Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

OFFICE OF THE AITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Zonorabla Xlllian Curry Attorary Rurn42 county county lwnat, hxas rtfas 4gr44 that &t.lOIlcovars t&h8 x4 dlrlsrenos a&atlon cr the 0980 fully 2-6~~3tte oplalon in tne oaaa or . Z'. (2d) 561, which you say iavol?4o "It sbsll be ucli~wful icr my parson ot my tic!@ct the par tn ksant deer or any rather Hoaorabls Mlllsn Curry, psgs 2 snimal or bird protooted by this ohsptar, bl thr sld of what La ooaaonly knowa 48 8 head ll.@ht or huntha ls(pp,or by 4rtifiol4l light sttaahsd to an sutoaobils, or by t&a mans OS any form or artifiofal light. .%n$ parson tio- lstin(:en9 of ths provlslons of this Artlola shall ba dssmd $uilty of 4 itlidssissnor snd U?QlL sonvlotlon shall bs flnsd In any (IUPof not 1488 than rifty (.$50.00) dollar8 nor aors than two hondrrd. ($2:-2oc,.OC) dollara, or by oon~lns- fasnt in ths cdunty jell ror not less tha thirty (30) days nor aors than ninsty (90) days, or by both such Pins en!!laprlsan!ssnt. Ths pos844aion of 4 hssdllsht, er any other huntin!$ light ussd on or about ths hsnd when hunti= at night, bstrssn sunlrst and'oar-half hour errors sunrl54, by sny psrson mntfng in a community where ~ssr ars known to rangy, shnll bs prims faois sri~dsnosthat thr parson found in Foaaaeeion of al4 hscidlfeht or ,othsr hunting lQ,ht, la violatIne ths ~ror~4lon4 of thir 6rt1c18." IOU date the testimony c$ ths St%ts*s witnsae, a Osss visrdrn,to ~bsI "Thst he saw m plckop baliif tlri+aaat 4 vary alowr.?Tisof epssd up and!down ,a oountry road ia deer country rrt night. Ths dsfsndsnt was driving ths ost, ah114 an irncnown34rson stood u9 in the bed of such piokup and shlnad the rays of an ~rtlSlolel light that ha had 00. or about his head into tbs adjoining pao:UTas an4 f isldr. Kc shots wars firsd. The WI tnsos coulb not tall whstber the asn stsndlng ap had a gunor not. Tbs witness stopped the oar but tha aen in the bsb cot awag in ttisdark. The dsfsndant, dritsr of Ch4 autoaobils, Is Wing prosroutsd a8 a prlaolp51. In his tsstimony thr Stats'e nltnsaa osrsfully follows ths word- irq of thr rrlm faoie fssturs of ths statuts t44tlfyln~'to every elsnsnt in that psrt cr the statuts. 1%~ wltascr)tsrtiflsd 'that the Eonornbls Pllliam Curry, page 3 man rts+dIng fin ths bad of ths plokup wai In p04445410n of 4 hradllght, or scar other ions . of hunting light uesd on or about hla h4aC, while huntiw et night, b4tw44a ronr4t and one- half hour brrors suarI44, sad that suah p4rson we8 then and them hunting In a oomanlty whars deer ware th@n aad t&me known to razup, “Thle tsstlamny wee dsnlsd by the dafm- dent. *Thr defsnUsnt~8 oounwl drmidr (1) that the oourt shall not instrust the jury es to tha prim fools srIdsao4 fsaturs of the statute; and (21 #et tha oourt shall sub&t ths 0404 on a oharga 2t olroazst4ntle1 4*1d*ac4. 'ThsSt& contanda the opposlts, rsklzg for Q &m&s on the p&m f4014 4olb4no4 feature, end&myIng that a ahergs oa aIroua&antIal 4vld4ao4 ~mulQ be pzwpt~r.