Case Information
*1 OFFICR OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS Honorable ivlllltm k. Grlffls, Jr.
County kttorney
(3aiA68 COUnty
%SdAOle, Texas Denr Sir: OP~A~OA No. G-a691
Be: Does the suparinteAd8At of the staff oi the State Eoapltal at Big Spring have authority to oharge 8 ree or 8100 ior aA 8XaQiAatiOA aAd OplA~OA es to the sanity of a prisoner charged with a ro1ony IA Gaines county? and related queetiona.
Your letter of June 11, 1941, rsqueetln(j the oplaion of herein etated, hatI been this D8~l-tn8At UpOn th8 qtle8tiOn~ reoelved.
iie qtiote iron your letter as follows: "The following question has arisen in Galnes County, Texas, wbloh I should like have determined by your.ofiloe by way oi AA OP~A~OA thereon, 1~1~0s I as unable to rind any authority OA the proposition: 930 the county Attorney and/or Sherifr or GE~ACMI under the law to dsnmxl County, Teras, have authority a~ CUCAIUiMtiOA EUId OpdAlOA irOn the aAd r8C8iV8 et 3Isig Spring, medical AtAir 0r the State Hospital Texas, aa to the sanity of a prisoner charged with a felony IA Gaines County, TBLaE, *8A auoh 0phi0n tUId examination is requested prior to any eotitmtmt oi tt.te subject in question to suah hospital; and, lr suoh exasliAatioA is authorized under the law, doeo the superintendent eAd/Or tittarr 0r said hospital hare *2 authority to charge a r88 of ~100.00 for such 6XCXinZitiOrl, Cr .5IIy ret3 WhRt5QeVer?
"'lke feats eglVirig rise tc Ihie Queotioc are briefly as follms: "&ne %lph Pratker was appreharded by the Lher-
iii’8 r.hpirtL20nt 0r Ga:nea county, ‘I’axue, artar OW- mlttlnp a i?mder In said county end being charged by oom.glalnt with trio 0rrsnse or murder wit:: aalice. After iiin arrest hod takon place, tha Lhorlfr felt and I slso felt, as County Attome:;, tkt t&e aceusad was, and is, unquestionably insane and incapable of dit3tiIi@i8hiAg right :roEl wrong. b.8 th%lWpoA hed *, tiy the County Lealth Grrloer, who the accused axamlnsd at&tea in hla ~P~AIOA the 1~~1 was insan@; The County Bealt.2 Orrioer 8ugga8tod that the opinlor 0r an UXpOrt ShGU;ld b6 GbtaiAed, fn Vi6w of the rerioar- A886 Or t&8 CriBI With WhiCh the 8OOCssd OtaAd6 ohsrgeti . To that and, 1 lrstruotad him to ta&phone the i%apsrintendoAt of the Stata ~ospltal at Big Sprilrg an6 mQUe8t BA eXaFeifiatfOt fIW suoh hospital, of l oouiw3, with the W%rat~nUln& that the authorltlas or <;cinse County wouhl transport the acouceh to Big Spring arid return him at the&r om expn~se. IA this ii an axport X~B 0r mtter, I took tte posit102 tbnt tte opinion theft the sag was hopolaasly inrane, it woufd b4 Ay duty to rpam the &tat47 F?Ad OouAty the useless exkerse Gf a trletl ror murder in the Dlstrlot Court or t,hlo oounty, together with the unusual ex- parise 0r ca2liug a epcaial veAire for the trial, end that it w~ulb be Kg duty to iile 8 luor,oy cor;plaint againtt the fi~oufied MCI have him tried end seat to the ?tats ~oopital. \ihOA the County Eealth Officer or the State IIoapltal talep&oned the 3uperlnteAdmt at X.g $priw, he wan Pnroruierd t&t 0~01; thou&h thr authoritiss provided trarrsportatlon ror the ooused to a+3 rrom Eig Spring, Ieras, that the examlnatlon oould Aot b8 conduotsd on the *stats18 time,' a~6 that the 2uperinteAdeAt of tte State iTosplta1 woul.d charge n fee of $100.00 for the oxaerination, since he was opt authorized under tte law to mke such eXMiAetiOn aa an employee of tha State rti that be would furthar sxaot an additional fee of 100.00 should t8 oall*d to txstify upon trial of aooused.@' upon *3 artlals 83 of Vernon's Annotated Penal Code prod8war "The word *acauseti* Is intended to reier to any ~wrson.who, in (L 1wgaS mnnnwc, 16 hwld to amwwr for an 0rftbtiww. at any rt*gw of the pro- whom complaint in a lawful oweding, or agclnst mwmr is nmdw char@lnC( 8n offen88, lnoludlng all iron; the or5er arrwst to tbo final p~oeodings sxeautlon of the law. The word *befwndont' i6 ueed in thw 6-0 8wnsw."
iIt 14 atatwd In TWX68 Jurlrpru~enaw, t'olumo 18, pegw 388, that t
"Thw m6klng of a Oom#.alnt and the filing of tbo UBU in the County Court in aa8w of ofienoo is 6 ml6demsanor, or wltb a mo618trote of the oounty, lf tha offen?w ir a felony, 18 the commwneemwnt o? a erimlnol eotlon or proreontlon; and thw proawlding i8 hwld to be mndiag irea that t&e. The filtng or prorontmwnt of on lntorlatlon, or the flnillng of wn lntiotment, 18 not neoeoury to thw oumawnwemwnt of the pro8woution or aotlon.
