Court Opinion

ID: 9773878
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 18:01:58.245613+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:58.679574
License: Public Domain

*152ONION, Judge
(concurring).
I concur in the result reached by Judge Morrison’s opinion, but feel compelled to clarify my position.
Initially, appellant claims the State failed to prove he was previously convicted as alleged in the indictment. The State offered the authenticated prison records of the appellant from the Texas Department of Corrections including certified copies of the judgment and sentence, as well as a photograph and a set of fingerprints. A certified copy of the indictment was also introduced and a fingerprint expert testified the fingerprints included in the prison records were the same as ones recently taken from appellant. This method of proof has been consistently upheld by this Court. Graham v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 422 S.W.2d 922; Broussard v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 363 S.W.2d 143; 1 Branch’s Ann.P. C., 2nd ed., p. 684, Sec. 699.
I am fearful that the majority opinion leaves the impression that where no objection is interposed the State has sustained its burden of proof as to the prior conviction alleged by merely offering the indictment, judgment and sentence. This is not the law. Proof must be offered to show the accused is the same person so previously convicted.
In his second ground of error, appellant complains of the use of certified copies of prison records concerning a number of prior convictions in an effort to prove his “prior criminal record.” See Article 37.07, V.A.C.C.P.
The majority appears to misinterpret Denham v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 428 S.W.2d 814. That decision does not stand for the proposition that such certified copies need not be served upon the appellant when they are offered in evidence under the provisions of Article 3731a, V.A.C.S.
Article 37.07, supra, puts every accused on notice that the State is entitled to show his “prior criminal record,” if any. The statute, though it is not mandatory that the State offer evidence at the separate hearing on punishment, Morales v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 416 S.W.2d 436; Brumfield v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 445 S.W.2d 732, does not, however, put the accused on notice of what method the State will use in showing such “prior criminal record.” When the method of using certified copies of the prison record is utilized to prove such prior criminal record and the prior convictions are not alleged in the indictment for enhancement, then Article 3731a, Sec. 3, V.A.C.S., should be complied with. Such statute requires service of a copy of such instruments upon the accused a reasonable time before trial. Otherwise, such instruments are not admissible unless in the opinion of the trial court the accused has not been unfairly surprised by the failure to deliver such copies.
In Denham the careful trial court inquired into the matter and'determined the defendant had not been unfairly surprised. Such was a careful compliance with Section 3 of Article 3731a, supra.
In the case at bar certified copies of the instruments were handed to appellant’s counsel, who examined them, and then expressly stated to the court he had no objection. Appellant is now in no position to complain on appeal of a violation of said Article 3731a.
As to the instruments relating alone to the prior conviction alleged for enhancement the indictment gave him sufficient notice. McCown v. State, 170 Tex.Cr.R. 142, 338 S.W.2d 732, cert. den. 368 U.S. 856, 82 S.Ct. 96, 7 L.Ed.2d 54; Roberts v. State, 164 Tex.Cr.R. 537, 301 S.W.2d 154, 156.
Having clarified these matters, I concur.