Court Opinion

ID: 9772815
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:30:35.690776+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:48.627384
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON REHEARING
In his motion for rehearing, Mead pointed out that we erred in our original opinion when we stated that no material from the City of Alvarado was ever included in the sealed record which was lost. On re-examination of the record we determined that there was an indication in the record that material from Alvarado was received and was to have been included in that record. We again abated the appeal so that the court might reconstitute the *446-448records from the City of Alvarado. At a hearing held for that purpose, the witnesses from the City of Alvarado arrived and testified that they had no personnel records on file for the deceased, that their records for the years in which the deceased was employed by them had been destroyed. In response to a request to produce certain other city records, such as city council minutes, which might make reference to the deceased, the witnesses produced certain additional records which have been sealed and made a part of the appellate record. We have examined that material and also find no error in failing to disclose such information to Mead.
In view of this development, we have re-examined Mead’s brief on appeal and his motion for rehearing and determined that in neither does he set forth any basis for believing, given the facts of this case, that any exculpatory material or any material helpful to his defense could be found in the personnel record of the deceased officer. At trial, counsel testified that these matters would go into the issue of the provocation of the difficulty, the character of the deceased, and the issue of whether the deceased was a properly certified police officer.
The doctrine of provocation of the difficulty is a limitation of a defendant’s right of self defense, and is raised when:
1. Self defense is an issue;
2. There are facts in evidence that show that the deceased made the first attack on the defendant; and
3. The defendant did some act or used some words intended to and calculated . to bring on the difficulty in order to have a pretext for inflicting injury upon the deceased.
Matthews v. State, 708 S.W.2d 835, 837-38 (Tex.Crim.App.1986). Under the facts of this case, self defense was not raised, and, if it had been, Mead was certainly not harmed by being unable to present facts showing a limitation on the right.
We cannot conceive of anything in a deceased officer’s personnel file relating to the officer’s character which, under the facts of this case, would have been admissible in this trial or which could have lead to evidence helpful to Mead.
The evidence is undisputed that the deceased officer was a police officer for the City of Crowley. As a police officer for the City of Crowley, the deceased officer was a peace officer within the meaning of the capital murder statute, whether he was properly licensed or certified. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. secs. 19.03 (Vernon 1983) and 1.07(a)(25) (Vernon 1974) and TEX.CODE CRIM.PROC.ANN. art. 2.12(3) (Vernon 1983).
We overrule all points of error on rehearing, including supplemental points of error and overrule the motion for rehearing.