OFFICR OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
Honorable ivlllltm k. Grlffls, Jr.
County kttorney
(3aiA68 COUnty
%SdAOle, Texas
Denr Sir: OP~A~OA No. G-a691
Be: Does the suparinteAd8At
of the staff oi the State
Eoapltal at Big Spring
have authority to oharge
8 ree or 8100 ior aA
8XaQiAatiOA aAd OplA~OA
es to the sanity of a
prisoner charged with a
ro1ony IA Gaines county?
and related queetiona.
Your letter of June 11, 1941, rsqueetln(j the oplaion of
this D8~l-tn8At UpOn th8 qtle8tiOn~ herein etated, hatI been
reoelved.
iie qtiote iron your letter as follows:
"The following question has arisen in Galnes
County, Texas, wbloh I should like to have determined
by your.ofiloe by way oi AA OP~A~OA thereon, 1~1~0s
I as unable to rind any authority OA the proposition:
930 the county Attorney and/or Sherifr or GE~ACMI
County, Teras, have authority under the law to dsnmxl
aAd r8C8iV8 a~ CUCAIUiMtiOA EUIdOpdAlOA irOn the
medical AtAir 0r the State Hospital et 3Isig Spring,
Texas, aa to the sanity of a prisoner charged with a
felony IA Gaines County, TBLaE, *8A auoh 0phi0n tUId
examination is requested prior to any eotitmtmt oi
tt.tesubject in question to suah hospital; and, lr suoh
exasliAatioA is authorized under the law, doeo the
superintendent eAd/Or tittarr 0r said hospital hare
authority to charge a r88 of ~100.00 for such
6XCXinZitiOrl, Cr .5IIyret3 WhRt5QeVer?
"'lke feats eglVirig
rise tc Ihie Queotioc are
briefly as follms:
"&ne %lph Pratker was appreharded by the Lher-
iii’8 r.hpirtL20nt0r Ga:nea county, ‘I’axue, artar OW-
mlttlnp a i?mder In said county end being charged by
oom.glalnt with trio 0rrsnse or murder wit:: aalice.
After iiin arrest hod takon place, tha Lhorlfr felt
and I slso felt, as County Attome:;, tkt t&e aceusad
was, and is, unquestionably insane and incapable of
dit3tiIi@i8hiAg right :roEl wrong. b.8 th%lWpoA hed
the accused axamlnsd tiy the County Lealth Grrloer, who
*,
at&tea that in hla ~P~AIOA the 1~~1 was insan@; The
County Bealt.2 Orrioer 8ugga8tod that the opinlor 0r
an UXpOrt ShGU;ld b6 GbtaiAed, fn Vi6w of the rerioar-
A886 Or t&8 CriBI With WhiCh the 8OOCssd OtaAd6
ohsrgeti . To that and, 1 lrstruotad him to ta&phone
the i%apsrintendoAt of the Stata ~ospltal at Big Sprilrg
an6 mQUe8t BA eXaFeifiatfOt fIW suoh hospital, of the
loouiw3, with the W%rat~nUln& that the authorltlas
or <;cinse County wouhl transport the acouceh to Big
Spring arid return him at the&r om expn~se. IA this
mtter, I took tte posit102 tbnt ii an axport X~B 0r
tte opinion theft the sag was hopolaasly inrane, it
woufd b4 Ay duty to rpam the &tat47 F?Ad OouAty the
useless exkerse Gf a trletl ror murder in the Dlstrlot
Court or t,hlo oounty, together with the unusual ex-
parise 0r ca2liug a epcaial veAire for the trial, end
that it w~ulb be Kg duty to iile 8 luor,oy cor;plaint
againtt the fi~oufied MCI have him tried end seat to
the ?tats ~oopital. \ihOA the County Eealth Officer
talep&oned the 3uperlnteAdmt or the State IIoapltal
at X.g $priw, he wan Pnroruierd t&t 0~01; thou&h thr
authoritiss provided trarrsportatlon ror the looused
to a+3 rrom Eig Spring, Ieras, that the examlnatlon
oould Aot b8 conduotsd on the *stats18 time,' a~6 that
the 2uperinteAdeAt of tte State iTosplta1 woul.d charge
n fee of $100.00 for the oxaerination, since he was
opt authorized under tte law to mke such eXMiAetiOn
aa an employee of tha State rti that be would furthar
sxaot an additional fee of 8 100.00 should t8 be oall*d
upon to txstify upon trial of the aooused.@'
artlals 83 of Vernon's Annotated Penal Code prod8war
"The word *acauseti* Is intended to reier
to any ~wrson.who, in (L1wgaS mnnnwc, 16 hwld to
amwwr for an 0rftbtiww. at any rt*gw of the pro-
oweding, or agclnst whom complaint in a lawful
mwmr is nmdw char@lnC( 8n offen88, lnoludlng all
p~oeodings iron; the or5er for arrwst to tbo final
sxeautlon of the law. The word *befwndont'i6 ueed
in thw 6-0 8wnsw."
