David Angel Ramos v. State ( 2014 )

Opinion issued January 7, 2014.
In The
Court of Appeals
For The
First District of Texas
————————————
NO. 01-12-00957-CR
———————————
DAVID ANGEL RAMOS, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 10th District Court
Galveston County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 12CR0162
MEMORANDUM OPINION
A jury convicted appellant, David Angel Ramos, of robbery and assessed
punishment at 5 years’ confinement. In five points of error, appellant contends the
trial court erred in (1) overruling two challenges for cause during voir dire, (2)
overruling his objection to the State’s voir dire regarding the one witness rule, (3)
limiting his cross-examination of a witness regarding bias and untruthful
statements, and (5) denying his requested jury instruction regarding citizens’
arrests. We affirm.
BACKGROUND
On a Sunday morning in Galveston, Texas, a beer distributer in a Kroger
store noticed appellant leaving the store with a cart full of beer, even though it was
too early on Sunday for him to have purchased the beer. The beer distributer
alerted a cashier, Christian Vergas, who spotted appellant in the parking lot with
the cart full of beer. Vargas notified a nearby security guard, Silverio Gonzales,
and pointed to appellant. Surveillance video showed appellant leaving the store
without paying for the beer.
Gonzales approached appellant in the parking lot, put his hand on the
shopping cart, and told appellant that he needed to stop and turn around. When
Gonzales reached for his handcuffs, appellant punched him in the chest with his
fist. Gonzales fell backwards, and then began to follow appellant.
Thomas Hearring, the complainant in this case and a co-manager of the
Kroger, came out of the side door of the grocery and saw appellant hit Gonzales.
There were customers in the parking lot near Gonzales and appellant. Hearring
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started in the direction of appellant and Gonzales, but appellant abandoned the
grocery cart full of beer and fled in the direction of a nearby convention center.
In an apparent effort to stop appellant, a driver in the parking lot tried to
block appellant with his car to keep him from fleeing. Appellant went around the
car and kept running out of the parking lot. Hearring continued chasing appellant
through the streets of the nearby neighborhood. Also chasing appellant were
Gonzales, another Kroger employee named Ryan, and an unidentified citizen.
Eventually Hearring caught appellant and grabbed him by the arm and
shoulder. In doing so, Hearring lost his balance and fell. Appellant pinned
Hearring down by putting a knee on his chest, pulled out an open knife and put it
near Hearring’s throat, and said, “If you keep following me, I’m going to use this.”
Appellant then got up and continued running. Hearring continued to follow him at
a distance.
At some point during the chase, both Hearring and Gonzales had called 911
to report the incident. The dispatch log shows that someone was yelling, “I’m
going to kill you.” No testimony at trial identified who said it.
Galveston Police Officer J. Harris responded to the 911 call reporting a theft
at Kroger. When she arrived, she saw a group of people motion in a certain
direction. At that point, appellant came around the corner, and Harris told
appellant to show her his hands. Appellant said, “I didn’t pull no knife until that
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boy jumped all over me.” Harris arrested appellant, conducted a pat-down search,
and found a knife in appellant’s pocket. While being transported to the jail,
appellant said, “Damn that video. Fuck. Oh, Lord help me.”
Appellant was charged with aggravated robbery. The jury found him guilty
of the lesser-included offense of robbery, and assessed punishment at five years’
confinement. This appeal followed.
VOIR DIRE ISSUES
I. Challenges for Cause
In his first two points of error, appellant contends that the trial court erred in
denying his challenges for cause to two jurors.
A. Standard of Review and Applicable Law
“A challenge for cause is an objection made to a particular juror, alleging
some fact which renders the juror incapable or unfit to serve on the jury.” TEX.
CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 35.16(a) (Vernon 2006). A party may challenge a
prospective juror for cause if the prospective juror demonstrates a bias or prejudice
against any of the law applicable to the case on which the defense is entitled to
rely. Id. art. 35.16(c)(2).
“The test is whether the bias or prejudice would substantially impair the
prospective juror’s ability to carry out his oath and instructions in accordance with
law.” Feldman v. State, 71 S.W.3d 738, 744 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002). Before a
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prospective juror can be excused for cause on this basis, the law must be explained
to him and he must be asked whether he can follow that law regardless of his
personal views. Jones v. State, 982 S.W.2d 386, 390 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998). The
proponent of a challenge for cause has the burden to show that the challenge is
proper. Feldman, 71 S.W.3d at 747. The proponent does not meet that burden until
the record shows that the prospective juror understood the requirement of the law
and could not overcome his prejudice well enough to follow it. Id.
B. Prospective Juror #2
During voir dire, the following exchange took place:
[Defense Counsel]: If you have a single doubt, no matter how small
that doubt is, the law requires you to find a defendant not guilty. That
means you could think somebody did it, you could be pretty sure that
somebody did it. You could say, “Well, that’s most likely what
happened.” And then all that means is not guilty. If you as a juror
have a doubt on one element, no matter how small that is reasonable,
you’re require to find somebody not guilty.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yeah, I would probably agree with No. 5
down there. I think if it’s beyond a reasonable doubt—or, excuse me, if
there’s reasonable doubt, I would say not guilty. If there was some small
technicality, I would struggle with saying not guilty if it was a small
technicality.
