OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable Vi.I;.JlcClain
Criminal Dietriot Attorney
Georgetown, Texae
Dear Sir:
WI have reoeived recent date whioh
wo quote in part as follow
the f6llor-
fng questions
eleoted aa a
uld ltk6 to hare
sentenoe diequalify a
any aleotfon, lshether
e or National sleotlon?~.n
2 of Artiola XVI 02 the Conetitutian of
Texas prOVideI a8 folloy6~1
*Laws shall be made 66 sxolude fro&aoffloe,
BerVhg On jUrtf#sF Nid froI$ $&a right Of mf-
frags; thoee who lMy haye besa or ahall hem-
after bh aonricted or robberp; perjury, fOr&tlry,
or other high ar3qr. . i*
i3oawrUo iL I. XoOlmln, Paw 8
.,I,.
;,p,norable Vi. K. NoClaln, Paeo 3
*what does the oourt mean by thlm language?
clearly that If tha Su6penQeQ S8DtwmI &r Qefaat6
or nulllfle6 or oonillat6 with S*otlon E of AHA-
010 XVI of the constitution, it WQuld be void.
~1s oonillot, l ooording to the court, would re-
sult If a porron rho 18 the rmlplent of a lu6-
ponded sentonoa rorild not 6tifer the dirabillty
pronounood by this provision of the Co66titUti~.
III other words, aa applied to Seotlon E of Utl-
ale 16 of ths Con6tltutlon, if besawo of anQ
undrr the auspendmdrontenoalaw a person oould
hold office, 8erv6 on jurI66, and vote, notmith-
standing hl6 having been adjudged gufltr of the
orlmos msntlonsd, broausa hi6 6rnteabo had beon
su6pOlldO&,TiOUbinot the eff*Ot Of th 6U6QOnQbQ
rehtrnor law be to QUoat the purporr.o$ tha Oon-
*i 6tltution? .Wiwoar, if the mrd *eonvlbt6di In
Section 2 of Artfale 16 of the Con6tltutlon be
held to rae~~tbm loertaimmnt ~anQ publle6tion
of guilt, rather than a final aodrletloa, the dir-
abilltle6 progounP66 by th6 Coartltutlon wrouldbe
suffered and the l plrlt and purpose of 'Seotion Z
of Artiolola 16 ~aotviolated by the s~6pendoQ '.
sentenoe lan.m
me ~MUOS in701~0d ~IIpour queri06 WC&S itin
~lrou8ml, a ndluthorltle6
1~. thereon wore ~,urtod, in opin-
: ba l?o.O-8698,uM we .oaolo’ao a aopt of said oplhlonfor
tdur con6IUeratlon.
In vlon of the above olted oon6,tltutlonal an4 ota-
tntory &ovlsions aad ~tha priao~pler aahuaiwd ia Opinion No.
be698, w4 are ooastr~aed to hold that a pw6Oa who 16 oon-
dOted or murder anil:given a rira year lunpdl4od 88ntenoe
Fhioh I6 #till in foroe m4 Urud Im not auaflfIa4either
TV hold th. ofilos of tN6tWJ of a 0aumQa &&001 dirtriot or
to exercise the right of 6tifrqw.
Very truly your6