Court Opinion

ID: 9646396
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 12:58:48.728027+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:37.850929
License: Public Domain

TEAGUE, Judge,
dissenting.
For the reasons I stated in my dissenting opinion in Robinson v. State, 643 S.W.2d 141, 143 (Tex.Cr.App.1982), I respectfully dissent. The facts here, to uphold the sufficiency of the evidence, in accordance with the allegations of the charging instrument, are no better than they were in Robinson, Id. And either until the facts to support an accusation such as here or the wording of such an accusation as here get better, I shall continue to dissent.
But there is another reason why I must dissent in this cause. In McCarty v. State, 616 S.W.2d 194, 197 (Tex.Cr.App.1981), a panel of this Court, in rejecting the defendant’s contention that the evidence established only that the testifying officer, and not the defendant, made the offer, stated: “Although the record indicates the initial offer was made by the complainant, it also shows protracted ‘negotiations,’ in which implied offers were made by both appellant and the complainant. We find the evidence sufficient and overrule the ground of error.” (Emphasis Added). In Robinson v. State, supra, the author of that opinion, who is the author of this opinion, “borrowed” the above underscored language from McCarty, supra, and stated: “We find the reasoning of McCarty, supra, to be controlling in the instant case. Although the record reflects that the officer made the initial inquiry, it also reflects ‘protracted negotiations,’ in which implied offers were made by both appellant and the [officer].” (Emphasis Added). Today, however, apparently finding a distaste for the word “protracted,” the author of this opinion has shortened “protracted negotiations” to simply “negotiations.” A cursory examination of the word “protract” in any dictionary will quickly reveal that this transitive verb means, among others, “To draw out or lengthen in time; prolong.” 1052 The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.
*946There are four ways in which to commit the offense of prostitution, pursuant to V.T. C.A., Penal Code, Sec. 43.02, to-wit: offer to engage, agree to engage, engage in sexual conduct for a fee, or solicit another in a public place to engage with him in sexual conduct for hire. In this instance, the appellant was charged solely with offering to engage in sexual conduct with another for a fee, the third mode of committing the offense. As the State chose this form of prostitution to allege the offense, it should be required to prove that allegation. It did not, and the majority’s mere use of the word “negotiation” does not assist the State. The conviction should be reversed.
To the failure of the majority to do so, I respectfully dissent.