~ Ths sot of huntlng is ona cf ths ~maln am3 sssan- tlal iSOt to be proviA in this alee in order bo justlry a aonvIotIon. thdoubtsdlp, the State rallso upon cfroura- stsntisl sVidoras to prove this =aZn fsot, slncs nslthsr ths dsfandtit nor hire ooapenlon la ohown to hara flrod a shot nor to hsve bsso Ia po44444Ion of a weepon ospsbls of killing a dam. tt ie true thet 0114 cJf the State’8 wltnesaar t86tlflsQ un4~ulvoasllp that ths asfsnaant~e aosipanloni14s hunting; but It la etldmt, froa the other fsots rtatrd by you, thnt suoh tsstlso~f wa# lirnly an Infarsnar on hi8 part drawn fro41the ourround5.agolroum5tano44 aot~lall~ ob- srrrsd by hIfs. From this point 14 wleh to dlrsot your rttsatlon to th8 r01109dng droialon or the Court or Crbalnnl Appeals of T4x44: Xharo 01ls trot la proved from wblsh another raot is to bs inferred, the charge (on oirou~tantlal lVld4noo) aust be (31VWl. Sentry v. Litsts,56 3. ~1.6E. nOtlorabl4wllllem Curxy, p8BI b Thr oonoburion that th8 asoar&~partlolpatrd In thr attack on the daeaarrd king but iniarmoe fro8 othrr olrotm8taa448, law or olrorurtrntial lvida uoshould a ha+8 bren glvrra. De+18 v. Steta, 296 S. 8. 895. X8 a prowoution Mr bur(llarywh4rr 811 thr lvl- donor la rrbtion to tha brasking sad ratrri~ 14 oiroor- 8tontia1, 8 oharg4 oa ~lr4wmtrntial rila4acr lhmld be BlV8n, and the i8ot that lo8u84d had pl88ded guilt Of a theft ot $rowrty 8tOl4.A duriLt&the burtirry, whlo h:pl8a i8~introdao4d in 4vid4ao4 4048 not dir~Ia84 with thr noo- 4S4ity Of tbo ohrrgr 00 Oi~OWUt8lIti8l 4V144OO4. B4aaoa v. Stat., 67 8. E. 96, 69 Lb R. A. 193. It 18 therrforr oar oplaioa that a oharar on oircaortantial 4+144aae rhculd ba glvaa. "A *&we tPclr oa44* 14 that eraount of evldrnor whioh would be suffioi4ot to oountrr- brlano4 the gaarnl pr44us@ilon or lnnoora44 la 4wclrrant a oenvlotloa,.if not 4nao4nt4xwi and ooatroll4d bf 4~~44504 tonding to Oontrs- 4lot lt, and ren44r,lt laprobrbla, or to prove OthrS? taOt8 ~fl4OZb8i4t4llt with ft." FOX48 IUlb Fhr4848, vol. 33, Da&?0545. l'rrfPa ft3Ol4' I344n8 68 it rir8t 4pp48F8; 4t fiS8t right8 ot fir8t Vi4w; 00 it4 i8041 On the raO4 Cir itt On th4 rh8t 8ppaerenOe~*wOrd8 and Fbtam48, Vol. 33, peg8 542. "'biM feOi4 4Vidanoa’ 58 s4xely proof Of the 0484 UpOn whioh thq Jrtrp IMY find 0 verdict, uairri rrbuttrd by othrr rvldrao4. In other wordr, prlaa r40i4 lvld4noe 14 not 00n01~8iv8, but 18 ruot a8 ~olrl br OvIrOOmabr 4vl44oo4 to ah8 oontnry; and 8o8h~4vi44n44 18 to b@ w4igh.d tOg8theT with th8 otbrr 8Vi- dmcr, and la ooan8otion with the r4aronIIblr HoUorrbla ~llllaa Curry, paggc) 5 dohbt an4 prrruaption or inaoo4n44 vhlob obtafn in 811 oridinal trlrlr.* Jlsook 1. 3tat4, 30 s. %. 794. A180 Bton4ha3 v. Ctata, 268 U. ii. 156. 