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55 Tex. Crim. 113

113 S.W 148

Sowers v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Decided October 28, 1908

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · decided 1908-10-28

<p>1. —Theft—Confessions—Duress.</p> <p>Confessions alone are not sufficient to sustain a conviction, and, of course, where they are made under duress they are insufficient to sustain a conviction.</p> <p>2. —Same—Agreement by State’s Counsel to avoid a Continuance.</p> <p>Where the State’s counsel in order to avoid a continuance admitted that the absent testimony that defendant was under duress was true the State was bound thereby.</p>

Decided 1908-10-28

BROOKS, Judge.

¶1 Appellant was convicted of theft, and his punishment assessed at a fine of $25 and three months imprisonment in the county jail.

¶2 The evidence in this case is not sufficient. It shows that the State relied for a conviction upon the confession of appellant, who was under duress at the time the confession was made. The county attorney having admitted the testimony of certain absent witnesses to he true in order to avoid a continuance, and said witnesses’ testimony shows that the defendant was under duress, therefore, we hold the testimony is insufficient. A confession alone would not be sufficient to sustain a conviction if appellant was not under duress.

¶3 The evidence being wholly insufficient, the judgment is reversed and the cause is remanded.

¶4 Reversed and remanded.

¶5 Ramsey, Judge, absent.

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