222
OFFICE OFTHEAmORNEY iiENERAl.OF~
AUSTIN
~ord&3 AlwIn P. r%Pe
c0urity kttorney
Dear sir; oplnlon NO. o-3845
Ret Does Arttiole ~OZQ of the Peril
Code, by its Irtn@&ga, cwer
The foll0vdn& question is taken from your letter of
July SO, 19&L, Ixppn whi0h you requerrt t&e opinion Oi this
$rpaftm.ent t
WMS 8uah Pens1 Co40 Art. 8020, by its leng-
uage, owc)r anything mom then Negligent Bomicidb
aa dafinsd by P. C* Artr.USO-lQB0-1~39-liZ4O; or
i6 it broad t~~Ou&ito 00t.r P. C. Art. ll49, br
In& aoaault with e motor vehbls; Ati. lZ4l I-. C .a
and th. 8tutUtbE On 8lUI’hr)”
*'Any pezsoti who drives or operates an auto-
nobile or any other motor.rehiols upon eny pub- .
1113road or f*g?mp in thLE .$tato, or upon any
etroet or alley witMa the ~llmits oi an Lncor-
poratsd aitp to*n or tflllage, while suoh per-
aon la intoxioatea or under the inmlenee of
irtoxioating lipuQr, shall be gul&tiy of a r&m-
demeanor, end w>on tmnriation shell be ~punlshe4
bp oonfineamnt in the County Iuil for not less
than tan (10) daya nor mwo than two (a), yoar8
or by e fine nf no$ less than F’iftr Doller6
($50) nor nore t&n Fire
i$ by bath such fine and
., *,.
223
Bonomble Alwln F. ~epe, Page Z
Artiole 8020, Vernnon*a Annotated Peral C&e, beine
8 new sedtion added by Seatlon 3 of Houee nil1 73, 47th
tngielature, roads as follwnl
whny per305 who &irbs or opercrtar en
automobile or any other motor VehlOle upon any.
pub110 rend or hlgbwey in this State, or upon
uny street or alley or any other plaoe wltbln
the llmlte OX en Incorporated aity, tarn, or?
village, while ruoh pttrson Is intoxioatsd or
under the iniluenoe of intoxloating liquor,
ant3 while ao arlvlne and operating suoh auto-
zobfle or other motor oehlole sbell through
accident or mistake do another aat wblah if
voluntiwlly dons would be a felony, &&bell
remit-e the puniahment~aftixod to the felony
a0twlp OOdttba.w
As to the Sects submitted fn your re uert we do
.not underteke to paw upon tbe arlmlnel liabll 2tp 04 the
persoa charged t&moon, nar a0 we oonstrub your letter ae
rsquostf~ng us to do 80. tire point ost, however, t&at under
the iaats submitted ir yuur letter, we 860 no quei3tlon in-
rololng Article 80&b of the Code oonteined ln pour request,
therefore it la unaeaoss6aay for u8 to oonc&lderthie statute.
Article 42, Vomon'r haotatqd paal c&e, pro-
tide81
*One intenai~ to atdmlt a felony and who
in the ciat of preparing ior or ereoutinet the
sax16 shell through mist&e or Pa&lent do an-’
otbm act wblah, ii voluntarily do@e,~ would be
e felohy, shell rsoelos the punlsbment affixed
to the felony aatually aamxltted,*
Article 45 of the Code 2rovldea that the Intention
to connit an oiieatle in presumed whenever tbe umans t&&e& I.6
such as would ordimrlly result in-the oomudsalon of the
?orSldden act.
Article 1149,. Ver’n0nt4 knnotated Penal CaUe, proe
vldcsr
*If ang driver or operator of e motor
vehicle IJSmotorayale shall wlUully OF ~.itfi
ae~linsnce, aa is doriwd in the Penel code
of ti& 3?ate inthe title aad ohzqtsr on
ne;ll!:ent hm.5cSdo, c01lid6 with or cause in-
jury loge than death to any other parson he
&Al ;!eixld guilty of qz;RrevatoQ csaault,
end, up+n cmvictian, shall be ~uni5h4d by
finc not less than Twenty-flvs ($Za.OO) Dol-
lam, nor zore thn Ofi0 TImwand (&OCO.OO)
Dollera, or by Inprl6onmnt in jail not leer
theI: one xoizthnor'more thea t!?o ye.crs,or
by toth cluohfine and lqrloonmont~ unlssa
suoh lnjudea result ln Cqsth, lo which atsnt
tio:driver or operator of soy sotor rchLale
or motoroy8lo &all be dealt with under the
gamml law of hmloie,"
ThC +3Wf!d 1eW Of hWI$eide IQJ?Ourtd iI&a&BpSOM.
