Bender v. State

Jan 17, 1962
No. 34132
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Morrison
MORRISON, Judge.

The offense is driving while intoxicated; the punishment, ‍​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍3 days in jail and a fine of $100.00.

Appellant waived his right to a jury trial and plead ‍​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍not guilty before the court.

An examination of the complaint shows that it was not signed by the ‍​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍affiant as is required by Article 222, Vernon’s Ann. C.C.P.A valid complaint is a prerequisite to a ‍​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍valid information. Article 415, V.A.C.C.P.; Byrom v. State, 158 Tex.Cr.R. 427, 256 S.W.2d 853.

Because of the fatal defect in the ‍​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‍complaint, the judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.