Court Opinion

ID: 9654400
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 18:19:12.169402+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:08.984894
License: Public Domain

DOUGLAS, Judge
(dissenting).
The majority reverses this conviction on a ground not raised at the trial court or on appeal. A Jackson v. Denno-type hearing, 378 U.S. 368, 84 S.Ct. 1774, 12 L.Ed.2d 908, was held outside the presence of the jury on the voluntariness of the confession. After an extended hearing the court stated, “Motion overruled. That is all.” The majority opinion notes there are no findings of the trial judge in the record or, if he did make findings, what standard was relied upon. Under the provisions of Article 38.22, V.A.C.C.P., findings should have been made.
However, since this was not complained of or called to the trial court’s attention, we should not reverse and remand the case for a new trial but should send it back for findings.
In Hullum v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 415 S.W.2d 192, there was a claim of denial of due process. This Court wrote:
“A federal claim of denial of due process of law having been presented, we have decided that a hearing should be held in the trial court while the appeal is pending and that the federal claim of denial of due process be determined prior to the final disposition of said appeal. Such procedure is consistent with the 1965 Code and Henry v. State of Mississippi, 379 U.S. 443, 85 S.Ct. 564, 13 L.Ed.2d 408.”
There the Court suspended for further consideration the appellant’s motion for rehearing and directed that evidence be adduced and that the trial court’s findings be forwarded to the Court within ninety days.
In Escalante v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 394 S.W.2d 518, after the record was forwarded to this Court, the trial judge made a clear-cut determination of the voluntariness of the confession including a resolution of disputed facts upon which the vol-untariness issue may depend. The Court further wrote, “. . . all doubt is removed by the finding of the trial judge at the trial, reduced to writing and forwarded to this Court in a supplemental transcript.” There the consideration of the supplemental transcript was challenged as not being a part of the record on appeal but prepared and signed long after the time for filing the statement of facts and bills of exception had expired. The Court wrote:
“After much deliberation, we have concluded that in view of recent decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, such as Henry v. State of Mississippi, 379 U.S. 443, 85 S.Ct. 564, 13 L.Ed.2d 408, the belatedly entered findings of the trial judge certified while the appeal is pending should be considered where a federal claim is asserted.”
On April 25th of this year, Causes Nos. 46,682 and 46,683, John Russell Kincaid v. State of Texas, a question was raised as to whether the pleas of guilty were voluntarily made. After the records were filed with the Clerk, the Court ordered a hearing to be held and for evidence to be introduced and
“At the conclusion of the hearing, a transcription of the court reporter’s notes shall be prepared as soon as possible. The hearing judge shall prepare findings of fact and conclusions of law. The transcription of the court reporter’s notes and the hearing judge’s findings of fact and conclusions of law shall be filed with the District Clerk of Bexar County. The District Clerk shall immediately prepare a supplemental transcript and sub*307mit it to the hearing judge for approval. After the approval of the supplemental transcript, the same shall immediately be forwarded to the Clerk of this Court.”
In the present case, the appeal should be abated so that the trial court can enter findings of fact and conclusions of law concerning the voluntariness of the confession upon the evidence admitted before him during the trial of the cause. If the trial court concludes that the confession was not voluntarily made, he may order a new trial. If he concludes that the confession was voluntarily made, he is to make findings of fact and conclusions of law and give the appellant’s counsel an opportunity to make any objections and then a supplemental transcript with findings of fact and conclusions of law should be immediately forwarded to the Clerk of this Court.
Because the matter has not been raised in the trial court and has not been raised on appeal, the trial court should have the opportunity on the basis of the authorities above cited to make such findings.
For the above reasons, I dissent from the reversal of this cause on matters not heretofore raised.
MORRISON, J., joins in this dissent.