Court Opinion

ID: 9763182
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:38:22.322893+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:39.854055
License: Public Domain

BIERY, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
The court today has announced a significant expansion of a rule intended to deter improper jury argument. The majority’s decision, however, conflicts with previous supreme court and court of appeals decisions and imposes an unworkable burden on the trial judges of this state.
While I agree with the social policy statements of the majority opinion and the cases *869cited, I disagree with the majority’s application of those cases to remarks which are subtle and ambiguous as opposed to overt. Trial judges have a long-standing responsibility to police closing arguments; however, they should not be required to retry a case if a subtle or ambiguous argument does not result in harmful error. The cases relied upon by the majority involved overt and egregious racial, ethnic or religious comments. In those cases, error was properly preserved by objection or the overt and egregious nature of the argument rendered it incurable and made an objection unnecessary to preserve error. See Texas Employers’ Ins. Ass’n v. Haywood, 266 S.W.2d 856, 858-59 (Tex.1954) (Justice Calvert opines that an objection to a particularly inflammatory argument is not always necessary and then went on to say that the improper argument was reasonably calculated to cause and probably did cause an improper verdict.) (Emphasis added.) In the instant case, an incomplete objection was made, no instruction to disregard was requested, and no motion for mistrial was lodged. There is no opinion by the majority that the alleged improper argument in this case resulted in an improper verdict.
It is a rarity that limited judicial resources are used for retrials because of incurable jury arguments. Even strong appeals to prejudice become harmless when a jury is instructed to disregard them, for which reason it is logical to require an objection and instruction. Standard Fire Ins. Co. v. Reese, 584 S.W.2d 835, 840 (Tex.1979); Fowler v. Garcia, 687 S.W.2d 517, 520 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1985, no writ). A judgment should be reversed on the basis of improper argument only in rare instances. See Texaco v. Pennzoil Co., 729 S.W.2d 768, 834-35 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1987, writ ref'd n.r.e.); Smith v. Smith, 720 S.W.2d 586, 592-94 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1986, no writ).
In Texas Sand Co. v. Donald L. Shield, 381 S.W.2d 48 (Tex.1964), the supreme court said:
Other cases deal with the question of whether certain types of arguments are ‘curable’ or ‘incurable.’ See Wade v. Texas Employers Ins. Ass’n, 150 Tex. 557, 244 S.W.2d 197 (1951); Houseman v. De Cuir, 155 Tex. 127, 283 S.W.2d 732 (1955). However, regardless of the type or category in which an argument might fall, the true test is as laid down in Texas Employers’ Ins. Ass’n v. Haywood, 153 Tex. 242, 266 S.W.2d 856 (1954), the test that has been consistently followed by this Court since the adoption of Rules 434 and 503, supra. In the Haywood case we said:
The true test is the degree of prejudice flowing from the argument — whether the argument, considered in its proper setting was reasonably calculated to cause such prejudice to the opposing litigant that a withdrawal by counsel or an instruction by the court, or both, could not eliminate the probability that it resulted in an improper verdict. (Emphasis added.)
Texas Sand Co., 381 S.W.2d at 58.
In Standard Fire Ins. Co. v. Reese, 584 S.W.2d 835 (Tex.1979), the supreme court speaks of the history of the harmless error rule and, in that context, sets forth seven elements a complainant must prove in order to obtain a reversal for improper jury argument. Id. at 839. Among other things, the complainant must prove either that error was preserved by a proper objection (Element No. 3) or that no objection was necessary because an instruction would not have cured the error (Element No. 4). Finally, the supreme court says:
(7) Importantly, a reversal must come from an evaluation of the whole case, which begins with the voir dire and ends with the closing argument. The record may show that the cause is weak, strong, or very close. From all of these factors, the complainant must show that the probability that the improper argument caused harm is greater than the probability that the verdict was grounded on the proper proceedings *870and evidence. (Emphasis added.) Aultman v. Dallas Ry. & Term. Co., 152 Tex. 509, 260 S.W.2d 596 (1953).
Standard Fire Ins. Co. v. Reese, 584 S.W.2d at 840.
In Dayton Hudson Corp. v. Altus, 715 S.W.2d 670 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1986, writ ref’d n.r.e.), the appellant complained of the appellee’s closing argument in which it was asserted that appellee overtly and directly appealed to the passion and prejudice of the jury by referring to the appellee as a “God fearing Christian woman” and the appellant’s employees as “two black people.” Id. at 676. Notwithstanding the overt language of this argument, the Houston court of appeals, relying on Standard Fire Ins. Co. v. Reese, found that appellant never objected to these statements, and therefore, the issue was waived. Id. The supreme court denied a writ with the notation “no reversible error.” The rule proposed by the majority in this case conflicts with the Dayton Hudson holding.
