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Guerra v. StateGuerra v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Feb 17, 1960
No. 31505
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Morrison
MORRISON, Presiding Judge.

The offense is exhibiting a lewd motion picture; the punishment, 180 days in ‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍jail and a fine of $500.

The State, through her able district attorney, confesses error, and we agree. The court in his charge instructed the jury as follows:

“Therefore, if you ‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the said motion picture is not lewd and lascivious as those two terms are defined for you in the preceding ‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍paragraph, then you will find the defendant not guilty.”

Appellant timely objected as follows:

“The defendant objects and excepts to Page Two of the charge as said charge shifts the ‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍burden of proof and puts a greater burden upon the defendant than is required by law. * * * ”

It is clear that the charge is subject to the ‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍objection, and the giving thereof constitutes reversible error.

The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Case Details

Case Name: Guerra v. State
Court Name: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Date Published: Feb 17, 1960
Citations: 331 S.W.2d 941; 169 Tex. Crim. 70; 1960 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 2831; No. 31505
Docket Number: No. 31505
Court Abbreviation: Tex. Crim. App.
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