Richard v. State

Mar 29, 1978
57981
Reporters:
,
Before:
Phillips

OPINION

PHILLIPS, Judge.

Appellant waived trial by jury and entered a plea of nolo contendere before the court to the offense ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‍of theft by check, a Class A misdemeanor. The court assessed punishment at a fine of $300.00. V.T.C.A., Penal Code, Sec. 31.03(d)(3).

The record is before us without a transcription of the court reporter’s notes or bills of ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‍exception. No brief was filed in the trial court in appellant’s behalf pursuant to Article 40.09(9), Vernon’s Ann.C.C.P. There is no showing of indigency.

However, there exists a fundamental defect in the charging instrument which requires our attention in ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‍the interest of justice. Article 40.09(13), V.A.C.C.P. The information alleges, in pertinent part, that appellant “did then and there unlawfully appropriate property, to-wit: Merchandise . .” It is clear that “merchandise” is so insufficient a description as ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‍to amount to no description and it will render an indictment fundamentally defective. Willis v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 544 S.W.2d 150; Rhodes v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 560 S.W.2d 665 (1978). No distinction can be properly made when the prosecution rests on an information, as opposed to an indictment. ‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‍Article 21.21(7), V.A.C.C.P.; American Plant Food Corp. v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 508 *627 S.W.2d 598. We therefore reverse the conviction and dismiss the prosecution.