In Greeson v. Texas & Pacific Ry Co., 310 S.W.2d 615 (Tex.Civ.App.—El Paso 1958, writ ref’d n.r.e.), the appellant raised numerous complaints concerning the closing argument of the appellees including references to witnesses as “colored boy,” and “be he black or white.” The El Paso Court of Appeals said:
... we have concluded that the cumulative effect of all the argument complained of, whether improper or not, was not calculated to cause, and probably did not cause, the rendition of an improper judgment in the case. (Emphasis added.)
Id. at 623.
The language from Otis Elevator Co. v. Wood, 436 S.W.2d 324 (Tex.1968) which is relied upon by the majority does not do away with the harmful/harmless analysis required by the supreme court’s holding in Texas Sand Co., 381 S.W.2d 48 (Tex.1964). Rather, Otis simply stands for the proposition that if the argument is “curable,” an objection must be made to preserve the error. Otis at 333. On the other hand, if the argument is “incurable,” an objection need not be made to preserve the error. Id. Having found preserved error, the court then must make an analysis of whether the error was reversible under the standard of TEX.R.APP.P. 81(b)(1).
Turning to the challenged argument in the case before us, the threshold analysis is whether the argument is improper. The literary quote is followed by an application of the quote to the evidence in the case as seen by Guerrero’s counsel. Next, counsel for Guerrero analogizes between the body politic and the body of a jury of peers of a man seeking a judgment “if he is entitled to [sic] under the evidence.” (Emphasis added.) The use of hyperbole1 and metaphors, as well as history, politics, literature or personal experience, is not only permissible but represents traditional tools of oral advocacy. See Louisiana & Arkansas Railway v. Capps, 766 S.W.2d 291, 296 (Tex.App.—Texarkana 1989, no writ); Sheffield v. Lewis, 287 S.W.2d 531, 539 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana 1956, no writ).
Clearly, ethnicity is never mentioned in the argument. It is undisputed that the ethnic plea, if any, is subtle and, I believe, ambiguous at the very worst. We must make our decision based on the record before us. To conclude that the challenged portion of the argument is an improper plea for ethnic unity would require that we take into account cultural, political, and social history of the geographical area in which this case was tried which is not in the record before us.
If ethnicity is truly an issue2 in this case, there is nothing in the record before us to show the ethnicity of the Spanish surnamed *871people involved. Lopez v. Foremost Paving Co., Inc., 699 S.W.2d 232, 235 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1985), rev’d on other grounds, 709 S.W.2d 643 (Tex.1986). Spanish surnames, in and of themselves, do not prove a unity of ethnic purpose where considerable cultural differences exist among Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Nicaraguans, Salvadorans and others. United States v. Duran de Amesquita, 582 F.Supp. 1326, 1328 (S.D.Fla.1984).
I would hold under the state of this record that the appellant has not met its heavy burden of showing an improper argument.
Even if the argument were deemed to be inappropriate, we note that Dayton Hudson Corp. v. Attics, where overt references were made to “God fearing Christian woman” and “two blacks,” is a recent case standing for the proposition that even overt racial arguments require an objection in order to preserve any error. Assuming for the sake of discussion that the argument was improper and that any error was properly preserved, I believe that Standard Fire Ins. v. Reese, Texas Sand Co. v. Shield, Wade v. Texas Employers’ Ins. Ass’n and Texas Employers’ Ins. Ass’n v. Haywood further require an analysis of whether the error was harmful or harmless. In the rare instance that improper unobjected-to jury argument is incurable, the complaining party has the additional burden to show the argument by its very nature, degree and extent constituted harmful error. Ford Motor Co. v. Durrill, 714 S.W.2d 329, 342 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1986), judgment vacated by agr., 754 S.W.2d 646 (Tex.1988). We judge by degree of the vice, not merely the subject matter of the argument. Wade v. Texas Employers’ Ins. Ass’n, 150 Tex. 557, 244 S.W.2d 197, 201 (1951). (Emphasis added.)
Given our review of the record and findings on the sufficiency of the evidence, I question that any error was harmful and that a retrial in which the objectionable four sentences are excluded will produce a significantly different result. TEX.R. APP.P. 81(b)(1).