iIt 14 atatwd In TWX68 Jurlrpru~enaw, t'olumo 18, pegw 388,
that t
"Thw m6klng of a Oom#.alnt and the filing of
tbo UBU in the County Court in aa8w of ofienoo
is 6 ml6demsanor,or wltb a mo618trote of the oounty,
lf tha offen?w ir a felony, 18 the commwneemwnto? a
erimlnol eotlon or proreontlon;and thw proawlding
i8 hwld to be mndiag irea that t&e. The filtng or
prorontmwnt of on lntorlatlon, or the flnillng of wn
lntiotment,18 not neoeoury to thw oumawnwemwntof the
pro8woutionor aotlon.
"In 8 pur8ly arlminal pM8ecution, tha oaew 18
pen8lng,SQ long as the quortion ot the guilt or
innooenoe of the rocturrdrosmiar undetermined,. . ."
Art1618 8561a, Vernon16 4motatwU Civil Bktutae, net8
forth the mnnwr ol' appr8hension. arrortr sad trial of persenr
who are wllwagw5 to bw of unoound miod csd'not ohargwd with a
rrimlnml offwnee.
Wwr the fsotn et6teQ in your lwttwr, on0 Ralph Prather
18 orhargwdby oomplalnt with the ofrensw of muHer with nallcw.
A6 thw above nwntioned person 18 charged with a orimlnal cffenrw,
it is apparent that a judiolal proaemll~ 16 not 8utlioriseU
er ammat bw had undwr k-title SLIOla, Vwrmn's kni:&ated Civil
Ststtitw8, to determine whwtbar or not the eowuawd in of un-
6Ound mind.
Xberw a pwreon is ahmgwd with a oriminol ofions@, insanity
m6y bw interposwd al) e clwP4~nsw an5 tha dofandwnt tried on tbiat
laeuw alonw. irhan insanity 16 intarpossd a8 a defenrw, tb8
roawdure to be followw5 1s that 8et out by Artlolw OS@,
e wr:lon'w
i i.nnoteted :ode of CrlrPin6Z Proew4urw*
wtlols 1036, Lode of Crfminal Praaedure provide8 OCCI-
pwnsotion for wit3xwmew in fdony aowee in attwndanoe upon
thw i;ietrlot Court -6 grsnd jury in aountiw8 othwr then that
02 thlr rwaidenaw. fltneatawsfor 8ttwndanoe upon the Nstrlat
court8 an5 p,rana juries ulth:n thw aountJ of their rerldenaw
lr w no t a o ffip 3nsa twD.
iie Guotw fixair.
Bu. JUT., vol. lo, pg0 453, 66 r0ihm:
“An wxpwrt nay be rwqulro4 to testify 6.
to the fade wlthlr his kmnvled,go without any
wmpenSa8iOn cthsrthwa that r608ir8d by aa
ordinery wltnesr for lttwabaoae on aourt, notalth-
~tonbily much knOwl8dg8 s6Jrhave beea 'eaqufred thra4&
8tudy uid proatio~; Be my not, ha8ver, bo r@guird
to 8ng 0 inl xperlrsnt8 or lnwur wxputser in orQ8r
to quo1"fi
fy hlm8wli totw8tlty la 6 portioulor 068*.
TbU8, wher8 6 media018xpex-ther mob 6 port 1cort8m
wxominatlon he may be oonrpe~ld to 4180108e the
TO8Ult8 Of that OX8mi~6tlOZI WitbOUt 8Xtr8 eomJMM6-
tlon, but, hw 6my not be ooagelled ta make rush *t&8-
tlon without bwia(r paid ior it.
