Court Opinion

ID: 9764137
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 03:11:45.866661+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:54.010726
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON STATE’S MOTION FOR REHEARING
ONION, Presiding Judge.
The State in its motion for rehearing urges that the complained of jury argument was invited. Attention is called to the argument of appellant’s counsel that the State had not called the prosecutrix’s natural mother who could have corroborated the prosecutrix by testifying that the prosecu-trix had reported the matter “back in November,” that there was no medical evidence to show the prosecutrix was not a virgin, that the only evidence heard was from a fourteen year old girl, that while a conviction could be had on the testimony of one witness that witness had to be a believable witness, that the State had failed to prove its case. “They haven’t brought you any of these people to show you that these events actually happened.”
In response to such argument that the state was relying on one witness and she was not credible, the prosecutor told the jury that appellant’s counsel was correct, he (the prosecutor) had not called the girl’s mother and had not offered medical testimony because a doctor could not say for sure whether anyone was a virgin or not. He then argued:
“Now, it comes down, ladies and gentlemen — I’m really about finished — to this: What does that little girl have to gain by lying about what her father did to her? This really is the most important thing you have to consider. What does she gain by telling the Police Department about what happened and coming in here and telling you about it? Does she get out of the house by doing it? Well, the Officer testified that Dugan over here was already in jail. Is that what she gets from it? Why would she have any reason to come down here and tell you a lie about what happened out there? Now, ask yourself that, what does that little girl have to gain or lose by coming in here and telling you a lie? Now, she didn’t have to do it. What does she have to gain or lose? Can you think of anything? She is no longer staying with her father any more. She wants to go back to her mother and she is already there. What reason did she have to tell this Jury anything but the truth?
“I said I’d ask for a little understanding. Now, ladies and gentlemen, there are only two real witnesses to this case. The little girl came in here and told you what happened. There is no other witness to it. Either you believe her—
“MR. BRAUCHLE (Defense Counsel): We object to this argument by the State’s Attorney in that it goes to Defendant’s failure to testify.
“THE COURT: Approach the bench, Counsel.
“(Whereupon, an off-the-record discussion was held at the bench out of the hearing of the Court Reporter and Jury.)
“MR. BRAUCHLE: Your Honor, we would object to the State’s argument in that it goes to the Defendant’s failure to testify.
“THE COURT: The Court has instructed the Jury in its charge that they will not consider that for any purpose whatsoever of any evidence. I do not take it that that is what Counsel has in mind in his argument, Counsel.
“MR. BRAUCHLE: Is our objection overruled?
“THE COURT: Overruled.
“MR. BRAUCHLE: Note our exception.
*104“MR. HUFF (Prosecutor): The issue before you is whether you’re going to believe it or disbelieve it. I tell you, and it is a reasonable deduction from the evidence, that that little girl came in here and told you the truth the way she saw it.”
It is basic and fundamental law in this State that the failure of an accused to testify may not be the subject of comment by the prosecution. Such comment is in violation of the privilege against self-incrimination contained in Article I, § 10 of the Texas Constitution, and in express violation of Article 38.08, V.A.C.C.P. Bird v. State, 527 S.W.2d 891, 893 (Tex.Cr.App.1975), and cases there cited.
Further, a comment on an accused’s failure to testify also presents a federal constitutional question as the same has been held violative of the self-incrimination clause of the Fifth Amendment, which is made applicable to the states by virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment. See Griffin v. California, 380 U.S. 609, 85 S.Ct. 1229, 14 L.Ed.2d 106 (1965); Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1965); Fontaine v. California, 390 U.S. 593, 88 S.Ct. 1229, 20 L.Ed.2d 154 (1968).
It is also well settled in this state that for the argument or comment to offend against the statute (Article 38.08, supra) the language used must be looked to from the standpoint of the jury, and the implication that the language used had reference to the accused’s failure to testify must be a necessary one. Hicks v. State, 525 S.W.2d 177 (Tex.Cr.App.1975). It is not sufficient that language might be construed as an implied or indirect allusion thereto. Bird v. State, supra, and cases there cited; Pollard v. State, 552 S.W.2d 475 (Tex.Cr.App.1977).
The test employed is whether the language used was manifestly intended or was of such character that the jury would naturally and necessarily take it to be a comment on the accused’s failure to testify. See Bird v. State, supra, and cases cited. In applying this test, the facts and circumstances of each case must be analyzed to determine whether the language used was of such character. Overstreet v. State, 470 S.W.2d 653 (Tex.Cr.App.1971); Ramos v. State, 419 S.W.2d 359 (Tex.Cr.App.1967).
The appellant argued the State was relying for conviction upon the testimony of one witness who was not believable. The State responded to such argument during the course of which the prosecutor made the complained of argument, which was interrupted in mid-sentence and never finished. Taken in the context in which it was made, the language used was not manifestly intended or of such character that the jury would naturally and necessarily take it to be a comment on the accused’s failure to testify.1 The trial judge who heard the argument stated in the jury’s presence he did not take it as a comment on the accused’s failure to testify and noted he had instructed the jury that they were not to consider the appellant’s failure to testify for any purpose. While it may have been better for the trial judge to have sustained the objection and instructed the jury to disregard the argument, we cannot agree, under the circumstances of this case, that reversible error was committed. This case was properly disposed of by the original panel opinion. The State’s motion for rehearing is granted, the judgment of reversal is set aside, and the judgment is affirmed.

. It has long been held that an indirect allusion to the failure of a defendant to testify does not constitute reversible error. Vickers v. State, 75 Tex.Cr.R. 12, 169 S.W. 669 (1914). For indirect comments with respect to the failure of the defense to offer evidence to constitute reversible error, they must call for denial of assertion that only the defendant is in position to offer. Nowlin v. State, 507 S.W.2d 534 (Tex.Cr.App.1974).