12d) 4~~ OItl~ Uptn10~8'I. Stat@, 32 8. M. fn the Pa48 Or Fotsat Q. Wato, 133 S. 2-i" (2d) 581, oltad by yQU, tho h&rib of ‘%InkiCi~ dFp4418 88id: “b 8UbUkittti3& Oh, 0084 t0 the Jury the trial $uige avm :A oherg* the prism r40I4 olew4 OS *a f 4 8tttOl.r. Objrotlon ~44 fntrr- ~08443 on bb gmaa that it wa8 not applio8bl4 uadar the taOt8 Of th pT484nt 0684e hpp4118llt ah0 OOaplein@d b408U84 th4 OOUrt did not Oh8rg4 on oiroo~tsntial 8vl4rnc4, and F~rreantrd 0134 la proper for;? with r@qU@lt that it be &van. If the OQWt W48 ri@lt ill g:Viq the i.nh'uO- tlon on tb4 prh4 r40i4 raaturt of the etatote,' it obVI4t4d tb4 Xl40448itp Qf OhW&l& OIL air- OUwtantiet 4Vid4n44, Othr!!mIr@tb4 0~188IOfi to 4hargr on oIronrartantIa% lvidrnor rrouldbe lrro?. It will be noted that In the first part 0r Art. $02, P. C. It rrrar8 o4praIelly to hunt- ~II@with light4 kuOwri48 a 'h@adll$ht or huntlug-leap an4 than inOlUd48 'an7 other foxa of 4rtIdcIsl light,' but fa- 8trIatr tha"p~IreataoI la4tura of the statute FI8ttir4OIAth4 8QtIth 8Id4 Of th4 TO@d h8 Wa8 not U8lng,wbot a48 QOm4Ou~~ kWWIA a4 8 'hrsd- light’ or g&u?atIag l841p.’ X4 ha4 oal{ an rrt- lrlaial 11&t, knowa 88 l 'rl88hlI~ht. Ma had it ill hi8 ha:n4. It i8 tN4 OM Oi the St4t4’8 WitM8848 t88tlfl8d that 8u4h 8 li&ht OOUid be ured on the ha44 b 918dm it Ia the hat 0X.684, but there 18 uo 4viden64 the0 appalmlt *aI 80 u8ing it on or 8bout the head, and it I4 only Wh4U 80 U84d th8t 8h4 8btUt4 in qU48tIOn WOUld et8kathe pO88484iOiiOf 8UOh 8 lhht 150a 041. lant than had prIa4 faoia svId@na@ thrt ii 4 W88 ~oaorsblr ElllI4a hurry, psgr 6 violating the hunting rtatutr ia qu88tion. The orblnrry flaehllght 14 an artlola 0r 8uoh cozuon ~44 that It as) wall ba doubted that the ~UQil#ld2lS@ WOUld Ulld@~t@k@ to Zb4k4 tt4 JbO4848- SIO!I of On0 prima ra414 4vIa4O04 agrlnot It8 omar unlru8 ha naa uring it 011 or about the head a8 th4 eosloonly'knowahaadltihtr or htmt- lug lamp8 asa,U84d. *It rOklOW8 from What W4 hRV4 t3aiathat we think the trial judge iall into lrror lzk giving the prim8 ieoir chrrgr aonplalnrd of and that 0900 another trial it shculd b4 odt- tad, and and@? the 4Vid4i104 48 hr. found 8a in4trootion on oir4ua4t4atla1 4viu4no4 would b4 appro,prIata.* In the rrooatiy decided oar4 of LOllar v* iX.ata, 159 3. iy. (26) 130, th4 Court Of ‘&iMhVll +p4814 ill 8 Oaao ahrr4 ac~ourrawa8.ohrrg44 with p0a8444lon or intor- Ioatlng liquor ror purporr0r 4414 held It ~88 proper under 'the tOate or that easatb ohacgr,both on oIroPsrtaatIa~ avidan end on the prim4 f84i4 frsturo Of tha 8t4tUt4. Thr o9lnlon In that ~a88 is short, and we 4re quoting 1t ln fill: 'DAVXD!%W, Judge, vhr ~nia~fui pos4a~sion or whlely ror tta puspore or ralr i8 the Oif4Ii84;the pm- I8ha@nt, d fin4 Di $200.. *Appallaat operated4 rillln 8t8tIon in the town 0r ~lntrra. ~34 an4 k&3 wife lived and made theirhoae in a room in the rear part of the building. Eonorabla Y~llllam Ckrry, raga 7 aInopeaUora ai the Taxs8 Liquor Control i30erU,under authority of a arsrch war&that, m~sda a aaaroh of the praolaea. Thry 8ppX'O8OhOd tho bullUlog fioie,an4 psalnrdantronoa thara- to, at th e rear. Up o n lntrrlng, they