- lb inulurive ktiales 1801 et se&, or tha Penal Code,
:tlale*l8Ol deS& “hcml.elde* I; the dastruetion~oi the
llfa of one human beisg br the 6at nfsenoy ~soeuxei~ent, or
aulpable omlaeion of another. f&ale l&Ookprovld&~ tkt
the destruatlon of life mast be ocm~1ot.e by such Cot, *to;,.
but although the lnfury ?vhlah oaumd death tight aot ardor
other oirawstaaeas here proved tat& jet lr such iajurg~bs
the aeuse at c?eath,without its lp aring tImt.then hem’.
been any groor negleat or ma&test p” y improper treatment of
the permn in~nred, lt la homioibo.
Article 1241 of 5aia code ~rovldrat
wRm one fn the ~xeautlon of or in et-
taoptlng to exeaute an aot mada a felony by
law shall kill an&her though without an ap-
pare& intention to L&l, the imaw~ does
uot corn4wlthin ths detinltion of ne$Ji@mt
hootiolde . ”
Article lZ&6 of ssfd Cods provideoz
3fhoever ahall volunt~ily kill any per-
eon within this 3tsto shcll.?:e F;ull.ty of EUXC-
der. mmier shell.be dlstlngulrshed from avery
other splclna nf hc?llciikJ bg tao cboeuae 4-s
clrc-mstsncar whic;h reduce tho ofiease to
na~ll~mt %mlcfde or which 850~6 clr juatlfy
the killing.*’
225
ID tki8 DBBO Of %Op?h~n V. sttite, 146 S. w. (!?a) 376,
&pe:lant was ccririQted OP murder, ft balng alleged that
goymhan. w!!ile drirfnt; and operatin:.; 5 5otQr vshfole upon a
publio street within the city of Sen Antonio, Texea, ena
ahlle so opsratin~ and driviru; wea undsr the fnfluenee of
i5t0xlcetirig ll:luor, and did then and there, thrc,u;h eooldeat
ad mistake, kill deoeased by etWcl.ri the autozoblle of de-
oe~~~d, thereby. ;~Jarring brulelng tend breciklng the body OS
deocalled. The oourt ln&ucted the Jury with referenae to
Article 42, nupra, w%ioh lnetruotion wzs obJeoted to on the
ground. that k-tiole 48 had no applloatlon to the ease but
t&et A,zt.iole 1241 was apgliceblo. The court held tbet Jlrtl-
0x8 &Ml, r.+erred to, wm not ‘appllccble tc the oese cad
t&at such article merely t&se an offeme ee thelneeohp-
ed, out of the not aerining megllgant hadcide.
served that thie o inion wea reuderrd before the aneatlmen~
to Article 808 paisPng the offeneo of drlvlzg end operetln(J
a .tPotoP vehicle on a publlo OLghuay or street, while untler
the lnfluenae of iatoxlaatlng liquor, a mladamoanor in the
flraf lmt~noe. ht the time of the opinion the of?ense oi
eo driving a notor vehlole wa6.a felony.
Suds0 Ikittlniore, apeekia~ for the aourt on motion
for rehem@, in the oaee of Burton vq State, I.%3 Tqx. Cr. R.
363, 55 s. Yi. (ml) 813, 615, web the following languagr$
-“In other vords, the mere feot that a
~1(1~16 under the lnflue~e of lntoxioetl~
liquor while operatin+: a oar OS a hl@my,
this :+in(; in rend of itself the egmlssion
df a felony, should oat in ree$on and oomon
8sn.m make him Guilty of mrirder, If ,he be
opcr+tin$ the oar oorreotly, and aa a raen
shoiild who wcx not under,the influence of
,lntoxlca$ing liquor.*
In SuZrge httlmore*r opinion la the forsgoiog ease,
he aleerly aate forth the proper lntsrpretatlon to be @aed
on .&rtlcle 42 of the Peoal Codm, pertlau$erly the phrase wone
lntendine to ccmnlt. P fe?ony end who . . : ahall through
aoaldat and nristakeW do another sot. Thus in caeee ahare-
irig haraicrlde, invclvin~ driving an autwobiie while undhr.
th6 infl;lctic~ of intoXiOat~,liQAOr, where the oOn\mi6riOn
of an’offsmu9 1s ohargea uasr Artlole 42, the Court of Crinf-
lnar Appeals aonsistently required in addition to proof
t&t tte acaused was under the lnfLnos of intoxloatlng
liquor, proof %hat the oolllston and death of the deeeased
I_
226 u.
