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761 S.W.2d 22

Smith v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Decided November 9, 1988

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · decided 1988-11-09

Relies on Rose v. State · Smith v. State

Decided 1988-11-09

¶1. OPINION ON APPELLANT’S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

PER CURIAM.

¶2Appeal is taken from a conviction for the offense of murder. After finding appellant guilty, the jury assessed punishment at sixty years.

¶3On direct appeal, appellant argued the trial court erred in instructing the jury on the law concerning good time and parole, inasmuch as the charge is predicated upon an unconstitutional statute. The court of appeals rejected appellant’s challenge to Article 37.07, § 4, V.A.C.C.P. Smith v. State, 740 S.W.2d 503 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1987).

¶4In his petition for discretionary review, appellant urges the court of appeals erred in holding Article 37.07, § 4, supra, is constitutional. We find appellant is correct.

¶5In Rose v. State, 752 S.W.2d 529 (Tex.Cr.App.1988), this Court determined that Article 37.07, § 4, is unconstitutional. Under Rose, supra, it is still necessary for the court of appeals to conduct a harmless error analysis under the guidelines of Tex.R.App.P. 81(b)(2).

¶6The judgment of the court of appeals is vacated and this cause is remanded to that court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

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