[Defense Counsel]: You would say not guilty?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: Could you follow the law as it was written or do you
think that’s going to be close enough because of a technicality.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Ask the question again. I’m sorry.
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[Defense Counsel]: If it is quote, a technicality—and I don’t like that word.
I only have an hour to so don’t want to get on a soapbox and talk about
technicalities—if there was something that was there that you thought was
minor, you would be able to overlook it and still find him guilty? That’s
how I understand what you’re saying, and correct me if I’m wrong.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes, I think that’s what I’m saying. Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. Thank you, sir.
After the general voir dire, the trial court had the prospective juror approach the bench for
further questioning. During such questioning, the following exchange took place:
[Defense Counsel]: [Prospective Juror #2], I believe in our earlier
questioning—and correct me if I am wrong—in taking notes as I go, you
had indicated that you had a problem with the burden of proof that was on
the State if there was—most of the case was proven but there was a small—
I believe the words the jurors use, a technicality.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: Close was good enough. And you would be able to
overlook that small discrepancy.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes, I didn’t say “close was good enough.” What I
meant was I think like—I think one of the other jurors used a good example
of, you know, the date was supposed to be the 30th or someone said the 31st
or something. You know—it’s a technicality. It doesn’t really affect—
even though it’s one of the bullets. I think that this is what he had on the
slide.
[Defense Counsel]: So if there was some dispute over one of the elements
but the other six were proven beyond a reasonable doubt but close on the
seventh, that’s good enough?
[Prospective Juror #2]: It’s a theoretical question; but it depends on the
close enough, right?
[Defense Counsel]: But I am fairly accurate, depending on the situation?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes.
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[Defense Counsel]: Nothing further.
[Prosecutor]: May I ask a question.
[Trial Court]: Yes.
[Prosecutor]: “Technicality” has such a negative connotation. You saw the
bullet points I pull all the elements of the offense that I have to prove
beyond a reasonable doubt.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Right.
[Prosecutor]: Okay. Would you hold me to that about burden that I have to
prove to you that each and every one of those elements were met beyond a
reasonable doubt with regards to evidence? Would you hold me to that
burden?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes.
[Prosecutor]: You would?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes.
[Trial Court]: Okay. And if he didn’t prove one of those elements of the
offense and you have a reasonable doubt as to his having proved that?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yeah, if I have a reasonable doubt, I would have to
say not guilty.
[Trial Court]: Not guilty?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Right.
[Trial Court]: All right. Do you have any other questions.
[Defense Counsel]: I guess I am confused. My scenario was that he proves
six of them beyond a reasonable doubt but didn’t quite make it on the
seventh; and it’s my understanding was your answer was, “Well, if it’s
pretty close on that seventh one, we are going to overlook that.”
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yeah. Again, I go back to what I said, which was
like the date thing, for instance, which I think is one of the seven, which I
7
don’t think it would be; but if that was the type of thing, I would have
trouble with saying that’s a reasonable doubt.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. Galveston County or—
[Prospective Juror]: Yeah, but not the other ones, which I think is the meat
of them, you know, the six, whatever they are below the County, which is
the meat of what I think is the important issues.
[Defense Counsel]: Nothing further.
[Trial Court]: Do you have anything further?
[Prosecutor]: Just—I know you are talking about, you know, you are
saying the meat, the ones you say you think are important; but as the Court
has told you and I told you, we are to meet the elements. Our burden is to
prove each and every one of them beyond a reasonable doubt. If I don’t
meet my burden on one of those elements, you will be instructed to return a
not guilty verdict. Can you follow that law?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yes.
[Prosecutor]: And that’s the real issue.
[Prosecutor]: Yes, I can.
[Trial Court]: You have—the State has a burden—
[Prospective Juror #2]: Yeah, I understand absolutely.
[Trial Court]: And he either proves up an element, or he doesn’t.
[Prospective Juror #2]: Right. I completely agree with that completely.
[Trial Court]: If he doesn’t prove up that element, are you telling me that
your verdict would be not guilty?
[Prospective Juror #2]: Not guilty if he didn’t prove the element.
[Trial Court]: Because that’s what your duty requires you to do.
[Prospective Juror #2]: That’s correct.
8
When, as here, the record demonstrates a vacillating or equivocal
prospective juror, we accord great deference to the trial judge who had the better
opportunity to see and hear the person. Swearingen v. State, 101 S.W.3d 89, 99
(Tex. Crim. App. 2003). The trial court is able to consider important factors such
as demeanor and tone of voice that do not come through when reviewing a cold
record. Banda v. State, 890 S.W.2d 42, 54 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994); see Bell v.
State, 233 S.W.3d 583, 591 (Tex. App.—Waco 2007, pet. dism’d). We hold that
the record supports the trial court’s finding with respect to whether prospective
juror #2 is able to follow the law as instructed.
