Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1942 )

, . k. OFFlCEOFTHE ATTORNEY GENERALOFTEXAS I AUSTIN Ron. Ral F,' Iiaohml hselrtant ~Qounty Attorney Wuecor county qrmlt .88 rollwrr on MD or beast in the 6Mna: tion that the doea not propose ,toune 0 has a red oeps whloh be ~111 wave In ha bull la an imported lighting I&X- 11 ri,ngs; or old Naziad. ., raon'a Annotated Texae Prinal,,Code, *Any:peraon who ahsll voluntarily 8nga&s in a paglllstfo enaounter between JIM and mm, ox a.tf?W between a mea and a bull, or any obhsr animal, for money or other thing of velue, or for any obnnplon- ship, or upon the reeult of which any money Or any- thing of value la bet or wagered, or to see whioh Ib5. Bal F. Raehal, Page Z any admlarlon fee la oherged, either dlreotly of In- dlreotly, shall be lmprIaoae4In the penitentiary for not 1.e. than two ue? more than ilra yeara.. ArtIole~ 4667, ?emon’r Annotated Taxars Civil 3tatuter, reada in part as i~llowrt Y!he habitual uae, aotual, threatened or oontea- plated of any premises, plaoe or bulldlng ‘or part thereo#, for any ot the iollow~ uama ahall be en- Joined at tke ruit oi either the State of any oltiren thereof: “4. Par the voluntary engagIng in a fight be- twoen a men and a bull for money or ather thing of value, or for an7 ahamplonship, or upon rswlt of whloh any none7 or anythIng of value Ia bet or wager- ed; or to see whIoh any l4n118aIon See la oharged either dlreotly or indiraotly, a8 prohibited by the Penal aodo. ‘An7 pereon who may aae or be akiout to une, or who may aid or abet another ln the use of any suoh pramlaes iox, any purpose mentioned In thfa Artiole ara7 be made a party deIen4ant In auoh suit. The At- torne~ General or en7 Dlstrlot or County Attorney uaf brlia& and prosecPute 611 wits that either may dwm neowsary to enJoin saoh uwa, and nee4 not rsxlry the petltlon;~ or ang oltizen 01 thIe State IM~ au~bIn his own neme en4 shall not be required to ohow that he la pereonally injured by tha aota ecaplained ~f.~ &!8 CoXQue Jurls, Fags llB.2, deflneo the tern “fl6ht* a8 roiimit a ba;ttls~ a oombat; rot or method of fI@hting. . *As a verb - To attempt to defmt,- subdue, or deatroy an enemy, either by blowr or weapons; to rtrlke or oontend for vlotory, in battle or in fiingle Oaabat." Ao stated in yocr lattsr the atatador ha8 no lnten- tlon ot $njuring the bull and he intends his pert of the fight to be almulated and a sham tight. But what about the righting bnll bred for the btiil~ rlnee old ILexloo? Ml1 he knw tht or when the matador waver the red cape before his 470s and brandlehes hIr woadan sword that she fight I6 only a 6hau anb e jest? We CbInk not. '@Ill the bull ahargo the matador OS hla aaoertoxa o!mafged matadors la tbe bull ring8 oc: old arrerioo or will he doollely lie dowa, aaoll the tlowers and go to sleep aa ~BrdIMa(L the Bull night do? It the bull sated llhe 7ardInand the populaoe lntsnt on l Roman HelI4a7 wuuld undoubtedly demand tha refund of tholr admlsalon mane7 In dlrguat. sappoe the matador ,la not as riclllful aa the bull and he 10 gored and lajured by the bull? Zuuld not that be * a vary sad and traglo eiialr? Said Article 610, above quoted I8 Mm4 In Title 11 o? the Penal Code,, whIoh title la st7i.6, *Offenae~ Against Dub110 Folloy and Ecooaan7.* The Leglaleture of Taxes untloubt- edly considered fight8 or oontestr between a smn aad a bull againat the publlo polioy oi thla state when the artI@ was saaated. The Loglslature uudoubtedly oonsldsrad that it was wronc( for the man to in&We the bull, wrong for tha bull to InJure tha ma, and wrong bar the publio to see e apeotaols where lajury to llthar man or bullalght occur. It la there?ore ouz opinion ths$ the proposed 0013, teat betateen a man and a buU lcr a bull fight and woul4 be Ia riolatlon or Artlo 610 of the Penal Oodo of Texas. Very truly foum, AW’JE~ Uf;#EBBLOF TiEAS