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73 Tex. Crim. 475

165 S.W 571

Black v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Decided March 18, 1914

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · decided 1914-03-18

<p>1. —Burglary—Suspended Sentence—Private Residence.</p> <p>Where defendant was charged with burglary of a private residence at night and convicted thereof, he was not entitled to have the terms of the Suspended Sentence Act submitted to the jury, as this did not apply to that character of offense.</p> <p>2. —Same—Intent to Steal—Charge of Court.</p> <p>Where, upon trial of burglary of a private residence at night, the defendant claimed that he was so intoxicated that he did not know what he was doing, which the witnesses for the State denied, and the court submitted the question of intent to commit the crime of theft to the jury, who found him guilty, there was no error.</p> <p>3. —Same—Intent to Steal.</p> <p>The fact that defendant had not in fact stolen anything when he was detected would not entitle him to an acquittal, there being nothing to indicate that the entry was made with any other intent than to steal, there was no error. Following Smith v. State, 51 Texas Grim. Rep., 427, and other cases.</p>

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently May 1951

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1914-03-18

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¶1 ON REHEARING.

¶2 April 15, 1914.

HARPER, Judge.

¶3 Appellant has filed a motion for rehearing insisting that the indictment charged that he broke and entered the house *477 with the intent to steal, and as at the time he was detected he had stolen nothing, the evidence is insufficient. The evidence discloses that the kitchen door was broken in law, the door being opened and an entry made therein, his tracks being found inside the kitchen, although he was on the gallery when Mr. Granbury found him. But prior to this time appellant had been heard making a noise in the kitchen or in opening the door of the kitchen. The fact that he had not, when detected, in fact stolen anything would not entitle him to an acquittal, for when one, at night, by stealth, enters the private residence of another, with no right to do so and no legal excuse for so doing, the evidence of intent to steal may he slight and circumstantial, if there is nothing to indicate that the entry was made with any other intent. Alexander v. State, 31 Texas Crim. Rep., 359; Mullens v. State, 35 Texas Crim. Rep., 149; Smith v. State, 51 Texas Crim. Rep., 427.

¶4 The motion for rehearing is overruled.

¶5 Overruled.

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