Court Opinion

ID: 9661721
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:47:20.21002+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:32.940530
License: Public Domain

ONION, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
This is a classic example of why the rule in Moon v. State, 572 S.W.2d 681 (Tex.Cr.App.1978), overruling long time precedent is wrong. Here before the finding of guilt by the trial court the appellant testified under oath that she did not purchase the heroin and had no idea that the heroin was in her purse which had been loaned to a friend. When this testimony was received, the court sua sponte should have halted the proceedings and offered the appellant an opportunity to withdraw such testimony or enter a plea of not guilty. If the appellant had refused such action, the court should then have entered a not guilty plea for her before proceeding.
It offends my sense of justice that a guilty plea proceeding is allowed to continue despite a defendant’s protestations of innocence.
I dissent.