We overrule appellant’s first point of error.
C. Prospective Juror # 14
During voir dire, Defense Counsel stated:
The law that I think this jury is going to be instructed with is that a
person has the right to resist an unlawful arrest; and if the arrest is
unlawful by a citizen, they have the right to resist. And the court puts
limitations on what a citizen can do to arrest someone. It’s the job of
the police to track somebody down and hold them for trial, not Joe
Citizen. Are you ok with that?
After Prospective Juror #14 expressed some dissatisfaction with that principle of
law, he was called to the bench for further questioning, during which the following
exchange occurred:
[Defense Counsel]: [Prospective Juror #14], when we were discussing
earlier—and I was trying to make sure my notes were correct—the
limitations on the right of a citizen to make an arrest, that limitation
9
being once the property has been disposed of or recovered, a citizen
does not have the right to pursue the wrongdoer for the sole purpose
of making sure they stand trial. And my notes reflect that you
disagreed with that. Did I get that correct?
[Prospective Juror #14]: That is correct.
[Defense Counsel]: And if you were instructed that a citizen does did
not have a right to pursue that person and that it was, therefore, an
unlawful arrest, could you follow that law?
[Prospective Juror #14]: It would go against my opinion; but if I had
to follow it, I would follow it.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. If you were back in the jury room, would
your disagreement with the law play some role ever so slightly, even
if you didn’t want to, in your decision to find someone guilty or not?
[Prospective Juror #14]: I mean, if I disagree with the law, that’s my
opinion.
[Defense Counsel]: Right. But would it affect your decision?
[Prospective Juror #14]: It would affect my decision.
[Defense Counsel]: It would?
[Prospective Juror #14]: Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: Thank you very much.
[Prosecutor]: Yes, sir, briefly. I just want to understand where you
are. You stated even though that’s the law, you disagree with it, but
you could follow the law. But now you are stating it would affect
your decision making? Can you explain to the Court what you mean?
[Prospective Juror #14]: Well, because he rephrased the second part,
the question, would it at all influence my decision, of course if I
disagree with the law, it would influence. It’s going to influence my
decision.
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[Prosecutor]: It will influence your decision, but in the end would you
ultimately be able to follow the law that the Judge is going to give you
in your jury charge?
[Prospective Juror #14]: I will follow whatever the Judge gives me.
[Trial Court]: Okay. What I understand you are saying, although you
may not agree with the law—
[Prospective Juror #14]: Correct.
[Trial Court]: —for whatever reasons that you have, but that you
would follow the law?
[Prospective Juror #14]: I would follow your instructions.
[Trial Court]: And that would mean following the law if that was the
law.
[Prospective Juror #14]: That’s correct.
[Trial Court]: And that is the law that I give you.
[Prospective Juror #14]: That’s correct.
Even though prospective juror #14 vacillated in describing his position on
his ability to follow a law he disagreed with, we must defer to the trial court’s
ruling and hold that it did not abuse its discretion in denying appellant’s challenge
for cause to prospective juror #14. See Swearingen, 101 S.W.3d at 99. Further, a
prospective juror need not agree with the law as long as his personal views do not
substantially impair his ability to abide by his oath and answer the jury issues
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according to the evidence and the law. Rayford v. State, 125 S.W.3d 521, 532
(Tex. Crim. App. 2003).
We overrule appellant’s second point of error.
II. Commitment Question on One Witness Rule
In his third point of error, appellant contends that the trial court allowed the
State to ask an improper commitment question during voir dire when it sought to
discover which veniremembers could not convict appellant if the State produced
only one witness and the juror believed that witness beyond a reasonable doubt.
A. Standard of Review and Applicable Law
The trial court has broad discretion over the process of selecting a
jury. Barajas v. State, 93 S.W.3d 36, 38 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002); Braxton v.
State, 226 S.W.3d 602, 604 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007, pet.
dism’d). We therefore review the trial court’s ruling on an allegedly
improper commitment question during voir dire for an abuse of discretion. Atkins
v. State, 951 S.W.2d 787, 790 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997); Braxton, 226 S.W.3d at
604.
Improper commitment questions are prohibited to “ensure that the jury will
listen to the evidence with an open mind—a mind that is impartial and without bias
or prejudice—and render a verdict based upon that evidence.” Sanchez v.
State, 165 S.W.3d 707, 712 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).
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Commitment questions “require a venireman to promise that he will base his
verdict or course of action on some specific set of facts before he has heard any
evidence, much less all of the evidence in its proper context.” Id.; Standefer v.
State, 59 S.W.3d 177, 179 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001) (holding
that commitment questions “are those that commit a prospective juror to resolve, or
refrain from resolving, an issue a certain way after learning a particular fact”). Not
all commitment questions, however, are improper. Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 181.
The Court of Criminal Appeals has articulated a three-part test for
determining whether a voir dire question is an improper
commitment question. Id. at 179–84; Braxton, 226 S.W.3d at 604; Harris v.