Sound appallant~% wife lngeged ln breaking six bot- tlrs of whlnkry. ApDtillllIIt W4S JlOt pr%%ollt at that tlm. The #ix% or capaalty of thr%r bottles i# not shown, 4torpt that the orfloare t%stirl%d that thr aoarbinad oontaut axoasdrd 4 quart. "Appallant uea err8at84 at the tilling atetlon, after tho aaerah, and, in thr pras- 8110%or th% offlorm, brokr a belt-pint or whloka~, which h% had cn his prreon. Thl!88 othrr ens-h4lr pints 0r vhiok8y uare round on hia pereon. *kpp%llaQt, t8%tiryiw am 8 rltnarr in hi% own b%helt, udalttad tea poaeeseion or thr four on%-half plate or whiskey on hi% par- eon. Ii% explsinrd hie po&%e%aion thsnor by asyin& that, et him r%qua%t, hi% %an had par- chased cm% for &la, et a liquor %tor% nonr Son dngalo, and bud returned with thr whi%k%j end d8llv%r%d it to hiu juet DSIOT to the soaroh. rigmaid thut the othor rhlrksy on the pr%nl%%a b%lonu%C to the aca, who pur- ohased it et the tlso ho botlghtthr whlekap ror hia. 28 drolad 435~ Iatrrest In, or oon- trol over, sny ef tho ablskay on the pra~ti%6s. *There m'r no dlroot rriQon0% showlne thet apprllent wee ragaged In srlll~ rhlakr~. nia guilt wet3 3Oa8 to Eopand upoa an oiqli- cation or the prima r80;% %+id8no% rah, Art. 666-238, Zoo. (2), Y~rnon*% Ann. P. C., to tha 8rr80t tast posr8a~ion 0r aore than on8 quart or rhlakry in a dry ar%a shall c9astltutr DriQa rs0i8 me0308 that it 18 poasa8e8d for 8h8 pur- porn@ 0r aale. Th8 whlekry r0una on app8llant*o p%r%;.n n&t being: *Roy% than 650 qu%rt, hla guilt aat depend upon rsets ahowing that h% h%d thr poraa88ion or the vhlsk%y, or 4 part th8r80ro found on tha prmair88, thO bottlrr OOntOlnlW Ronarabla ~illlaa Curry, pasta8 wbloh wars brbkao by the aif& 40a01a8104 18 r8aokad uhet, la ordrr '2% to.&w that app%lls&t porwrrad 8uQh othrr whlakr~, the State’s 0aea Qepanda4UpOIlOk- auartantlal eridaaoa, oad that the trial 0oaft erred in reNalog to give appe;llantt%4psOl41 nquorued obar&aupon the law of oireusutu~- t 181 erldenoo . *fn rlattor snotharttrlal~ the ohm&r Uoflalng the tom tprb faoia~ should bo 80 fraaad ma not to rblft the bard%n oi proof mob 8~ e8 not to cronstltut* posrrrrlo~ of aors than e quart or whlrkby a preruapxa ot guilt. For a drflalticn of the trm prim raols,* II%@ FlOOOk f. State, 34 Tax. Cr. li. 314, 30 3. l-7. 794) uslden v. Steto, 100 Tex. Cr. 8. 584, 272 2. X. 139. *For the error dlrauarrd, the jud8!aant 18 nYerseU mad tho OauU% rOw4ltda.b. *The rorsgolq# oplnioa o? the formlart o f fq ?p %a baa lr b o r nlxalno4bp the Judarr the Co:crurt 0r Criminal dppaals and apprwrd ttaa court.