Court Opinion

ID: 9681498
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:51:32.044828+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:34.266847
License: Public Domain

KENNEDY, Justice,
concurring.
I concur in the holding of the majority herein, however, I would like to add the following by way of observation.
In 1983 and ten years after Terry v. State, 491 S.W.2d 161 (Tex.Crim.App.1973), our Court said in Reimer v. State, 657 S.W.2d 894 (Corpus Christi 1983, no pet.):
Since Martin, we have not found a case in which the appellate courts of Texas reversed a conviction because the prejudicial effect of the admitted photographs greatly outweighed their probative value.
In a footnote to this statement Terry was very briefly mentioned and distinguished.
Since in every case involving photographs of victims Terry has been successfully distinguished it appears that Terry seems to have made no lasting impression upon the jurisprudence of the state, save as a way station to be passed in affirming criminal convictions based upon the law as set down in Martin v. State, 475 S.W.2d 265 (Tex.Crim.App.1972). In affirming such convictions, the sequence to be followed seems to be (1) recite the law set down in Martin, (2) with a passing salute, acknowledge Terry and (3) distinguish the case before the court from Terry both as to degree of gruesomeness and relevance, which is not difficult given the subjective nature of each concept. The majority have done this, and I accept their reasoning.
I agree with the holding and reasoning therefor of the majority with respect to the remaining grounds of error and concur in affirming the judgment of the trial court.