State, 122 S.W.3d 871, 879 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2003, pet. ref’d). First, the
trial court must determine whether the particular question is
a commitment question. Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 179. A question is
a commitment question if “one or more of the possible answers is that the
prospective juror would resolve or refrain from resolving an issue in the case on
the basis of one or more facts contained in the question.” Id. at 180. Second, if the
question is a commitment question, the trial court must then determine whether it
is a proper commitment question. Id. at 181 (“When the law requires a certain type
of commitment from jurors, the attorneys may ask the prospective jurors whether
they can follow the law in that regard.”); Braxton, 226 S.W.3d at
13
604. A commitment question is proper if one of the possible answers to the
question gives rise to a valid challenge for cause. Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at
182; Braxton, 226 S.W.3d at 604. If the question does not, then it is not a
proper commitment question and it should not be allowed by the trial
court. Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 182. Third, if the question does give rise to a valid
challenge for cause, then the court must determine whether the question
“contain[s] only those facts necessary to test whether a prospective juror is
challengeable for cause.” Id. (emphasis in original). “Additional facts supplied
beyond what is necessary to sustain a challenge for cause render improper what
otherwise would have been a proper question.” Braxton, 226 S.W.3d at 604. Here,
we are concerned with the second prong of the Standefer test—whether the State’s
questions would give rise to a valid challenge for cause.
B. Analysis
A juror cannot be validly challenged for cause simply because he would
need more than one witness to convict. Lee v. State, 206 S.W.3d 620, 623 (Tex.
Crim. App. 2006); Castillo v. State, 913 S.W.2d 529, 534 (Tex. Crim. App. 1995).
However, a juror who could not convict based on one witness, whom they believed
beyond a reasonable doubt, and whose testimony proved every element of the
indictment beyond a reasonable doubt, can be validly challenged for cause. Lee,
206 S.W.3d at 623.
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[Prosecutor]: The law requires me to prove my case beyond a
reasonable doubt. The law does not require me to bring a certain
number of witnesses to testify that a crime occurred. A perfect
example would be, you know, if there’s some mugging in a dark
alley—or, for instance, yourself. Were you the only witness to the
crime other than the defendant.
[Prospective Juror]: I was the only one.
[Prosecutor]: You were the only one.
[Prospective Juror]: (Nods affirmatively.)
[Prosecutor]: How would you feel if you called the police and they
came out and they said, “Sir, who else saw it,” and you said and they
said, “Not enough witnesses, talk to you later,” how would you feel
about that?
[Prospective Juror]: I would feel very aggravated about that.
[Prosecutor]: Well, fortunately, that’s not the way that it works,
because if you have one witness that can testify to each and every
element of the offense, you can find them guilty.
[Defense Counsel]: Judge, that’s a misstatement of the law. The
requirement is that the person be believed beyond a reasonable doubt
on each of those elements, not just they say something about those
elements. That is lowering the standard of proof.
[Prosecutor]: I’ll restate it, You Honor.
[Trial Court]: Okay. If you would.
[Defense Counsel]: And each individual juror has to be able to find
that a single witness could convince them beyond a reasonable doubt.
They are free to say, “I need two witnesses to be proven beyond a
reasonable doubt.” That is their right. But if they believe beyond a
reasonable doubt with just one witness, that’s sufficient as well. But
the jurors’ right is I need two witnesses.
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[Prosecutor]: And that’s why I'm asking this question. I’m trying to
find out who’s going to require me—
[Trial Court]: If you would, Counsel, just rephrase your question.
[Prosecutor]: Okay.
[Trial Court]: And the Court will give you the law regarding those
issues.
[Prosecutor]: What it’s stating is that—the law is if one witness—and
I’m just going to use this hypothetically. I’m going to use this
because we have all the elements here. If one witness comes to the
courtroom and testifies to each and every one of these elements and
you as a juror believe beyond a reasonable doubt that each one of
those elements were fulfilled, you can return a guilty verdict. That’s
what the law states, one witness is sufficient. However, some people
would like to have two witnesses or three witnesses or four witnesses.
I understand that people would like that. The more witnesses the
better. I understand that. Sometimes we don’t have it. What I want
to know is who is going to require—not who would like to have
multiple witnesses—but who’s going to require me to present more
than one witness to testify to each and every one of these elements?
[Defense Counsel]: Objection. Improper question, Judge. They have
the right to require two or more witnesses. That’s an improper
question.
[Prosecutor]: They do not have—Your Honor, they don’t have that
right.
[Trial Court]: I think that the jury can request and say that they would
like more—
[Prosecutor]: Sure.
[Trial Court]:—and that’s the issue, I think, that’s being made at this
point in time. So if you would, just rephrase your question Counsel.
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[Defense Counsel]: For the record, Judge—and I’m certainly not
quarreling—
[Trial Court]: Sure.
[Defense Counsel]: For the record, the law requires each juror be
convinced beyond a reasonable doubt. If a particular juror requires
two witnesses, that’s the burden the State has with that juror. If a
different juror requires only one witness, that’s the burden with that
juror. So to say if one person comes in and testifies who’s going to
require more, that’s not the law and I object to that question.