* Artor a &u&y or the Fotrat oaao and t lm Lolla* oaao, oltod above, whloh upon ilr8t ?aaJlly app l, lr to b e ln almaat eoniIlot, we bavo arrlr%4 at the oono‘1ordon that the boldfn$ala tb%a oaa6a nrr hamnlOC18. It will ba noted t&at~ Artlole 902, ken81 Coda, quoted aupro, proridra that in ortlrr tor * priu faolo oaae to be mabs r o ur laparata and dlrtinot thingr mat ho proven via. : tl) Th%t th% daf%ndant 188, at Oh6 Iha oharga a lo the ooaplalotend inr0rcplti00,a psr8on &&- a; (2) that hsrra huntin& In a oamtmlty when daor are know to ranget (3) that ha warn than SE poaaaerlon ot a Ronorebl8 :'illlaa CuPrf, pa&a 9 haad ht OP any othrr huntiM light urrd on or about the tiradt7 4) that ha wso bu&ioC( at night batwarn 8UiUl8t axi On8-half hOUP b8fora %UnPi88. Tb8 8Vid8lN8 in th8 rOtG8t 08%8 VI8 8UiffOl8nt tQ show thrar Of th888 fOUP f1808%88Py dlrtXdJlt8 illOrd8P t0 mk8 out % pPl!a%iSO:% C%%l. 0tl8 wsa lsoklng. ifs us8 not UllinpJ~a mh8edl~gh8~ aad th8 fla8hliaht h8 W38 US@ WSI)not b8inj$Usrd 00 OP about hi8 hrnd. +i8 this tlrahlight ~08 not balm ~884 on or aboub his heed, no dir84t 8Vid8l.iC8 %(I8 Fr888llt8d that h8 WB8 hUnti~ 3 th8 aid Of an artifiolal light; add whrthar h8 wan hoad ngTy En::", of said tlsshllght had to br inf8rrd from olraun- . That Is, it wa8 only ahown by olrau~%ataatiol*vi- d%nC8. 5%KG8, th8 court8 in th8 Potect cam oorreatly hald thnt tha prim taoid oh%Pg% should not ha+8 bean glv8n. It WnU1d fOllOW th%t in my ~%%a, prO88out8d un- dar this nrticla, whet8 any on8 cf ths SOUr tlsosa%ary a18- .mmts tc ba provrn to mkr out 9 prlna r8ci8 aau8 oresnot ehowa by dlrsat afidanccl,but 68p8ad%d upon olrouz8tantial eviasnar , thr court should not aharge on tha p&a% taolr f8%tUr8 Of th% 8t%tUt8. fn thr oes8 prrerntrd to ua wh%th%r %h8 brf8adamt wa% hunting et the tint8w%% not proven by dir%06 OVid8nO8 but must b8 laiarred from oth8r fasts la 8vldOnO8 whlah f%Ot8 w8r8 that th8 def8ndsnt wa8 driving a pi%kUp truok %lOng % oountrp road at night at a slow rat% of ap86d in % oommnlty wh8P8 d88t 8r8 kZlOWSl t3 PaKI&l, that a coapenion w%% standing 1% th8 bad Of th% pickap t2UQk With 8n MPtifiOl%l light On or about hi8 head, szxI that thi8 aompanian fled upon bring %pQrPballd%d. X0 gun OP W8llpOn W88 shown tC hot8 b88n 1R ttrr po%88a%ion of ttadrfrrndantor his oomponio~. ti the LOl~r u%s8, th8 OOUPt h818 und8P thr faots a8 B&W% tha8 the oour$ sr;outdhsva ohergad on olr- ousstantial srldrno8 rnd hl80 on thr prlaa rsole foatun of thr ststutr.. It wS.11 br not8d that in tht% 0888, Eaaorablr zil1i8Ca Curry, pmg% 10 +& l I1 b ttlW~ 0s 1lor8 than OD8 quart Of whisk8y W8S QZ’OVr5 by dir806 rvid8noo and not by oirowaot8ntlal 8vldenaa. rki8stat. tr118d upon olroafmbsatlal rvldrnar only to 8hor that tha Whi8kqy Ha in th8 pO88.8Oi.Oll Of th4 drfmdaat. ThiO prh8 f%Oi8 iodUr8 Of tht OkrtUt8 ia OW o.plnlomlo of relur to tha Ststr only in those oaae8 whhrra thr hradl%$ht rar 8hOW4 by dlrrot rvldrnoo to h%v8 Only bsrn in thr IS 0 of th8 defendant, sad ~4s not at thr tlaa b8img aOGUa f $&g& 08 an aid ti the huntlrrg. ==+i! Tbr otattrt8 provldrr t&at it rh911 b8 prim8 faoia rVidWiO8 that th8 p8P805 fOOlIdiU FO88888105 Or Hid hraa- lI&ht o? other huating lilght,1~ vloUtln& thr proviclionr of this artlol~.. In the faotr of thin 0688 aa you OUbraftt8d to ~8, pa harr proof of all four slrwntr of t&a ofrenoa, v1a.a (1) That