Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

485 S.W.2d 284

Harris v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Decided September 25, 1972

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · decided 1972-09-25

Cited by 6 later decisions — most recently September 1981

2 federal appellate · 4 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“Judgment, insofar as it imposes the death sentence, reversed and case remanded to the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas for further proceedings.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Turner v. State

Relies on Quintana v. Texas · Harris v. State · Whan v. State

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1972-09-25

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1OPINION

DAVIS, Commissioner.

¶2Appellant was convicted for the offense of murder. Punishment was assessed at death. This Court affirmed the conviction on September 23, 1970. Harris v. State, 457 S.W.2d 903. The United States Supreme Court granted appellant’s petition for certiorari, and on June 28, 1971, ordered that the “Judgment, insofar as it imposes the death sentence, reversed and case remanded to the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas for further proceedings.” Harris v. Texas, 403 U.S. 947, 91 S.Ct. 2291, 29 L.Ed.2d 859 (1972).

¶3Commutation of sentence by the Governor has not been sought or granted in the instant case. See Whan v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 485 S.W.2d 275 (1972).

¶4This Court is without authority to either pass sentence or reduce the punishment assessed by a jury. Turner v. State, 485 S.W.2d 282 (1972); Ocker v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 477 S.W.2d 288. We cannot remand solely on the issue of punishment where punishment was assessed by the jury. Ellison v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 432 S.W.2d 955.

¶5The United States Supreme Court having found that punishment was erroneously imposed in this cause, its status is the same as if the jury had been unable to agree on a verdict. Turner v. State, supra; Ocker v. State, supra.

¶6The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

¶7Opinion approved by the Court.

/485/sw2d/284 · .json · Public domain