[Trial Court]: Okay. Your objection is overruled Counsel.
[Defense Counsel]: Thank you, Your Honor.
[Prosecutor]: So the question is who here is going to require the State
to bring more than one witness to testify to each and every one of
those elements and prove them beyond a reasonable doubt?
[Defense Counsel]: May I have a running objection, Judge?
[Trial Court]: Yes, sir, you may.
[Prosecutor]: Would anyone require me to have more than one person
testify that each and every one of those elements occurred and you
believe them beyond a reasonable doubt? If you are, please let me
know.
In the highlighted portions of the discussion above, the prosecutor made
clear to the panel that it could rely on the testimony of a single witness to convict
only if it believed the witness beyond a reasonable doubt as to each element.
Although the prosecutor did not mention that the juror must believe the
hypothetical single witness beyond a reasonable doubt each and every time he
discussed the issue, it is clear that, when reviewing the discussion before the venire
17
as a whole, it was made clear to the jury that the testimony of only one person is
sufficient only if the juror believes that witnesses beyond a reasonable doubt as to
each element. See Lee, 206 S.W.3d at 624 (holding that we do not view individual
questions in isolation, but review entire venire discussion to determine whether
jury was adequately instructed on sole witness rule). As such, the trial court did
not err in concluding that the State’s commitment question was proper because it
sought to determine if there were jurors who would hold the State to a higher
burden of proof by requiring more than one witness, even though the juror believed
the testimony of the sole witness proved each element beyond a reasonable doubt.
See Castillo, 913 S.W.2d at 534.
We overrule point of error three.
LIMITATION OF CROSS EXAMINATION
In his fourth point of error, appellant contends that the trial court abused its
discretion when it refused to allow defense counsel to cross-examine Gonzales
about whether he was mad at appellant when he chased after him, which would
have revealed his bias against appellant.
I. Standard of Review and Applicable Law
We review a trial court’s decision to exclude evidence for an abuse of
discretion. Martinez v. State, 327 S.W.3d 727, 736 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). A trial
court abuses its discretion only if its decision is “so clearly wrong as to lie outside
18
the zone within which reasonable people might disagree.” Taylor v. State, 268
S.W.3d 571, 579 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). A trial court does not abuse its discretion
if any evidence supports its decision. See Osbourn v. State, 92 S.W.3d 531, 538
(Tex. Crim. App. 2002). We will uphold the trial court’s evidentiary ruling if it
was correct on any theory of law applicable to the case. See De La Paz v.
State, 279 S.W.3d 336, 344 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009).
The Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses “includes the right to
cross-examine witnesses to attack their general credibility or to show their possible
bias, self-interest, or motives in testifying.” Hammer v. State, 296 S.W.3d 555, 561
(Tex. Crim. App. 2009). Generally, the Texas Rules of Evidence permit a
defendant to “cross-examine a witness for his purported bias, interest, and motive
without undue limitation or arbitrary prohibition.” Id. at 563; see also TEX. R.
EVID. 613(b) (providing for impeachment of witness by evidence of alleged bias or
interest in favor or against party); Billodeau v. State, 277 S.W.3d 34, 42–43 (Tex.
Crim. App. 2009) (“The possible animus, motive, or ill will of a prosecution
witness who testified against the defendant is never a collateral or irrelevant
inquiry, and the defendant is entitled, subject to reasonable restrictions, to show
any relevant fact that might tend to establish ill feeling, bias, motive, interest, or
animus on the part of any witness testifying against him.”); Carpenter v. State, 979
S.W.2d 633, 634 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998) (“Exposing a witness’ motivation to
19
testify for or against the accused or the State is a proper and important purpose of
cross-examination.”). The scope of permissible cross-examination is “necessarily
broad.” Carroll v. State, 916 S.W.2d 494, 497 (Tex. Crim. App. 1996). “A
defendant is entitled to pursue all avenues of cross-examination reasonably
calculated to expose a motive, bias or interest for the witness to testify.” Id.
This broad scope of cross-examination does not mean, however, “that a
defendant can explore every possible line of inquiry.” Smith v. State, 352 S.W.3d
55, 64 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2011, no pet.). “[T]rial judges retain wide latitude
. . . to impose reasonable limits on such cross-examination based on concerns
about, among other things, harassment, prejudice, confusion of the issues, the
witness’ safety, or interrogation that is repetitive or only marginally
relevant.” Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 679, 106 S. Ct. 1431, 1435
(1986) (emphasis added); see also Hammer, 296 S.W.3d at 561 (“This right is not
unqualified, however; the trial judge has wide discretion in limiting the scope and
extent of cross-examination.”).
II. Analysis
During cross-examination, the following exchange took place between
Defense Counsel and Gonzales:
[Defense Counsel]: Would it be fair to say that you have animosity
towards Mr. Ramos?
[Gonzales]: Rephrase that question.
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[Defense Counsel]: Would it be fair to say that you have animosity
towards Mr. Ramos?
[Gonzales]: Can you explain what “animosity” is?
[Defense Counsel]: Yes. Anger towards him.
