Court Opinion

ID: 4135501
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2017-02-18 02:02:58.959171+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:34:32.459846
License: Public Domain

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  FVILL    WILSON.
*TToxcNEYGENEIuL’
                            IJovcmbcr21.>~1962

       Iion.;:lacl,:
                 :::aljace             Opinion m.:ib78
       District Attorney
       3rd Judicial District           EC :   titlethor
                                                      the Shoplifting Act,
       Athens, Texas                          Article'l4?6e, V.P.C., re-
                                              peals that portion of Arti-
                                              cle 1426c, V.P.C., relating
                                              to edible meats; whether
                                              conviction.for misdemeanor
                                              theft constitutes'grounds
       Dear Sir:                              for removal from'office.
            You have requested an opinion on whether.the~Shoplift-
       ing Statute, Article 1436e; Vernon's Penal Code, repeals
       that portion of Article 1426c, Vernon's Penal Code,~relating
       to~edible~meats.
            The relevant portions of the statutes involved are as
       follows:
       firticle14x6?,.V.P.C.;:Shoplifting:.          ' -'
                   "Section 1. Any person while legally'in
              a retail business establishment as an invitee, ~.
              or licensee who removes from its place,~goods,
              edible meat or other corporeal personal pro-
              perty of any kind or character under the value
              of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) kept, stored or dis-,
              played for sale -fliththe .&ntent.'to~.draudulently.
              take and to deprive the owner of the value of    -Lo
              the same.and to,appropriate the same to the use
              and benefit of-the person takingis guilty Of
              shoplifting, Altering.of label or marking on
             ,goods, edible meat or other corporeal personal
              proper~tyor transferring same from onecontainer
              to anothrr'rrithintent to defraud the .owner~
              also ~constitutes the crinc ofshoplifting.:'   ,.
                            6. All ~la\iis.:a,nd-'~par'ts
                   !!,Section~                     of iau;:in-,
              consistent~or conflictin,g;iith':this
                                                 ~.L\ct,
                                                      ibe
              hereby'e:State, supra.
     There being no conflict which would impair either
statute's validity, the clear meaning of Section 7 would
apply and the State has the right of election between~
offenses in a proper case.
     You have also inquired if a conviction for misdemeanor
theft against a Sheriff constitutes official misconduct in
office which would work an immediate removal from office.
           Article 5968, V.A.C.S., provides:
                "All convictions by a petit jury of any
           county officers for any,felony, or for any
           misdemeanor involving official misconduct,
           shall work an immediate removal from office
           of the officer so convicted. Each such
           judgment of conviction shall embody within
           it an order removing such officer."
                                                               -   .

Hon. Mack Wallace, Page 4   (~~-1478)

     Article 5973, V.A.C.S., provides:
          "By 'official misconduct,t as used herein
     with reference to county officers, is meant
     any unlawful behavior in relation to the duties
     of his office, wilful in its character, of any
     officer intrusted i&any manner with the ad-
     ministration of justice, or the execution of
     the law; and includes any wilful or corrupt
     failure, refusal or neglect of an officer to
     perform any duty enjoined on him by law."
     It is apparent from these articles that in order for
misdemeanor theft to constitute official misconduct, it must
have been committed under some color of office. The deter-
mination of whether or not ,such theft was committed in re-
lation to the duties of office must, of course, be made from
the facts of each particular case.
                     SUMMARY
          Article 1436e does not repeal that por-
     tion of Article 1426~ relating to edible meats.
          In order for a conviction for misdemeanor
     theft to constitute grounds for removal from
     office, such theft must amount to official mis-
     conduct.
                            Sincerely,
                            WILL WILSON
                            Attorney General of Texas

                            Assistant Atto
PP:nss
-   -

        Hon. Mack Wallace, Page 5   (~~-1478)

        APPROVED:
        OPINION COMMITTEE:
        W. V. Geppert, Chairman
        Norman V. Suarez
        Ben Harrison
        Pat Bailey
        Cecil Rotsc~h
        REVIEWED FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
        BY: Leonard Passmore