Penagraph v. State

623 S.W.2d 341 (Tex. Crim. App. 1981) · Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas · September 23, 1981 · No. No. 59400

Summary

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals held that the evidence was sufficient to sustain Penagraph's burglary conviction, so a retrial was not barred. However, it reversed and remanded because the trial court improperly permitted the State to impeach a fact witness with "have you heard" questions about the defendant's prior misconduct when the witness had not testified about the defendant's reputation.

Holdings

  1. The evidence was sufficient to sustain appellant's burglary conviction.
  2. A defense fact witness who testifies from personal knowledge or personal opinion about the accused's character, without testifying to the accused's reputation, is not a reputation witness subject to impeachment with specific-acts 'have you heard' questions.

Questions Presented

  1. Whether the evidence was sufficient to sustain appellant's burglary conviction.
  2. Whether the State could impeach a defense fact witness with specific-acts 'have you heard' questions when the witness had testified to personal knowledge and opinion about appellant's character but had not testified to his reputation.

Disposition

reversed_and_remanded

Cases Cited (15)

  • Burks v. United States, 437 U.S. 1, 98 S. Ct. 2141, 57 L. Ed. 2d 1 (1978)(followed)
  • Greene v. Massey, 437 U.S. 19, 98 S. Ct. 2151, 57 L. Ed. 2d 15 (1978)(followed)
  • Lafoon v. State, 543 S.W.2d 617 (Tex. Crim. App. 1976)(followed)
  • Banks v. State, 510 S.W.2d 592 (Tex. Crim. App. 1974)(followed)
  • Mills v. State, 508 S.W.2d 823 (Tex. Crim. App. 1974)(followed)
  • Brown v. State, 477 S.W.2d 617, 619-620 (Tex. Crim. App. 1972)(followed)
  • Childs v. State, 491 S.W.2d 907, 909 (Tex. Crim. App. 1973)(overruled)
  • Salazar v. State, 494 S.W.2d 548 (Tex. Crim. App. 1973)(disapproved_by_later_authority)
  • Navajar v. State, 496 S.W.2d 61 (Tex. Crim. App. 1973)(disapproved_by_later_authority)
  • Howard v. State, 505 S.W.2d 306 (Tex. Crim. App. 1974)(disapproved_by_later_authority)

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