[Gonzales]: No, sir.
[Defense Counsel]: So it’s okay for him to come up and punch you
and you don’t have any anger about that?
[Gonzales]: If he come up to me and punches me, yes; but I don’t
hold grudges. It’s an everyday thing.
Earlier in Gonzales’s testimony, Defense Counsel had been prohibited from
extensive questioning about whether Gonzales had violated Kroger policy in
chasing appellant, and was given permission to make a bill of exception.1 During
the bill of exception, Defense Counsel revisited the issue of whether Gonzales was
mad when he chased appellant.
[Defense Counsel]: But you chased [appellant] anyway?
[Gonzales]: Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: In violation of your policies?
[Gonzales]: Un-huh.
1
The trial court had initially allowed questions about whether Gonzales had
violated Kroger policy by chasing appellant, and Gonzales had admitted before the
jury that he had, in fact, violated Kroger policy by doing so. However, when
Defense Counsel attempted to pursue the issue further, the trial court did not allow
further questioning, and Defense Counsel requested and was given permission to
make a bill of exception.
21
[Defense Counsel]: And evidently in violation of Kroger’s policies,
correct?
[Gonzales]: Uh-huh. Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: And you did that because you were mad at him?
[Gonzales]: Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: So when you testified to this jury earlier that you
weren’t mad at him, were you lying then?
[Gonzales]: I wasn’t mad at him punching me. It was the fact that
after I told him to stop he took off running.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. It was the fact that he didn’t listen to you
that made you mad?
[Gonzales]: Uh-huh.
[Defense Counsel]: You’re okay with him punching you but not okay
with him not listening to you?
[Gonzales]: I’m not okay with him punching me. I’m never okay—
I’m never okay with nobody punching me or somebody else.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. And that made you mad?
[Gonzales]: Uh-huh?
[Defense Counsel]: Yes?
[Trial Court]: You have to answer “yes” or “no,” not “uh-huh or
“huh-uh.”
[Gonzales]: No.
[Defense Counsel]: No, you weren’t mad?
22
[Gonzales]: I wasn’t mad.
[Defense Counsel]: But you just testified to this judge just 20, 30
seconds ago that you were mad at him.
[Prosecutor]: I object. I think he asked him—I could be wrong— are
you mad at him, you’re mad at him today, not were you mad at him at
the time of the incident. I think there’s a very big distinction there.
[Trial Court]: This is your record, Counsel. Just rephrase your
question.
[Gonzales]: That day when he punched me I wasn’t—no, I wasn’t
mad.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. So, your testimony just a few minutes ago
was a lie to this judge?
[Gonzales]: How can I say—
[Defense Counsel]: It’s a “yes” or “no” question.
[Gonzales]: No.
[Defense Counsel]: So you can be mad at him and not mad at the
same time and neither one is a lie, right?
[Gonzales]: Yes.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. But you violated your policy for whatever
reason even though you weren’t mad at him, correct.
[Gonzales]: Yes.
At the conclusion of the bill of exception, Defense Counsel asked if he could
“recall [Gonzales] because he testified to this jury that he wasn’t angry at Mr.
Ramos and then he just testified that he was angry and that’s why he chased after
23
him; and then he changed his story again when he realized he contradicted
himself.”
Here, the trial court could have determined that it was not necessary to recall
Gonzales because his initial testimony that he was mad when hit, but “did not hold
a grudge,” was not inconsistent with his testimony during the bill of exception that
he chased after appellant because he was mad at him.
Also, when the possible bias and prejudice of the State’s witness has been
made patently obvious to the factfinder, and the defendant has otherwise been
afforded an opportunity for a thorough and effective cross-examination, no
violation of the defendant’s confrontation rights occurs. Carmona v. State, 698
S.W.2d 100, 104 (Tex. Crim. App. 1985). During his testimony before the jury,
Gonzales testified that he held no animosity or grudge toward appellant, even
though he was mad when appellant hit him. His testimony during the bill of
exceptions added little to that which was already before the jury—again, appellant
said that “he was not alright” with appellant hitting him, but he was not mad. As
such, any bias or animosity that Gonzales felt toward appellant was already before
the jury, thus the trial court did not err by not allowing appellant to recall Gonzales
to the stand to cover the issue again.
24
III. Harmless Error
Nevertheless, we would also find that error, if any, is harmless. To conduct
such an analysis, we must, after assuming that the damaging potential of the cross-
examination was fully realized, determine whether the error of denying the cross-
examination was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. at
684, 106 S. Ct. at 1438. Whether such an error is harmless depends upon the
following factors: 1) the importance of the witness’s testimony in the prosecution’s
case; 2) whether the testimony was cumulative; 3) the presence or absence of
evidence corroborating or contradicting the testimony of the witness on material
points; 4) the extent of cross-examination otherwise permitted; and, 5) the overall
strength of the prosecution’s case. Id.; Shelby v. State, 819 S.W.2d at 547.
