Court Opinion

ID: 9673024
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:04:43.139939+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:19.759542
License: Public Domain

RODRIGUEZ, Justice,
dissenting and concurring.
I agree with the majority’s holding regarding appellant’s challenge to the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress, however, I respectfully dissent as to its holding that there was factually insufficient evidence to support the jury’s finding of guilt.
In reviewing a challenge to the factual sufficiency of the evidence, we consider all of the evidence without the prism of “in the light most favorable to the prosecution” and set aside the verdict only if it is so against the overwhelming weight of the evidence that it is manifestly unjust and clearly wrong. Clewis v. State, 922 S.W.2d 126, 135 (Tex.Crim.App.1996). It is well established in Texas jurisprudence that when reviewing a factual sufficiency point of error, we must remain appropriately deferential to the trial court so as to avoid this Court substituting its judgment for that of the factfinder. Id. at 132. It is the trier of fact who judges the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony, and it may resolve or reconcile conflicts in the testimony as it sees fit. Tex.Code Crim Proc. Ann. art. 38.04 (Vernon 1979); Clewis, 922 S.W.2d at 133; Haskins v. State, 960 S.W.2d 207, 209 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1997, no pet. h.). This Court may only reverse a jury’s findings if the verdict is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence that it is “manifestly unjust,” “shocks the conscience,” or “clearly demonstrates bias.” Clewis 922 S.W.2d at 135 (citing Meraz v. State, 785 S.W.2d 146, 149 (Tex.Crim.App.1990)). The court of criminal appeals has held that “[a]p-pellate courts should only exercise their fact jurisdiction to prevent a manifestly unjust result; ... those courts ‘are not free to reweigh the evidence and set aside a jury verdict merely because the judges feel that a different result is more reasonable.’ ” Clewis, 922 S.W.2d at 135 (quoting Pool v. Ford Motor Co., 715 S.W.2d 629, 634 (Tex.1986) (quoting Dyson v. Olin Corp., 692 S.W.2d 456, 458 (Tex.1985) (Robertson, J., concurring))).
While the facts of this ease present what I consider to be a “close call” on the issue of *708factual sufficiency, it is the jury who must weigh the evidence and make the appropriate determination. As noted by the majority, the record illustrates that the victim identified appellant in court as the rapist. I agree with the majority that it appears this in-court identification was not “clear and unequivocal.” However, the inquiry does not stop there — we must consider all the evidence to make a proper factual sufficiency determination. The other evidence included:
(1) DNA testing that placed appellant in a group of only 8.5% of the black population to match the DNA samples found on the victim’s clothing.
(2) Testimony by appellant’s expert that the DNA testing showed appellant to be in a group of 26% of the black population to match the DNA samples found on the victim’s clothing.
(3) The victim’s in-court testimony that the eyes, nose, mouth, and shape of the face in a composite sketch of the rapist (made by a D.P.S. artist based upon the victim’s identification) matched those of appellant.
(4) Appellant was shown to be uneircum-cised which matched the victim’s description of the rapist.
(5) Appellant escaped from jail after his arrest while awaiting trial for this offense.
(6) Appellant lived in an apartment only a short distance from where the victim lived.
(7) Appellant lived for part of his early life in the remote area of Gonzalez County where the rape occurred.
Having considered all the evidence and giving proper deference to the jury’s findings, I would hold the evidence was not so overwhelming such that the jury’s verdict “shocked the conscience,” “clearly demonstrated bias,” or was “manifestly unjust.” Accordingly, I would overrule appellant’s second point of error and affirm the judgment of the trial court.