Court Opinion

ID: 9680991
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:42:06.266593+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:31.756500
License: Public Domain

TAFT, Justice,
concurring.
In regard to point of error 10,1 agree that the Court of Criminal Appeals has made a distinction between notice that the State is seeking a deadly weapon and what constitutes an affirmative finding by the jury that the defendant used or exhibited a deadly weapon. See Ex parte Beck, 769 S.W.2d 525, *89527-28 (Tex.Crim.App.1989). Even though an allegation in the indictment that the instrumentality caused the death of the victim is sufficient to give notice that the State is seeking an affirmative finding of a deadly weapon, it is not sufficient that the jury finds the defendant guilty as alleged in the indictment alleging that the instrumentality caused death to constitute an affirmative finding of a deadly weapon. This does not make sense. I urge the Court of Criminal Appeals to reexamine this issue. In the meantime, judicial restraint requires that I concur in following prevailing law.
SCHNEIDER, C.J., and ANDELL, J., also participating.