Here, Gonzales’s testimony was important, but he was not the complaining
witness and his testimony was largely the same as that of the complaining witness,
Hearring. The evidence about Kroger’s policies was already before the jury and
Gonzales had admitted that he violated the policy by chasing appellant. That
Gonzales was mad at appellant was also explained to the jury when Gonzales said
that he was not okay with being hit by appellant, but did not hold a grudge. And, in
a crime against a stranger such as this, whether Gonzales was mad at appellant had
little relevance. Appellant was allowed to cross-examine and recross Gonzales at
length; he was just not allowed to recall him after the conclusion of the bill of
25
exceptions. The State’s case was strong—there was a surveillance video and
testimony from the complaining witness, Hearring. After weighing these factors,
we conclude that error, if any, in not allowing appellant to recall and further cross-
examine Gonzales was harmless.
Accordingly, we overrule point of error four.
JURY INSTRUCTION ON CITIZENS’ ARRESTS
In his fifth point of error, appellant contents the trial court “erred in denying
appellant’s requested instruction regarding the limitations upon a citizen’s right to
pursue and apprehend a defendant. This failure to properly instruct the jury denied
Appellant the defensive theory of the right to resist an illegal arrest.”
I. Background
During the charge conference, appellant requested, and the trial court denied,
the following jury instructions:
It is unlawful for any person to arrest or attempt to arrest an individual
without a warrant unless there is a specific exception to the warrant
requirement.
A peace officer or any other person, may, without a warrant, arrest an
offender when the offense is committed in his presence or within his
view, if the offense is one classed as a felony or as an offense against
the public peace.
Any person has a right to prevent the consequences of theft by seizing
any personal property that has been stolen and bringing it, with the
person suspected of committing the theft, if that person can be taken,
before a magistrate for examination, or delivering the property and the
person suspected of committing the theft to a peace officer for that
26
purpose. To justify a seizure under this article, there must be probable
cause to believe the property is stolen, and the seizure must be openly
made and the proceedings had without delay.
The right of a[] private individual to arrest without a warrant for a
breach of the peace, committed in his presence or view, is limited to
the time the offense is committed or while there is a continuing danger
of its renewal, and does not include the right to pursue and arrest for
the purpose of ensuring the apprehension or future trial of the
offender.
A person other than a peace officer is justified in using force against
another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force
is immediately necessary to make or assist in making a lawful arrest,
or to prevent or assist in preventing escape after lawful arrest if,
before using force, the actor manifests his purpose to and the reason
for the arrest or reasonably believes his purpose and the reason are
already known by or cannot reasonably be made known to the person
to be arrested.
A person other than a peace officer acting in a peace officer’s
presence and at his direction is justified in using deadly force against
another when and to the degree the person reasonably believes the
deadly force is immediately necessary to make a lawful arrest, or to
prevent escape after a lawful arrest, if the use of force would have
been justified as previously stated and the actor reasonably believed
the offense against the public peace for which an arrest is authorized
included the use or attempted use of deadly force or the actor
reasonably believes there is a substantial risk that the person to be
arrested will cause death or serious bodily injury to another if the
arrest is delayed.
An individual does have the right to resist an unlawful arrest by a
person who is not a peace officer.
II. Standard of Review
We review the trial court’s denial of a requested jury instruction for an abuse
of discretion. See Wesbrook v. State, 29 S.W.3d 103, 122 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000).
27
Defendants are entitled to an instruction on every requested defensive issue raised
by the evidence, whether the evidence is weak or strong, unimpeached or
uncontradicted, and regardless of the credibility of the defense. See Allen v.
State, 253 S.W.3d 260, 267 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). When determining whether
an instruction on a defensive issue was warranted, we view the evidence in the
light most favorable to the defendant. See Bufkin v. State, 207 S.W.3d 779, 782
(Tex. Crim. App. 2006).
III. Analysis
Appellant acknowledges that articles 14.012 and 18.163 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure authorize citizens to make arrests in certain circumstances, but
contends that there are limitations on that right, which were exceeded in this case.
2
Article 14.01(a) provides:
A peace officer or any other person, may, without a warrant, arrest an offender
when the offense is committed in his presence or within his view, if the offense is
one classed as a felony or as an offense against the public peace.
TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 14.01(a).
3
Article 18.16 provides:
Any person has a right to prevent the consequences of theft by seizing any
personal property that has been stolen and bringing it, with the person suspected of
committing the theft, if that person can be taken, before a magistrate for
examination, or delivering the property and the person suspected of committing
the theft to a peace officer for that purpose. To justify a seizure under this article,
there must be reasonable ground to believe the property is stolen, and the seizure
must be openly made and the proceedings had without delay.
TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 18.16 (Vernon 2005).
28
Essentially, appellant argues that he was illegally arrested by the citizens pursuing
him in this case, and he was entitled to instruct the jury of his right to defend
himself against an illegal arrest. Thus, we must consider whether there was any
evidence raising the issue of an illegal arrest.