tha aOfODdOn6 was, at th8 tia8 ahat aa im tha aomplsizt6and inrors8tlon, a pw8oa huntI5g; (2f that h% was hunting la 8 aoco*rmlty when door 8ra kzunmto raaga$ (3) that hr uoo thou uoing a hesdl.tghtof otA8r huntlng light on or about thr hoad! (41 that he '1~18hU5ting at night brtn8n rwmrt an6 one-half hour b8forr bunr’i80. All tour o? thrrr llraont(lher% k8n prov8n ruffl8iratly to go to tha Jurr sad a prlw f6olr oaea Is alrmdy ;?adr out. It foll~~o thra that the%% I8 50 D88d Of ZW488itl for the Strta to rely upon tha prim taoir tratum or thio ltatute. B* 8lLsolrrlro at tha ooa8 oraclunion, tbrt a ohsrgr oa olrau?artoa8is~wlaraac, 8hould b8 gln4, and o 1 ohsrga 00 prim8 raai0 8vido5%% 8hOUld not b% glvea ma th8 iOilOWi~ QrOOeIO Of rWOOnbIg8 i Th8 leglrl~turr ta onoetlng prim4 faoir provlsloar to orlmlnal lt8tUt88 do40 00 for thr 9UX’90#8 or aiding tba Otat8 lo aulcim6 proor or aOam l8o%Dtla1 rl%aoatr or tha offeaw. h thr OfiO5o% Of 088%88iOn Of i5tOliOrti5& 1iQUOf tOr thr pUQO8% Or o818, it f 8 WidSllt f?OQ th8 T@ry WtWO of thing8 that in mat oaws it nDuld k dlffloult, ii not tnpooolblo,to wkr aotoal zooi that thr liquor Woo F.o8o8oo8b rOr th8 QUrpOOO Of 8010. ff.aoa, thhr lrglrlcrtun provldrd that th8 pPOO$ Oi th8 QO8o.80105 Or Wt. th45 051 QMtt ..‘_.. ’ ., 5f$5- . . 7 . ’ Eonorablr ~lllier Curry, peg4 11 would b4 prim4 taolr proof that .it POB pO88488od for th4 purpose of aelr. ‘%are the pr00f Showed that thr d8fsndant 4OtUelly sold Oil4g8llOClOr lntOXlO8ting liquor, drllrrrod St to th4 buyer, end rroiv4d from tha buyer thr OOn8idar- 8tlOn for 8a94, th8rr would, bo no asooseity to ohargs on the prim4 la018 fraturo 0r thl4 atatuto. Them wa8 no "gap to brldgs." Alao, in a theft oa4@, wham the d4f4nd4nt ~188 apprrhrndrd ln the aotual taking of the atolrn good4 It would br u44le44 to ahargr the jury that th4 poss488 ion or raoantly 8tolrn goods, unexplaln~d, would make out a prllne iSOi8 OB88. i:ahare thr 4az8 altuatlon in the ca8o you aub- sltt4U to U4. %vldrntly, th4 Grlma facie frekrs of th4 rtetute tia8 anaoted to *brldgr th8 gap* in those 0888s wham the proof ahomed that thr drf4ndant et th8 tlm4 bad a haad- light, or oth4r hunting light uaad on or about the haad In hi8 088488iOn,bUt th8rs 9188 ii0 proof that he Wa8 4OtU4lG irx~~aon8tltut4 the orran it 18 naooreary thst the prraoa hunt drrr by thr aid of an artiflolel light, and th4 mar4 po88esrton is not sufffolant. The 14glsleture m4rrly say4 that proof of p08808810n under the alrouarrrtanoar 8numrretod makrs out a prlisa laals cad8 thcltthe srtlficlal light m8 b4lng u8ed in eld Of tho,huntine. 'J!hs proof in th4 0848 you submit 8how8 that ths artiflolal light *a8 bring u8.d and W138 u88d 011Or 8bOUt the head. Thor4 18 n0 "'gap to bribg8. * Hono*, no neo*rsltg for ohorglng th4 jury oa the prima fool4 fraturs of th4 rtatuto. TlRl8ti~ th4t tCi8 8Utf~OiOZltl~8lllWOr4 OpilliOJl your Ql48tiOIl,w4 stir FIRSTASSISTART kTTQRliiEY GEURAL m . w. v. capport A88i8t8llt