Court Opinion

ID: 9656523
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 19:50:09.253489+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:33.023899
License: Public Domain

EARL B. STOVER, Justice,
concurring.
Without question, this is a problematic case. On the one hand, the Rev. Thompson contends that he was set-up. On the other hand, the State contends appellant, in effect, was seeking to make some sort of “statement” through his actions that night. Regrettably, there appears to be some truth to both contentions. Not wanting to be diverted along either of those paths, the sage trial judge admonished the jury to stay focused on the issue at hand — namely whether the State proved appellant committed the offense of trespass. We are not, as the jury was not, called upon to decide the merits of conflicting or competing religious points of view.
We review the legal sufficiency point of error herein under a well-established standard of appellate review, which has been ably set forth in the majority opinion. For the purpose of my analysis, I emphasize certain aspects of that standard. As noted in the majority opinion, all of the evidence must be examined in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). As the trier of fact, the jury is the ultimate authority on the credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given to their testimony. See Tex.Code Crim. PROG. Ann. art 38.04 (Vernon 1979); Penagraph v. State, 623 S.W.2d 341, 343 (Tex.Crim.App.1981). It is for the jury as trier of fact to resolve any conflicts and inconsistencies in the evidence. Bowden v. State, 628 S.W.2d 782, 784-85 (Tex.Crim.App.1982). Even where there is no conflict, the jury may elect to give no weight *925to some evidence, and thereby reject part or all of a witness’s testimony. See Beardsley v. State, 738 S.W.2d 681, 684 (Tex.Crim.App.1987); see also Chambers v. State, 805 S.W.2d 459, 461 (Tex.Crim.App.1991) (holding jury as factfinder may “believe all, some, or none of the testimony”). Because it is within the province of the jury to weigh the testimony, any inconsistencies therein should be resolved in favor of the jury’s verdict in a legal sufficiency review. See Johnson v. State, 815 S.W.2d 707, 712 (Tex.Crim.App.1991) (citing Moreno v. State, 755 S.W.2d 866, 867 (Tex.Crim.App.1988)).
The record in this case includes not only the witnesses’ testimony at trial, but also two video tapes admitted into evidence and viewed by the jury. The video tapes were made of the meeting that night by two different cameras from different angles. In addition to the audio portion of the meeting, the videos also contain, as described in the majority opinion, views of the inaudible exchange between Rev. Thompson and Officer Tatum. Thus, the jury had before it the trial testimony of Thompson and Tatum regarding what was said and done during that interchange, as well as the video tape on which the audio portion of their interchange is silent.
I am satisfied that body language, such as that contained in the video tape exchange between Rev. Thompson and Tatum, is recognizable as a non-verbal means of communication and may be considered by the jury in an evaluation of the credibility of witnesses. As Justice Bleil noted in his concurring opinion in Skidmore v. State, 838 S.W.2d 748, 757 (Tex.App.— Texarkana 1992, pet. ref.), “It has been posited that ten percent of spoken communication is by the words we say, thirty percent by the sounds we make and sixty percent by body language, or nonverbal communication. See Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People 241 (1989).”
By his presence that night, Rev. Thompson accepted the general invitation to attend the seminar. He indicated he had received a written hand-out of the evening’s program in which a question and answer session was listed as part of the meeting. Although he acknowledged receipt of the written material, he took exception to what he perceived to be Rev. Rozell’s oral alteration of the rules to require that the questions be in writing. Rozell testified that the meeting “was not a public debate”; however, written questions were allowed, and pencils and paper were provided for that purpose. Pam Saur, one of appellant’s church members, confirmed that Rev. Rozell explained the “ground rules” of the meeting. Notwithstanding the clarity of the instructions, Rev. Thompson interrupted the seminar when he took exception to the fact that Rev. Rozell referred to him as “Mr. Thompson” rather than “Reverend Thompson.” Shortly thereafter, Rev. Thompson again interrupted Rozell’s remarks by audibly challenging one of Ro-zell’s statements.
Once Rozell asked that Thompson be removed from the meeting, Tatum moved from his position at the back of the room and up the aisle to where Thompson was seated. The jury viewed on video tape the inaudible interchange between Rev. Thompson and Tatum and, as we know from the guilty verdict, must have concluded that Rev. Thompson was on notice to depart, but refused to do so. Such a conclusion could have been based on Thompson’s action, after Tatum spoke to him, in gathering up his belongings as if to leave, and then his action a moment later in making no attempt to stand when the officer appeared to attempt to assist him in getting up. His conduct, as viewed on the video tape, supports the conclusion that he had been asked to leave, declined the opportunity to do so, and instead chose to stand on principle.
To quote an old maxim, Rev. Thompson’s “actions speak louder than words.” From Thompson’s testimony and his actions, as recorded on video tape, the jury could have concluded he knew he had been *926asked to leave. Even Thompson’s statement to Rozell that “I’d like to see you try [to remove me]” belies any suggestion that he did not understand he had been asked to leave. Furthermore, Thompson expressly stated at one point in his trial testimony that Tatum leaned over and whispered in his [Thompson’s] ear that Rozelle wanted him [Thompson] to leave.
As noted above, credibility of the witnesses is a matter for the fact finder, be it judge or jury. Similar to the use of video tapes in DWI arrests, probable cause stops, and shoplifting and robbery offenses, the video tapes in the instant case aided the jury in the determination of guilt or innocence. The video tapes clearly depict the demeanor and body language of Rev. Thompson during his attendance at the seminar. In addition to the video tapes, the members of the jury had before them the testimony of Thompson, Rozell, and Tatum. The jury was free to interpret the verbal, as well as non-verbal communication accordingly.
I believe Rev. Thompson was seeking to make a statement through his conduct; he paid a significant price for his “statement” by virtue of his having been arrested and convicted of a criminal offense. In my opinion, appellant has achieved exactly what he embarked upon when he attended the seminar. His demeanor, as recorded on video tape, along with the testimony of various witnesses at trial, reveals his intended course of conduct. Admittedly in this country, we need people who will stand up for a principle; however, in making such a stand, a person must be able to accept the consequences.1
Rev. Thompson was not denied admission to the meeting, but, as a result of his actions therein, he was removed from the premises. . In my view, a rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the offense of trespass beyond a reasonable doubt. After considering the evidence- — presented in both verbal and non-verbal form, the jury could have concluded that appellant had notice he had been asked to leave the premises, and he refused to do so. I am satisfied that the evidence was legally sufficient to support the conviction, and I concur in affirmance of the conviction.

. I quote a remark which has been attributed to Theodore Roosevelt in his third annual message to Congress in 1903: "No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked for as a favor." John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases And Proverbs Traced to Their Sources In Ancient And Modern Literature 687 (Emily Morrison Beck et al. eds., Little, Brown and Company 1980).