A. Citizen’s Arrest under Article 14.01
Appellant contends that article 14.01 would not authorize a valid citizen’s
arrest because appellant had abandoned the property and was fleeing the scene. In
so arguing, appellant relies on a line of cases beginning with Satterwhite v. State,
17 S.W.2d 823, 826 (Tex. Crim. App. 1929), for the proposition that a citizen
cannot make an arrest for someone committing a breach of the peace within their
presence once the offense has been committed. As stated in Satterwhite,
If the purpose of permitting an arrest without warrant of one who is
committing a breach of the peace in the presence of the arresting party
is not to bring the offender to justice, but to restore the public peace, it
would seem to follow that, after the public peace had been restored,
the right to arrest without warrant would no longer exist.
Id. at 580. Following Satterwhite, the court in Woods v. State, 213 S.W.2d 685,
688 (Tex. Crim. App. 1948) held that “the right of a private individual to arrest
without a warrant for a breach of the peace, committed in his presence or view, is
limited to the time the offense is committed or while there is a continuing danger
of its renewal, and does not include the right to pursue and arrest for the purpose of
insuring the apprehension or future trial of the offender.” Thus, in Woods, the
29
defendant was not permitted to pursue and arrest a man who had assaulted his wife
because the assault was complete, the man was fleeing, and there was nothing to
suggest that the assault would be renewed. Id. at 688. Similarly, in Satterwhite, a
justice of the peace who had been involved in a fight with a citizen, approached the
citizen at a different location five minutes later, and killed him. 17 S.W.2d at 825–
26. The court held that the citizen’s arrest was illegal because it was not made at
the time the offense was committed or while there was a continuing danger of its
renewal. Id. at 827.
The State argues that Satterwhite and Woods are distinguishable because, in
those cases, the offenses giving rise to the citizen’s arrest—assaults—were
completed before the citizen’s arrest occurred, while here, the robbery was ongoing
during the period in which appellant was fleeing the scene. We agree with the
State.
Appellant was charged with aggravated robbery. The elements of aggravated
robbery are (1) a person; (2) in the course of committing theft; (3) with intent to
obtain or maintain control of property; (4) intentionally or knowingly; (5) threatens
another with, or places another in fear of; (6) imminent bodily injury or death; and
(7) uses or exhibits; (8) a deadly weapon. TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 29.02–.03
(Vernon 2011). “In the course of committing theft” means “conduct that occurs in
an attempt to commit, during the commission, or in immediate flight after the
30
attempt or commission of theft.” TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 29.01(1) (Vernon 2011)
(emphasis added); Oggletree v. State, 851 S.W.2d 367, 368–69 (Tex. App.—
Houston [1st Dist.] 1993, pet. ref’d) (holding evidence sufficient to support
robbery conviction when appellant’s attempted theft failed and he later returned to
scene and brandished knife).
Here, the offense for which appellant was arrested included, by statutory
definition, all events occurring “in immediate flight after the attempt or
commission of theft.” As such, the offense was not yet complete at the time of the
citizen’s arrest because appellant was still in the immediate flight after his
attempted theft. As such, the undisputed facts do not raise an issue of whether
appellant was illegally arrested under article 14.01.
B. Citizen’s Arrest under Article 18.16
Appellant also argues that “the State cannot rely upon Tex. Code Crim. Proc.
§ 18.16 to justify the pursuit of Appellant for the sole purpose of ensuring that Appellant
stood trial.” Appellant’s position is the same as in the previous section—because he had
abandoned the stolen goods, the citizens no longer had any right to pursue and arrest him.
We disagree. In Simpson v. State, a store security guard in a grocery store saw the
defendant pick up a piece of meat and stuff it in her girdle. 815 S.W.2d 900, 901 (Tex.
App.—Fort Worth 1991, no pet.) When the security guard identified himself, the
defendant started running and fighting. Id. Another store employee grabbed the
defendant’s arm, and during the struggle the meat fell out of her girdle onto the floor. Id.
31
The defendant then just sat down in the doorway, kicking and screaming. Id. The
security guard then subdued her until police arrived. Id. On appeal, citing Satterwhite,
the defendant contended that the security guard had no right to detain her once she
relinquished the meat. Id. at 902. The court of appeal distinguished Satterwhite, holding
that, because the charged case involved a theft, the security guard had the authority to
arrest the defendant pursuant to article 18.16. Similarly, in Knight v. State, No. 14-10-
00408, 2011 WL 3760827 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2001, pet. ref’d), the court
of appeals held that a security guard had the authority to detain a suspected shoplifter
pursuant to article 18.16, even though the shoplifter had abandoned the shopping cart full
of merchandise. Id. at *3.
Thus, like the courts in Simpson and Knight, we conclude that there is no fact issue
regarding whether appellant was illegally arrested under article 18.16 simply because he
abandoned the stolen beer.
There being no fact issue regarding the legality of the citizen’s arrest under either
article 14.01 or article 18.16, the trial court did not err by refusing to include appellant’s
requested instructions in the charge. Accordingly, we overrule point of error five.
32
CONCLUSION
We affirm the trial court’s judgment.
Sherry Radack
Chief Justice
Panel consists of Chief Justice Radack and Justices Bland and Huddle.
Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).
33