Court Opinion

ID: 9644044
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 20:47:28.863883+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:08.005493
License: Public Domain

DOUGLAS, Judge,
dissenting.
Clark was convicted in 1975. The conviction was passed upon and affirmed by this Court in 1977. He has served the full term. Now a majority of the panel holds that all the proceedings are void because of a defective indictment. Clark never contended at the trial or on appeal that the indictment was defective or that he did not know for what offense he was charged and convicted.
An indictment such as the one in this case was held sufficient, even though a motion to quash had been filed, in Baldwin v. State, 538 S.W.2d 109 (Tex.Cr.App.1976). In that case the indictment alleged that Baldwin “did then and there unlawfully, *900knowingly, and intentionally steal a Master Charge credit card belonging to and from Brenda White.”
An indictment was held good in Prodan v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 574 S.W.2d 100, in December, 1978. It alleged that Prodan
“did then and there unlawfully and knowingly steal a BankAmericard credit card owned by Jeanne O’Sullivan, hereafter styled the complainant, from the possession of the complainant with the intent to deprive the complainant of the property.”
In the present ease there was no motion to quash the indictment. It alleged Clark committed the offense of credit card abuse by
“receiving an American Express Credit Card # 013-091 — 217—3-800A with intent to use it, without the effective consent of the cardholder.”
V.T.C.A., Penal Code, Section 32.31(b)(4), provides:
“A person commits an offense [credit card abuse] if . . .he steals a credit card or, with knowledge that it has been stolen, receives a credit card with intent to use it, to sell it, or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder . . . .”
The indictment in the present case alleges an offense in the terms of the statute. The indictments in the Baldwin and Prodan cases alleged theft and they were held sufficient. In the present case, the indictment alleges that Clark received the credit card which is covered by the statute. It provides that it is an offense to steal or receive such a card. The majority grants him relief and in doing so ignores and refuses to follow prior decisions.
The relief sought should be denied.
Joined by W. C. DAVIS, J.
Before the court en banc.