*Ii the 8wnlcwr required of the expert ore rush
that he lpagnot be aompellsd ta r8nder it under the
brdiouy proawor cf the court, or ognom8nt br the
Ona 808kiJMJthw 68rVi08 %fiOOm M8tw thw expert fer
it lb valid; but the ccmpenut r on of the u98rt may
not bw m&w to depend upon the eontlnpmay of thw
8UOUW88fUl OUtOCSa Of th8 liti&wtiOZl.”
*w ;;uotw rmffi A. 1. k.’ vol. 16, QOgW8 468-s-4, &Vii iOllOWBt
The rule Is that 6 so4allwd export wltnerr
1s not entitled to extra oomp6nntSon for any
teithony ,:*hiahhw nay be rsqulrwd to (Jlrw andwr
en ordinary subpowno of the aourt. . . . A phy-
6ial.m aalled to attend aourt 88 6 witner8 aamot
bsrqfo for extra aompwnsatlon for the aerrlow of
attendirig ccurt 68 6 rltncss. futl bw cannot rake
ahargee for wx6minatione ana ooneult6tlona prwpero-
tory to trial, dwpwn4wnt upon thw aontinfywncy of
b+iw rwquirwd to tw8tify in (I inw 8ult. The aourt
says thet p16intiiY16 duty 08 a aitlten oom~wl him
to app8ar aa a witness and eive te8tlmonJ, vithout
any other pay than fees allowed by leiw, aua ho
should not I;e permitted to svada that duty by the
palpable exouuo of contract ror e contingent fee.
(Burnet v. iCrbonwin, 115 S. F.. 488.)
"In general, If the eerrloe required of the
expert la such that he 8aMot be compellad to render
it undar the ordinary prooer8 or the oourt, an agree-
m6nt by the one seeking the BBIPV~OB, to eonpeneete
the expert for It, iu ralltLn
In the oaae of Phlller v. Waukssha County, 180.X. 1;'.
889, (Wie. @sue) whleh wae an aotlon by a physlolan againat
the oounty for remloer pertorsmd as an rrpert in a erlmlnal
oaae, there la a dlotUm to the effeot that, it a person 40-
8ir.8 that any witas equip hlmaelf wlth knowledge by recroarah
or lnapeotion, he may employ hi&to do so but uueh eq)loym8at
$;;lb13XtlWlled by the Ordinal’y TUh8 oi OontZaOt OX$rOra@8
In People8, OX Cd, *ipp 78. c8=8 hUntY, 50
1. r. sup.‘l6, whloh ia~O1var tha validity of a oontraot b? 8
alstrlot attorney employing an expert for a mrdsr trial, the
00-t 8ay@ that it 18 a Well kMlW5 ii?iOt that UpUt ritllO88@8
are usually paid ertra oomperumtion for their clenioer when
oalled in laRny QP8e8, uid the QUe8tion as to the amount ther
8hall reoelve is u8~al3.y regu.lato6 by eontraot. In People,
ex ref. Eemilton vs. Jeffernoa County, 54 8. W. Sup. OBll, whioh
~a8 an notion for sorrlae8 rendueb by an expert In a orlmlnal
oa8e, it appear8 that the etatute provided for paynnnt of em-
pensem lnaurred by the dfatriot attorney, aed, the oontract
harlng been made by hla, th6 court sald It Wa8 cbqmtent for
bhe attorney to blnd the oounty for 8~ob 8erddeS.
The Code of Criminal ProoeduFe (Art. 1079) provides that
the aorb aooruing from the attendanee of WitIle88.8 in
criminal oaae8 shall be taxed l@alnat the defendant 41 he i8
005tiQt6d, and &W~TfaiOn i8 ilade fOT the ppJl6 Of WitIN
te.8 by the Stete in feloa~r oases by Art1018 1095, Code Of
crlmlnal Procedure, 8upra.
In this etate the right of witnsasee to reoeire oompen-
8atiOn for their attendanoe is StatUtorp, 1358 they are
entitled to such fees only a8 the statutes premribe.
