Court Opinion

ID: 9666423
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:14:36.174312+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:56:27.648732
License: Public Domain

ELLIS, Justice,
dissenting.
Finding myself in disagreement with the majority members of the panel, I record my respectful dissent. I would sustain appellant’s sole point of error because I believe the trial judge erred in allowing members of the jury to submit written questions which were propounded to the witness. The procedure allows the jurors to become advocates rather than impartial finders of fact.
An accused has the right to a trial by a fair and impartial jury. Article 36.13 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that “the jury is the exclusive judge of the facts ...” Tex.Code Crim.Proc. art. 36.13 (Vernon 1981). Further the burden is on the State to introduce evidence sufficient to prove appellant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, (emphasis added). Tex.Code Crim.Proc. art. 38.03 (Vernon Supp.1991). Finally Article 38.04 of the Code of Criminal Procedure recognizes that “the jury, in all eases, is the exclusive judge of the facts proved, and of the weight to be given to the testimony ...” Tex.Code Crim.Proc. art. 38.04 (Vernon 1979).
In every criminal trial under both Federal constitutional grounds and State law, the prosecution (The State) has the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt on each element of the offenses and all persons are presumed to be innocent. Holman v. State, 662 S.W.2d 372 (Tex.Crim.App.1984).
In the instant case, the trial court informed the jury that after each witness had finished testifying and each attorney *643had completed his questioning of the witness, the jury would have an opportunity to ask questions. The court cautioned the jurors that the attorneys presenting the case “have done so with an eye on what is important in the case” and that the jurors should keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to ask questions. The judge instructed the jury that after the attorneys had questioned the witnesses, the judge would then ask any juror who had a question to raise his hand, and then the juror would be permitted to submit his questions, in writing, to the judge through the bailiff. The judge then explained that the jury would be retired while he considered the admissibility of their questions. The judge explained that in order for the question to be asked of the witness, it must “pass the same legal test any lawyers’ questions would have to pass,” and that afterwards, the attorneys would be permitted to do follow-up questioning. Finally, the judge cautioned that if he did not permit their question to be asked, they should not blame the lawyers, but to “let the blame rest with [the court].”
During the trial, only one of the State’s witnesses answered questions submitted by the jury. The procedure described by the judge was as follows: After the witness had been questioned by the attorneys, the judge solicited questions from the jury. Several jurors raised their hands and submitted their questions in writing. The court then ruled on the questions’ admissibility out of the presence of the jury. After the questions were ruled legally admissible, the trial court propounded the questions to the witness. Appellant objected to the procedure and the Court overruled his objection.
Appellant was convicted of possession of cocaine under 28 grams. The State called two witnesses to the occurrence, namely Officer Godfrey and Officer Greenlee. It further called Marita Mitchell Ostle who testified as to the custody and delivery of the controlled substance and William Ginn who testified as to the laboratory analysis of the controlled substance. The State’s final witness was Dan Jones who testified as to the difficulty of taking fingerprints from containers of the controlled substances that were used in this case.
Officer Greenlee is the only witness to whom questions were submitted by the jury. Greenlee testified that he saw a group of subjects. He noticed appellant because appellant turned away from him. Greenlee observed appellant holding something in his hand, put it in the wall, straighten his hand out, and bring it back. The group with whom appellant was standing moved away as the officers approached, but appellant stayed there. Greenlee testified that he had not taken his eyes off of appellant from the time he saw appellant put something in the wall until he approached appellant. When Greenlee looked at the wall where he had seen appellant reach with his hand, he found a bottle with what appeared to be four rocks of crack cocaine inside. Appellant denied the crack belonged to him. After appellant was arrested and brought to the Bryan Police Department, a search was done of appellant’s person and $484.00 was found in his possession. The bottle of crack and the money were tagged and stored as evidence. Officer Greenlee testified that he did not fingerprint the bottle of crack because several police officers handled it before it could be fingerprinted.
After Officer Greenlee had been questioned by the attorneys, the judge asked if any of the jury had any questions to submit to the witness. Several jurors raised their hands, indicating they had questions to ask of the witness. After the judge had received these questions in writing, the jury and witness were dismissed and any objections by attorneys were ruled on outside the presence of the jury. The Court asked the witness two questions that were submitted by the jury that were ruled admissible.
Appellant is entitled to be tried by a fair and impartial body who is charged with the duty to be the exclusive judge of the facts proved and of the weight to be given to the testimony. The procedure utilized by the trial court has completely undermined that duty and puts the jury in the untenable position of being an advocate. To allow *644the jury to propound questions to the witnesses relieves the State of its burden to introduce evidence sufficient to prove the appellant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Further, the trial court in its charge instructed the jury in both cases in the following language:
In all criminal cases, the burden of proof is on the State. All persons are presumed to be innocent and no person may be convicted unless each element of the offense is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, if you find the State has failed to prove each element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt or if you have a reasonable doubt thereof, you will acquit the defendant and say by your verdict “not guilty.”
The procedure the trial court used allowed the jurors to clear up any doubt they may have had by listing questions for each witness to answer. This lessens the State’s burden to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt and in my opinion is reversible error.
I find that the trial court erred in allowing the jury to submit written questions which were propounded to the witness allowing the jurors to become advocates rather than impartial factfinders and I would sustain appellant’s sole point of error and reverse the District Court’s judgment and order a new trial.