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2 Tex. Ct. App. 495

Leer v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas

Decided July 1, 1877

Court of Appeals of Texas · decided 1877-07-01

Tried below before the Hon. J. A. Carroll. The indictment was for assault with intent to murder F. W. Ball. The jury returned a verdict of guilty of aggravated assault, and assessed the punishment at a fine of $1,000 and two years’ imprisonment in the county jail.

Decided 1877-07-01

Ector, P. J.

¶1The judgment in this case must be reversed because it appears from the record that another and different, oath was administered to the jury than the one prescribed by law. Any other oath than the one prescribed is, in contemplation of law, no oath. If the judgment had recited that the jury were “ duly sworn,” or that the jury were- “ sworn according to law,” it would be sufficient; the court would presume that the proper oath was administered to-the jury. But the oath administered in this case is set. forth in the record, and “no presumption can be indulged to impeach its verity.”

¶2In the case of Edmondson v. The State, 41 Texas, 501, our supreme court say : “ The record recites that the jury were ‘ sworn to well and truly try the issue joined between the state of Texas and Luke Edmondson.’ This is not the-oath required by law to be administered. If the record assumes to set forth the oath, it should do it correctly. It-is sufficient, however, if it states that the jury were sworn 'according to law,’ without attempting to set out the oath,, and that, we think, is the better plan.” See, also, Arthur v. The State, 3 Texas, 405; Bawcomb v. The State, 41 Texas, *497191; Martin v. The State, 40 Texas, 19; Smith v. The State, 1 Texas Ct. of App. 408.

¶3We find no other error committed on the trial of the cause that would require a reversal.

¶4Reversed and remanded.

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