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Blackstock v. StateBlackstock v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Nov 13, 1968
41581
Reporters:
,
Before:
Belcher

OPINION

BELCHER, Judge.

The conviction is for using obscene and abusive language over the telephone as denounced by Art. 476, Vernon’s Ann.P.C. The punishment ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‍was assessed by the jury at a fine of $100 and confinement in jail for one month.

The sole ground of error presented is that the trial court committed reversible error in failing to grant a mistrial when the county attorney argued to the jury ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‍as follows:

State’s Attorney: Were not going to prosecute people that are innocent.
“Appellant’s Attorney: Your Honor, this has no bearing on what he’s supposed to do in his office as county attorney and we object to it for that reason.
“The Court: I sustain.
“Appellant’s Attorney: ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‍Note our exception and objection to the county attor *700 ney’s remarks as to he wouldn’t prosecute the innocent, implying that he only prosecutes the guilty, and I ask for a mistrial at this time. It’s certainly an improper remark.
“The Court: I will .overrule the ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‍motion for mistrial and sustain the objection and ask the jury not to consider it for any purpose.
“Appellant’s Attorney: Note our exception.”

In light of the record before us and the prompt action of the trial court in sustaining the objection and instructing the jury ‍​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‍not to consider the argument for any purpose, the overruling of the motion for mistrial was not reversible error.

The judgment is affirmed.

Case Details

Case Name: Blackstock v. State
Court Name: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Date Published: Nov 13, 1968
Citations: 433 S.W.2d 699; 1968 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1121; 41581
Docket Number: 41581
Court Abbreviation: Tex. Crim. App.
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