~onorobls hlwln il. Pape, Page 5
m# brouf,hC @tout or nttri3utablo to the r?an.?ar in which the
aooused hendlod this oar. Modoynahan0. 3tate, 144 ~-. Vi. (Ed)
5741 Koman v. Ptxte, 121 *x. Cr. I;. 433, 22 5. W. (2d
1051; Jonoe v. State, 127 Tax. Cr. R. 227, 75 S. I?. (2a 1
683; Collir~s v. State, 1% Tex. Cr. R. Z@b, Q4 9. W, (Ed)
443. T:u&, the court seld 1s Colllnr v. State, clupra, are
$.seues of faot to be doteMne4 by the jury under appropriate
inatructir;ns fro3 tha uourt. bn a>prwed charge on this
.question le found in the rdoynahan daes ebovs oited.
In Cookrel.1 V. State, ,135 Tax. Cr. l?. 218 ll7 8. W. (2d)
llG5, the t.?efrn?cr.t was convioted of murder with m&o., a&
on a>ppeol the oaea wa6 affirmed. The oourt ic the indiotmsnt
upco whloh ths Jury found ita oslrdiot ohargsd simply, that
defendant WnlawfUlly, voluntarily and with malioe abbrr-
thought" killed Ueceadsd by striking with an autorobile. Tha
rreoond count of the lndlotment, oubmitted to the jury mlong
with the flr&t oount, oharged thet ln.the sxsoution at an
unlawful and fo$onioua aot through &ooldsnt and~ml.et&&
appellant drove an automobks against the deoeased ahil&n.
quotliqq Artloles 1149 hn4 1201, aupra, the ooart
in the Cookrell case said that.6 persoti driving an automobile
uho lnjixres a-other by the wllltul and negligent uaa of enah
atitozobils, thereby ccuaing the death of such pereon, does
not deoeaearlly oome within the provieiona of the law do-
nounol~ negliesnt hmsiolde. In the oaee the court followed
&at. P. Trott; 190 W. 01 674, 180 9. E. 627, 42 A. I.. R.
lll4;enU quotsd.th6wofm the followings
qurder ln the ssoond degree or order at
oomon law, 1s the unlawf~1~kllllng of a human
being wit& a~alioe aforethought. Xalios doea
not neoeeearily meen an aotual intent to take
- human life. It map be inferential or implied,
lnatsad of po@itlvs, .as,when an aot whioh 3.e
?ortn danger to another la done eo'reoklerely
or wantonly ae to manliest depravity of mind
and dleregrd of human life."
It appeara by the provisiona of Article 8020 of
the Penal Code, that the Lsgllilature hse'a?:rely combined in
8 special law ralatiw to driving while intoxioat&d,-~ or while
under the fntluenoe of intoriosting liquor, eesential tea-
tures of &%iole 42 making it hn offerBe whr;ro one so o erat-
fng the autornoblla oommits a felony, with::ut the nsoaas Pty
of such pereon intending to aommit or being in the Rot of
Bomrable Alrin E. Pep, Page 6
preparia for or exeoutln;, n felow’at the tlrce another slot,
whioh bein;- voluntarily dme, Is oommltted. Sy the provl-
sfons of Xrticle 802, as amended, the ofienee of driving
,@hile intoxlosted or under the Inrluanoe or intoxioatlng
liquor hca been reduosd in grade rrom a felony to a mlede-
meanor~ In >roseoutlons und-r the provisiona of Article
8020, thqrerore, the iore.zoing oaeea inrolvlliathe oftensee
formerly oharged and proesouted under Article 42, otipli-
Bent to Article eO2 as it fomerly existed, are of Iimenee
value in their oon&mtion OS the law here to be oonsider-
ed, for the greater part unchanged as we view It, in orfeneee
oharged under Artiole BOEc, eupra.
