Court Opinion

ID: 9767851
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:30:51.352571+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:33.841559
License: Public Domain

DOUGLAS, Judge
(dissenting).
The question presented in the instant case is whether the trial court employed his discretion in such a manner as to deter the appellant’s exercise of his right of appeal. This is not a case in which the trial judge threatened a higher sentence if an appeal were taken. It is not a case in which a heavier penalty was substituted for the initial sentence after appeal was made. In the instant case the trial judge was authorized by Article 42.03, V.A.C.C. P., in effect at that time, to exercise his discretion in granting presentence jail credit at the time of sentencing. When jail time was first requested, the judge chose to delay exercising his discretion. Therefore, no credit for jail time had been *510given at this- juncture. Notice of appeal was then given. The denial of credit for jail time followed notice of appeal. The court took nothing away from appellant since credit had not been given prior to notice of appeal. While the court’s statement gives rise to the inference that appellant’s request for jail time may have been granted had notice of appeal not been given, such a statement does not amount to a “chilling” of appellant’s right to appeal under the circumstances here presented.
The discretion under the statute was granted to the trial court, not this appellate court.