Court Opinion

ID: 9777574
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 20:15:53.877151+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:32:56.506442
License: Public Domain

OVERSTREET, Judge,
dissenting.
Appellant was separately indicted for aggravated sexual assault by oral sex and aggravated sexual assault by anal intercourse. Each indictment alleged the offense date as on or about April 23,1995. This offense date was alleged notwithstanding evidence, specifically testimony by the victim, that the anal intercourse had occurred the previous year around Thanksgiving in November 1994. The eases were consolidated for trial and appellant was found guilty of both offenses and assessed punishments of confinement for 10 years and a $10,000 fine, probated for 10 years, and of confinement for 10 years.
Appellant challenged his conviction on the grounds of sufficiency of the evidence to support his conviction for the offense of aggravated sexual assault by anal intercourse for which he was assessed punishment of confinement for 10 years. He further challenged his conviction on the grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel. The Seventh Court of Appeals agreed with appellant that the performance of appellant’s trial counsel was deficient and reversed his conviction.
Prior to trial, the court ruled on appellant’s motion in limine. This was a motion to preclude the State from making mention of the incidents of anal intercourse alleged by the victim in January, February, May, and November of 1994. The trial court, though the State had provided proper notice as required by Tex.R.Crim.Evid. 404(b) of its intent to introduce evidence of crimes, wrongs, or acts of misconduct by appellant, granted appellant’s motion in limine to preclude the State from bringing up the events until the trial court had ruled on their admissibility. However, on the day before the selection of the jury the trial court announced that the motion had been modified and the State would be allowed to voir dire the jury on the past events. It made this modification based upon its reading of Article 38.37 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Appellant’s attorney excepted to the ruling and the trial court noted the exception.
Article 38.37, § 2, V.A.C.C.P., provides that, notwithstanding Rules 404 and 405, Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence, evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts committed by the defendant against the child who is the victim of the alleged offense shall be admitted for its bearing on relevant matters, including:
(1) the state of mind of the defendant and the child; and
(2) the previous and subsequent relationship between the defendant and the child.
The trial court relied on this article when modifying its order to allow the State to voir dire the jury panel about the previous acts of alleged anal intercourse. Ordinarily, there would not be a problem because the article clearly allows for the admission of evidence of the previous acts if they fall within the enumerated parameters. However, the problem is that this act did not take effect until September 1, 1995. This criminal proceeding commenced on May 19, 1995 when the indictments were returned. Appellant’s attorney did not object to the use of Article 38.37 even though it was inapplicable at the time. Had he objected, the trial court may not have made the modification, and may have excluded the evidence entirely.
The State argues that the “on or about” language in the indictment does not pin it down to articulating a specific date. It cites for support this Court’s holdings in cases *42such as Jones, Míreles, and most recently Sledge v. State, where this Court has held that the phrase “on or about” in an indictment “means any time before the date of the presentment of the indictment that falls within the statute of limitations.” Article 21.02, V.A.C.C.P. It concludes that the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is therefore moot because the trial court would have admitted the evidence anyway. Further, it argues that Article 38.37, § 4 “does not limit the admissibility of evidence of extraneous crimes, wrongs, or acts under any other applicable law.” Article 38.37 § 4, V.A.C.C.P. Thus, even if defense counsel had requested a limiting instruction, the trial court likely would have admitted the evidence anyway because evidence of the case in chief is not limited.
The State continues to make reference to an article which was not effective during the time this case was litigated, and certainly not when the action commenced. The inapplicability of the article is the point on which appellant’s claim lies. Had the defense counsel done more than simply except to the introduction of the “extraneous” evidence, there is certainly a chance that the evidence might have been excluded. Counsel needn’t be certain of the outcome of his actions, but an attorney must act competently in advocating for the Ghent’s rights. In this instance, the failure of the defense counsel to object and request a limiting instruction to the introduction of evidence of past sexual events is inexcusable. Had defense counsel objected and requested a correct limiting instruction, the evidence submitted may not have been sufficient to support a conviction. Williams v. State, 565 S.W.2d 63, 65 (Tex.Cr.App.1978).
In this instance defense counsel neither objected to the testimony nor requested a limiting instruction, therefore the evidence properly was considered for all purposes.
The United States Supreme Court adopted a two (2) prong test for ineffective assistance of counsel in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). The Strickland test was adopted by this court in Hernandez v. State, 726 S.W.2d 53,57 (Tex.Cr.App.1986). Under Strickland, appellant must show by a preponderance: 1) that his trial counsel’s assistance was deficient, and 2) that the deficient performance deprived him of a fair trial. Within this test lies the presumption by the court that the trial counsel’s performance was within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. The appellant must overcome the presumption that his trial counsel’s conduct might be simply considered to be sound trial strategy. Jackson v. State, 877 S.W.2d 768, 771 (Tex.Cr.App.1994). The attorney must show proof that his allegations of ineffectiveness are sound. In this case, appellant more than met his burden.
Though defense counsel’s conduct needn’t be errorless to be considered competent, a major requirement of competent advocacy is the familiarization of ones self with the evidence and the applicable law. In this instance, the defense counsel failed his client miserably. Had he had a competent grasp of the applicable law, he would have pointed out to the trial court that Article 38.37 was inapplicable to the proceeding at hand, as it did not táke effect until September 1,1995. The trial court based its modification of the aforementioned order on the application of this article. Had defense counsel pointed out the inapplicability of the article, the modification might have been prevented, or at the very least, the evidence would have been admitted for a limited purpose. When the trial judge returned to the bench to make a modification stating, “Under article 38.37 in the Code of Criminal Procedure, it’s my opinion that evidence of prior sexual conduct or subsequent sexual conduct between the Defendant and the alleged victim of the offense would be admissible ... ”, the defense counsel was obr ligated to stand, make an objection, inform the judge that the article was not applicable, and request a limiting instruction if the State chose to admit for a limited purpose. When he failed to do this, his conduct automatically fell outside of the generous presumption of reasonableness into deficient. Further, the error was so prejudicial as to constitute deprivation of a fair trial. Had the jury been instructed as to the limited purpose of the evidence, it may have been without sufficient evidence to convict appellant.
*43In my opinion, the burden established by Strickland and Hernandez has been met. Because the majority holds otherwise, I dissent.