Court Opinion

ID: 9768906
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 13:55:33.600004+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:49.229010
License: Public Domain

WOODLEY, Judge,
(concurring).
I would affirm the conviction because the complained of conduct of the prosecuting attorney is not presented to this court for review in any manner authorized by law.
No bill of exception appears in the record.
Appellant relies solely upon Art. 759a, Sec. 2c, V.A.C.C.P., as *241amended in 1955, which provides: “In like manner as herein provided in this Section, the defendant may reserve in the Statement of Facts, or by informal Bill of Exception, objection to argument of State’s counsel, motion to withdraw testimony, or ruling of the trial court made during the trial of the case.”
The complained of conduct of the prosecuting attorney is shown only in a transcript which is agreed to by counsel for the defendant and for the state as containing “a full, true and correct transcript of all of the arguments to the jury by both the state and defense counsel had upon the trial of the above numbered and styled cause * * * .”
A majority of this court has held that such a transcript of the arguments comes within the purview of Section 2c providing that objection to argument of state’s counsel may be reserved in the statement of facts, and the approval of the trial judge is not required. See Kinnebrew v. State, 167 Tex. Cr. Rep. 324 S.W. 2d 544.
It does not follow that the error here complained of is before us for review.
The complained of remarks and conduct did not occur during argument of state’s counsel, but while defense counsel was addressing the jury, hence does not come within Section 2c relating to “objection to argument of state’s counsel.” Objections to the remarks and conduct of counsel for the state in interruption of argument of counsel for the defense are not among the objections which may be preserved by informal bill under Art. 759a V.A.C.C.P. This is especially so where attempted to be reserved in a transcript of evidence or argument other than the statement of facts on the trial before the jury.
If it be contended that error in the court’s ruling on the interruption during argument may be raised by a transcript of the arguments showing such interruption, and the remarks of counsel for the state in connection therewith, the record before us does not present such claim of error. This is true, first because there is no certification by the court or agreement of counsel that the matters occurred or that objection was made or that the court ruled thereon, and second because the only rulings which the transcript shows the trial judge made were his instructions to the jury to disregard the matter.
If the complained of conduct of counsel for the state is before *242us for review, it was improper and cannot be excused upon the theory that it was invited by the argument of defense counsel which it interrupted.
Counsel for the defendant had the right to comment upon the state’s failure to introduce a statement which the evidence showed had been made shortly after the killing. It was evidence available to the state, but not to the defense. Counsel for the state did not offer to introduce the statement, but to “allow” it to be introduced as a defendant’s exhibit.
The interruption was repeated after the jury had been instructed to disregard the comment. Appellant thereafter sought the opportunity to have the statement or confession of the defendant made a part of the record on appeal, but it was denied him.