& ohargiag an OfietWe of neglfgeat homlolde under
Artiole 8020, whPhioh ortense contains no element of intent,
Article 1241 would no:longer be appltoable 80 aa to reaove
the ofrenee from that grade defining negligent hixuloide.
Thea article is only applioable where one I8 in the exeou-
tion ot or attemding to exooute an aot made a felonmah
re(lult#.~in klllimz another person.
It. 18 our view that by the lenge~e. 01 Artlole
8020, supra, the Le&iel~:tuxe has lnpoaed orb&ml Ueblllty
to the act of driving.whlle lntoxloate4 or under the in-
fluenoe of intoxicating liquor. By Artlole 802, ,thls of-
ienne In itself is malum ~rohlbltum and under Artlolslr
ll4p and 1201, dem~ent upon the oirgmetano~er under @hioh
the aooldent oausing the death oooure, euoh aot ohcrged
under Art5.ole802e m&y be melm in ee from ithloh the in-
tention to oommlt the otrenee ae express&d b hrtlole 43
or the Penal Coda, 1s prsaumed. 5 Am. Jur. 1 792, pm 928
29; Cockrell v. State, 135 Tex. Cr. R. r: “18, 117 s. Ilk. r2df
1105. In the Cookrell case, Judge Orcve6 speakin+? for
the court, cites wSth approval the following languige from
Goo4.m~ v. Comonwaolth, 1SS Ba, 943, I51 6. K. 158s
Vhen men, while drunk or eober, drive
autosobi’ies alon hi&ways, and through oroud-
ed streets reoiclssaly, the killi~ of human .
beings is R riatural an4 grob~:ble result to
be axtiolpated. m,en homicide follows ae a
ocnsecuence of such cotzduot, a o~lrlnal in-
tent is Imputed to the offender, aa4 he may
be gunlshed for his crlae. The precise gra4e
or ouch u h%fcide, l*;hather murder or man-
slau&ter, depends upon the Teote of the Dar-
tloulcr case."
228
Eonarable A1d.n 8. Pape, ~agr 0
It 18 th*reCoro the o&Ion or thin drpartnmnt
that tha ptivirlone 0r Arttole 00110, Veraon* Annotate6
penal Code, oonrbrued with Article8 1149 and 1801, aupre,
and 1236 Oi aaid Code, the latter artiole 6sflaing %urder*,
is sutfloientl~ broed to eu.pport an indiOtiiw$t obergiag
murder, with or wlebmt nulloe. Artlole 1841 or iald Code
1s no longer applloable to take the fgron6e dharged out
of the definition of negilcjeathoaioide, because of the
asonauant to Article 8088 *rtllols1%4l relating to the
exeoution ornttmp$ed exeoutloa of a rai0n;e; e violation
or Articlo 802 be&q3 a 8p40iri0 ml8demeanor0rra5~.
Artlole BOlio is a new artlole and ie lpparenbly
Intended to arakea mm rule applloable to the apqolrlo ormoose
deilnod by &rtiola 808, W.&oh i6 a ai64waernor offanaa.
The obvious purpose ln enaotln& 8080 ie tq a ply the rule
announosd in Artlale 48, whloh appllea to frP onlerrgeneral-
lp, to the one spdalriotirdsnqstor .0rrub8~,Wunk drlriagS,
Artlols 808. If then offenre deneunwd by Ar%te&s 808 ha&
rmalaed a reloay, them would hare boea no e6oa8lon ror
tbo eaaotmoat or wtlele SM!o, bseauae Artiole 48auld be
lpplioable.
xt th4mr0rO r0ii0w that the ~OO~S~OM 0r.tha
Court or Orinlnal Appeal@ oonattilng Artlole 48 am applied
to -bm~ 6ri+ia& rhila said orme wr48a r6104, would ,.'.
apply dth'e~ml forae.nor to ~tilclo 8OE;o;that the offeluer
sustain04 ia'the opemtlon, 0r ttm rom4r would apply ,001to
the lsttar; utd that your qm3tlon must, bo spasfrloally
y~w~~~~ th*,tArtlele 0080 ~6008 cover more than aa@geC
.
Yours very truly