midpage

Morales v. StateMorales v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Nov 25, 1959
No. 31052
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Woodley
WOODLEY, Judge.

The offense is attempting to pass as true a forged instrument in writing; the punishment, five ‍‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍years.

The sufficiency of the evidence is challenged.

The indictment set out the instrument alleged to be forged as a check drawn on Security State Bank, Farwell, Texas, payable to the order of “Lucero Lopez” ‍‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍and signed “J. J. Weatherly”.

The check offered in evidence as the instrument which appellant attempted to pass as true is drawn on the above named bank. However, it appears to bear the signature ‍‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍of J. J. Weatherly rather than J. J. Weath-erfry, and is payable to Lusro Lopez, and not Lucero Lopez.

When an alleged forged instrument is set out in the indictment according to its tenor, the strictest proof ‍‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍is required, and this is furnished only by an exact copy. Simmons v. State, 61 Tex.Cr.R. 7, 133 S.W. 687: Hurd v. State, 99 Tex.Cr.R. 388, 269 S.W. 439; Strong v. State, 143 Tex.Cr.R. 641, 160 S.W.2d 923.

The variance ‍‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍between the allegations and proof requires reversal of the conviction.

The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Case Details

Case Name: Morales v. State
Court Name: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Date Published: Nov 25, 1959
Citations: 329 S.W.2d 283; 168 Tex. Crim. 462; 1959 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 2615; No. 31052
Docket Number: No. 31052
Court Abbreviation: Tex. Crim. App.
Log In