Court Opinion

ID: 9943939
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-26 15:22:44.242046+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:52:44.421057
License: Public Domain

Judge Onion and the writer concur in the affirmance of this conviction because appellant's judicial confession standing alone is sufficient. Alvarez v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 374 S.W.2d 890.
We cannot agree with the majority opinion that the oral stipulations in open court and reflected only by the untranscribed notes of the court reporter at the time of the entry of the judgment satisfy the requirements of Article 1.15, V.A.C.C.P. as to stipulated evidence. Article 1.15, supra, reads as follows:
 "No person can be convicted of a felony except upon the verdict of a jury duly rendered and recorded, unless in felony cases less than capital the defendant, upon entering a plea, has in open court in person waived his right of a trial by jury in writing; provided, however, that it shall be necessary for the State to introduce evidence into the record showing the guilt of the defendant and said evidence shall be accepted by the court as the basis for its judgment and in no event shall a person charged be convicted upon his plea without sufficient evidence to support the same. The evidence may be stipulated if the defendant in such case consents in writing, in open court, to waive the appearance, confrontation, and cross-examination of witnesses, and further consents to the introduction of testimony By affidavits, written statements of witnesses, and any other documentary evidence in support of the judgment of the court. Such waiver and consent must be approved by the court in writing, and be filed, with all of such evidence, in the file of the papers of the cause. Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722."
*Page 427 
It will be seen from the above that the majority has clearly ignored the mandatory provisions of the statute. The fact that the court reporter's notes may be transcribed some time after the entry of judgment and sentence because notice of appeal is given and the request for their inclusion in the record is made does not comply with the above quoted statute. Compliance with this Article should not depend upon some subsequent event which might cause the court reporter's notes, if still, available, to be transcribed and filed.