Artiole 2359, Vernon~e &motet&d Code of CriJdnel PrOcedUre,
provide8 a
Bon. ~illli8m A. Grlffis, Jr.,'page 6
*Upon eurnlnstion of one aooused of a
capital OffOR86, no saglstrate other than a julge
of the Court of Criminal Appeals, district court
or aounty oourt, shall have power to Ai8charge the
defendant. "cy rraglatrato may admit to ball,
exoept In capital oase8 where the proof ia lvlAeut.*
It 16 6tated In your letter that the aoou8eA la oharged
by oomplalnt with the offense 0r murAer. The eqme Is a
oapital offenee, and the Court of Crlmlnal Appeal8 held in the
O&80, Lx part0 &iynn, 88 6. K. (6a) My, that vdtm-0 the lOOu80$
Is charged with a capital offehle, the exadnlng mgirrtrate 18
without authority to discharge the accuseA. You have not rtated
whether or not the xaglatrate before whom the oomplalnt Wa8
filed lo a just108 of the pesrce. IioweVeT, irithe absonoe
of a 8tntOUMt to the contrary, ior the purpose of thlr eplhlon,
weaamnm that this complaint waa filed with a jurtiae of tha
peaoe sitting as a 'iuagi8trate. Theraters, the aragl8trete OM
not Alroharge the aOOU8ed. In order to deteraine the 8hnity
of the aocuaed, we think the oely procedure Is to 1nAiOt hlr
ohargiug the offense of murder. Mter the lndiotsent ha8 beon
returneA, and where +manlty 15 interpoeed a8 a defen88,.th*
defendant or aooused may be tried on that issue alone in the
I)ietrict Court before the main oharge. If the Jury find8 the
AefenAaht 158ahe, or to have besn ln8ane at the time the not
18 alle(ged to have been oommltted, they 8hall eo rtate in thdr
rerdiot, or IS the Jury find8 that the defendaat wa8 inrum at
the tlm the aot is allsgea to have been oommltted but *ano at
the trial, he &all be irumebiately AlschargeA. If the jury
flnde that the defendant was insane at the tia*r the eat is
alleged to have been oomaltted MA lnrrane at the time of the
trial, or sahe at the tlm the aot is al.legeA to have bea
oonmltted and insam at the time or the trial, the aourt 8hnLl
thereupon make and have antored on the minute8 of the oourt ah
order ooaunlttlug the defendant to the cu8todr of thr sheriff,
to be kept subJect to the further order of the county JuAge of
the oounty, anA the prooeedings shall forthwith be oertifled
to the county judge who shall at onoe take the aeoas8ary steps
to have the defendant oommitted to and conrined in the State
I!oepltal for the insane until he bsocmss 8a13e4 3n the other
hand, when the defense on the trial of the min charge 18 the
limanlty of the defendant the jury shall be lnatruoted, if thq
aoquit him on that ground, to atate that raot with their verdict,
auA lf they further find the defendant to have bean Insan
at the time the act 16 alleged to have been oommlttaA, but 8~
at the time or the trial; iie'shalf,be lraweAlately dleohargeb.
son. riilliam i.. Grlffis, Jr., page 7
1
rowever, if the jury f’lnddathat the dofender& wae insano at
the tim the act ia alleged to hare been oommittsd and insane
pt the time of trial, or IMe at the time the eot is alleged
$0 have bean. omtitted end Insane at the time of the trial, the
oourt eball themupon make end have entered on the Inlnuter of
the oourt 6n order oolillPitt.fag the $etendant to the oustody
of the sheriff, to be kept aubjeat to further orber of the
oounty judge of the county, and the promodings @hall forth-
with be oertilied to the oounty judge nho ahall at moo tekr
the neoessery step6 to hare the dofondant oommltted ,to and
oodined in a Gate iioepital for the insane until he beeomee
sane. (ht. 932a, 7. A. 0, C. P.)
In view of the fore&oing authorltiea, you are rmpeotfull~
adviSed that It is the opinion of this Departnent thrt the oountr
attorney or 8heriSf of Gainee County doe8 not have the legal
authority to demand and reoelve an e-nation end opinion
of the medical stair OS the Stats Hospital at Big Spring,
Texas, as to the sanity of the prl8oner ohareed with a felony
in Geinea County, Taxes. It fS our further opfnion that the
party ohargsd with a arimlnal oifenm oannot now be ttlai In
the oounty oourt to determine whether or not he i8 of tqmund
mind under Article bBdla, Vernon’n Annotated Civil Statutes.
It is olear under the above rmntloned authorities that the
ph eioian would not be authorized by &r to char&e end reoeiro
a i 100 fee in the event he ir eel&ad upon to tertfiy upon the
trial of the eooueed. AD etated ebove, ia thSr State the
right of witneesee to receive compensation ror their attendance
la statutory, end they are entitled to SW& faoe only am tha
atatutea preroribs.
Trusting that the f’ore$olng rully enawere /cur inquiry,
we are
Yourr very truly