Court Opinion

ID: 9640450
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:06:21.008008+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:29.914500
License: Public Domain

STEPHENS, Justice,
dissenting.
Elbert Ray Chadwick appeals his conviction for driving while intoxicated. The court assessed punishment at ninety days’ confinement probated for two years and a fine of $500. Chadwick asserts five points of error. I would sustain his second point of error regarding the admission of the audio portion of the videotape. Accordingly, I would reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand the case for further action consistent with this dissent.
At 1:35 a.m., Friday, August 29, 1987, Dallas police officer Curtis Fowler observed Chadwick driving northbound on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, Texas. Officer Fowler testified that Chadwick changed lanes for no apparent reason without signal within a few blocks. Chadwick then lit a cigarette and stopped at a red light. After the light changed, Chadwick proceeded through the intersection. Officer Fowler then turned on the police lights of his unmarked car and pulled Chadwick over into a parking lot.
Officer Fowler approached Chadwick’s car and asked to see his driver’s license. At this time officer Fowler testified that he noticed a strong smell of alcohol and asked Chadwick to get out of his car and go to the back of the vehicle. While walking to the rear of the car, Chadwick balanced himself by leaning his hand on the car. Chadwick then failed to adequately perform several field sobriety tests. Officer Fowler determined that Chadwick was intoxicated and placed him under arrest. At the jail, Chadwick was videotaped while his rights were read to him and while performing several sobriety tests including reading a sample of text and reciting the alphabet. This videotape along with the audio portion were admitted at trial over Chadwick’s objection that the audio portion, after he invoked his right to counsel, should have been excluded.
As a point of error, Chadwick asserts that the trial court erred in admitting the audio portion of the videotape containing incriminating questions and responses after he invoked his right to counsel. The issue which must be addressed is whether the safeguards of Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 478, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 1629, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), and Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 481-87, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 1883-86, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981), were breached when the officers continued to question Chadwick after he had invoked his right to *823counsel. In Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 762-64, 86 S.Ct. 1826, 1831-32, 16 L.Ed.2d 908 (1966), the Supreme Court noted that the privilege against self-incrimination protected by Miranda and Edwards is a bar against compelling communications or testimony.
In the instant case, Chadwick was videotaped after requesting an attorney while being asked to read a portion of prepared text, to recite the alphabet, and to count backward. A review of the audio portion of the videotape reveals that at one point the questioning officer asked “why not [recite the alphabet], you did it before?” I would hold, that taken as a whole, the questions asked Chadwick were tantamount to custodial interrogation which was calculated to require Chadwick to testimo-nially incriminate himself. See Jones v. State, 742 S.W.2d 398, 407 (Tex.Crim.App.1987), on remand, 745 S.W.2d 94, 96 (Tex.App.—Eastland 1988, pet. granted); Mills v. State, 720 S.W.2d 525, 526 (Tex.Crim.App.1986); McCambridge v. State, 712 S.W.2d 499, 501-07 (Tex.Crim.App.1986).
Having found error, I would then determine whether the error was harmless. The test which must be applied is whether this Court can conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the error made no contribution to the conviction or punishment. TEX.R. APP.P. 81(b)(2). I cannot say beyond a reasonable doubt that the erroneous admission of the audio portion of the videotape made no contribution to the conviction. Because I would sustain Chadwick’s second point of error, there would be no need to reach his remaining points of error. I would reverse judgment of the trial court and remand the cause for a new trial.