Rule 324(b)(5) of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure provides that an appellant must raise the issue of incurable argument in a motion for new trial if the alleged incurable argument has not otherwise been ruled upon by the trial court. The appellant properly did this. Presumably, the reason for this rule is to give the trial judge an opportunity to reflect calmly, at the post-judgment stage, on whether alleged incurable argument (a) really was incurable and (b) constituted harm to the extent that a new trial would be required. In overruling the motion for new trial, the trial judge apparently believed that the alleged error did not result in the rendition of an improper judgment.
The true power and wisdom of the judicial branch of our government is vested primarily in the discretion and sense of fair play of the trial bench. It is extremely rare for our jurisprudence to impose a rule of automatic reversal which undermines the discretion vested in trial courts. In Carson v. Amberson, 148 S.W.2d 972 (Tex.Civ.App.—San Antonio 1941, writ dism’d judgmt cor.), we refused to presume that counsel’s repeated references to the Greek racial and national origin of the decedent and the plaintiff’s witnesses constituted reversible error. In so holding, we not only stressed the discretion vested in trial court when supervising the trial and ruling on a motion for new trial, but recognized the differences between the roles of the trial and the appellate courts:
We realize, of course, that the impression of an argument received at the time of its delivery in the forum of the trial court may differ from that received by reading the cold record, and, for that reason, we must necessarily attach importance to the trial judge’s action in overruling the motion for new trial. On the whole, upon the record presented here, we cannot say that the somewhat extravagant and rather disconnected statements of counsel in his argument constituted an appeal to racial prejudice.
Id. at 975.
In the case before us, we should attach importance to the fact that the judge who *872was present at the trial, who listened to the arguments, who was able to analyze the voice inflections of counsel and the reactions of the individual jurors, and who was not ruling based on the “cold record,” determined that the few seconds of alleged improper argument over the space of a three-day trial did not lead to an improper verdict.
When an argument is of an ambiguous nature such that it is susceptible to two meanings, one of which is harmless and one of which tends to be prejudicial, it is counsel’s obligation to object and point out the prejudicial character of the argument. See Thompson v. Clement, 202 S.W.2d 341, 343 (Tex.Civ.App.—Galveston 1947, writ ref'd n.r.e.). Any objectionable connotation to which such an argument will reasonably lend itself will be held to be waived unless the prejudicial connotation is the only one the argument will reasonably bear. Id. Upon proper objection to an argument which is ambiguous or which could reasonably be construed as prejudicial or otherwise objectionable, it becomes the duty of the trial court, at that point, to instruct the jury not to consider that argument in its objectionable sense. Id.
If there is not an obligation on counsel to raise an objection, we shift the burden to the trial court to interject itself sua sponte throughout closing argument whenever the trial judge perceives some subtle or ambiguous argument which might be classified by an appellate court as an impermissible reference.
The deterrence sought by the majority of such subtle arguments can be achieved instead by counsels’ awareness of a significant risk of losing a favorable verdict should the trial court or appellate court find that such arguments probably resulted in the rendition of an improper judgment.
The automatic reversal rule announced by the majority must be applied consistently throughout the 254 counties of Texas. Suppose, for example, that this case had been tried in Eastland County and that the author quoted was John Dickinson instead of Octavio Paz. Suppose further that the quotation used by counsel was from The Liberty Song [1768] by Dickinson: “Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, By dividing we fall.” Finally, suppose that the names of the parties, lawyers, witnesses, investigators, jurors and judge were names such as Walton, Key, Bailey, Johnson, Hart, Trout, Christian, Robinson, Owen, Bacon, Bush, Dick-enson, Hughes, Vance, Cook and Parrish. Because of the facially apparent ethnic connection between the quoted author and the participants in the trial and because of the quotation concerning being “united,” the rule announced by the majority would seem to require reversal and new trial irrespective of the substance of the case and whether or not the argument was calculated to cause and probably did cause an improper result.
I would hold that in order for subtly packaged and ambiguous remarks to result in a new trial or reversal, the error in closing argument must first be reviewed in the context of the totality of the trial pursuant to a harmful/harmless analysis.

. For an extensive use of hyperbole in literature see Justice Pope’s opinion in Standard Fire Ins. Co. v. Reese, 584 S.W.2d 835 (Tex.1979).

. The record reflects that Spanish surnamed witnesses, lawyers and investigators appeared on behalf of the plaintiff and the defendant, and participated as jurors.