: And you can give a limiting instruction if requested by the defense on the admissibility, a reason for that coming in. I submit to the Court that these records are part and parcel of the condition of the child at the time of the admission in UTMB, Galveston. They’re admissible for that purpose. They’re admissible to show the child’s condition at that time, not that this man inflicted the injuries prior to that time, but to show the complete medical diagnosis of that child at that time, [emphasis added]
And also, the cause of death. It is in the autopsy report as the finding of the medical examiner at that time, not as the actual cause of death, the prior hematomas, the prior brain hemorrhage and the prior rib *386injuries, but as a part and parcel of the doctor’s findings on his pathology report.
THE COURT: Have you marked the exhibit where these objectionable areas are located? It looks to be quite voluminous.
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I have not marked it on his. I think I can — I think I have marked it on my copy, but I’ll have to go through this page by page.... I’m not fighting whether it’s an official record or not.
THE COURT: You’re fighting about the relevancy being so prejudicial to your client that it prevents him from having a fair trial. I’ll look at it.
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THE COURT: I wiü look at this and look at these areas you’re talking about. Is it imperative you have a ruling this minute?
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: No, Your Honor, it is not.
THE COURT: I’ll take [the] documents on an in-camera review and give you my ruling later.
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[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: May I state something for the Record? I’ve got an additional objection to State’s No. 3. I object under 404B.
THE COURT: All right.
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I just wanted to get that in.
THE COURT: I will take it under advisement.
[Following an in-camera review, at the next morning session, the following proceedings were held].
THE COURT: ... Exhibit No. 3, the University of Texas Medical Branch of Galveston on the victim, George, Alexander, the objection being as to the medical history, record of prior broken ribs and hematomas, the Exhibit No. 3 is admitted in its entirety over the objection of the defendant.
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I have additional objections I wanted to make before you make your ruling. Can I make those for the Record as to [Exhibit No. 3]?
THE COURT: ... Three is going to be admitted unless you’ve got some other objection.
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: ... On Exhibit No. 3, the medical records, defendant objects because it violates Rules 401, 402, 403, 404(b), and also violates the Texas and Federal Constitution, right to confrontation. Also, that it’s hearsay. Also, that it’s irrelevant. Also, that it’s cumulative. Also that its prejudicial value outweighs the probative value. And also as the defendant cannot be connected to the broken ribs under Harris versus State, 738 S.W. 2nd, 207; Thompson versus State, 615 S.W. 2nd, 760, and McGee versus State, 725, S.W. 2nd, 362. And those are our objections.
THE COURT: Those objections are overruled.
Following the adverse ruling on his objection, defendant could have requested a limiting instruction. He failed to do so. Instead, he waited and requested that a limiting instruction be included in the jury charge.
Rule 105(a) of the Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence sets out the circumstances under which a limiting instruction should be given:
When evidence which is admissible as to one party or for one purpose but not admissible as to another party or for another purpose is admitted, the court, upon request, shall restrict the evidence to its proper scope and instruct the jury accordingly; but, in the absence of such request the court’s action in admitting such evidence without limitation shall not be a ground for complaint on appeal.
Tex.R.CRIm. Evid. 105(a) [emphasis added]. Pursuant to this rule, limiting instructions “curb the improper use of evidence” restricting the evidence to its proper scope. Rankin v. State, No. 0374-94, 1996 WL 165014, *5, — S.W.2d -, — (Tex.Crim.App. April 10, 1996)(not yet released for publication). Where evidence is offered and admitted for a limited purpose, the party opposing admission of evidence has the burden of requesting a correct limiting instruction. Johnson v. State, No. 72046, 1997 WL 209527, *11, — S.W.2d -, - (Tex.Crim.App. April 30, 1997)(not yet released for publication); Lar*387son v. Cactus Utility Co., 730 S.W.2d 640, 642 (Tex.1987).
The defendant should have requested a limiting instruction when the evidence was admitted. Upon proper request, under Rule 105, a limiting instruction must be given when the evidence is admitted. Rankin, 1996 WL 165014, at *7, at -; see also Jones v. State, 944 S.W.2d 642, 653 (Tex.Crim.App.1996), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 118 S.Ct. 100, 139 L.Ed.2d 54 (1997). “[L]ogic demands that the instruction be given at the first opportunity.” Rankin, 1996 WL 165014, at *5, at -. “ ‘Once evidence is received without a proper limiting instruction, it becomes part of the general evidence in the case and may be used as proof to the full extent of its rational persuasive power.’ ” Johnson, 1997 WL 209527, at *11, at - (quoting Garcia v. State, 887 S.W.2d 862, 878 (Tex.Crim.App.1994)). As stated by the Court of Criminal Appeals in Rankin:
Jurors cannot be expected to know exactly how to use the evidence unless we tell them, nor can we guarantee that they will “remain open-minded until the presentation of all of the evidence and instructions ...” See Morrison v. State, 845 S.W.2d 882, 887 (Tex.Crim.App.1992). Additionally, we cannot tell how jurors have used the admitted evidence. Thus, the possibility exists that, unless we instruct the jury on evidence concurrently with its admittance, jurors may, unbeknownst to us, use that evidence improperly by forming an indelible perception of the defendant that will work unfairly to his inevitable detriment.
Limiting instructions given for the first time during the jury charge thus do not constitute an efficacious application of Rule 105(a) since it allows for the possibility that evidence will be used improperly in clear contravention to the purpose of the rule.
Rankin, 1996 WL 165014, at *5-6, at -.
Although it is clear from the record the defense was concerned with those parts of the medical record pertaining to the prior broken ribs and brain hemorrhages, the defense failed to request a limiting instruction at the time the evidence was admitted. As a result, the trial court was not informed as to what limitation defendant desired to have placed on the evidence. Therefore, because appellant failed to request instructions limiting the jury’s consideration of the medical records, he has waived any complaint to the general admission of the evidence. See Birchfield v. Texarkana Memorial Hosp., 747 S.W.2d 361, 365 (Tex.1987).