"In 8 pur8ly arlminal pM8ecution, tha oaew 18 pen8lng, SQ long as the quortion ot the guilt or innooenoe of the rocturrd rosmiar undetermined, . . ." net8 Art1618 8561a, Vernon16 4motatwU Civil Bktutae, forth the mnnwr ol' appr8hension. arrortr sad trial of persenr who are wllwagw5 to bw of unoound miod csd'not ohargwd with a rrimlnml offwnee. the fsotn et6teQ in your lwttwr, on0 Ralph Prather
Wwr 18 orhargwd by oomplalnt with the ofrensw of muHer with nallcw. A6 thw above nwntioned person 18 charged with a orimlnal cffenrw, it is apparent that a judiolal proaemll~ 16 not 8utlioriseU er ammat bw had undwr k-title SLIOla, Vwrmn's kni:&ated Civil Ststtitw8, determine whwtbar or eowuawd in of un- 6Ound mind.
Xberw a pwreon is ahmgwd with a oriminol ofions@, insanity m6y bw interposwd al) e clwP4~nsw an5 tha dofandwnt tried on tbiat laeuw alonw. irhan insanity intarpossd a8 a defenrw, tb8
roawdure to be followw5 1s that 8et out Artlolw OS@, e i wr:lon'w i.nnoteted :ode of CrlrPin6Z Proew4urw*
wtlols 1036, Lode of Crfminal Praaedure provide8 OCCI- pwnsotion for wit3xwmew in fdony aowee in attwndanoe upon thw i;ietrlot Court -6 grsnd jury in aountiw8 othwr then that 02 thlr rwaidenaw. fltneataws for 8ttwndanoe upon the Nstrlat an5 p,rana juries ulth:n thw aountJ of their rerldenaw court8 l rw not aoffip3nsatwD.
iie Guotw fixair. Bu. JUT., vol. lo, pg0 453, 66 r0ihm: to testify 6. “An wxpwrt nay rwqulro4 to fade wlthlr his kmnvled,go without any wmpenSa8iOn cthsrthwa r608ir8d by aa
ordinery wltnesr for ttwabaoae on aourt, notalth- ~tonbily much knOwl8dg8 s6Jr have beea 'eaqufred thra4& 8tudy uid proatio~; Be my not, ha8ver, bo r@guird 0 in l xperlrsnt8 or lnwur wxputser to 8ng in orQ8r to quo1 fy hlm8wli to tw8tlty la 6 portioulor 068*. "fi TbU8, wher8 media01 8xpex-t her mob 6 port 1cort8m wxominatlon he may be oonrpe~ld 4180108e the TO8Ult8 Of that OX8mi~6tlOZI WitbOUt 8Xtr8 eomJMM6- tlon, but, hw 6my not be ooagelled ta make rush *t&8- tlon without bwia(r paid ior it.
*Ii the 8wnlcwr required of the expert ore rush that he lpag not be aompellsd ta r8nder it under the cf the court, or ognom8nt br the brdiouy proawor Ona 808kiJMJ thw 68rVi08 %fi OOm M8tw thw expert fer ccmpenut on of the u98rt may it lb valid; but r not bw m&w to depend upon the eontlnpmay of thw
8UOUW88fUl OUtOCSa Of th8 liti&wtiOZl.”
*w ;;uotw rmffi A. 1. k.’ vol. 16, QOgW8 468-s-4, &Vii iOllOWBt
The rule Is that 6 so4allwd export wltnerr 1s entitled to extra oomp6nntSon for any (Jlrw andwr ,:*hiah hw nay be rsqulrwd teithony to en ordinary subpowno of the aourt. . . . A phy- 6ial.m aalled to attend aourt 88 6 witner8 aamot bsrqfo extra aompwnsatlon for the aerrlow of futl bw cannot rake attendirig ccurt 68 6 rltncss.
ahargee for wx6minatione ana ooneult6tlona prwpero- tory to trial, dwpwn4wnt upon thw aontinfywncy of b+iw rwquirwd to tw8tify in (I inw 8ult. The aourt says thet p16intiiY16 duty 08 a aitlten oom~wl him
to app8ar aa a witness and eive te8tlmonJ, vithout any other pay than fees allowed by leiw, aua ho should not I;e permitted to svada that duty by the palpable exouuo of contract ror e contingent fee. (Burnet v. iCrbonwin, 115 S. F.. 488.) "In general, If the eerrloe required of the expert la such that he 8aMot be compellad to render it undar the ordinary prooer8 or the oourt, an agree- m6nt by the one seeking the BBIPV~OB, to eonpeneete the expert for It, iu ralltLn
In the oaae of Phlller v. Waukssha County, 180.X. 1;'. 889, (Wie. @sue) whleh wae an aotlon by a physlolan againat the oounty for remloer pertorsmd as an rrpert in a erlmlnal oaae, there la a dlotUm to the effeot that, it a person 40- 8ir.8 that any witas equip hlmaelf wlth knowledge by recroarah or lnapeotion, he may employ hi&to do so but uueh eq)loym8at by the Ordinal’y $;;lb13XtlWlled TUh8 oi OontZaOt OX$rOra@8 In People8, OX Cd, hUntY, 50 *ipp 78. c8=8 1. r. sup.‘l6, whloh tha validity of a oontraot b? ia~O1var alstrlot attorney employing an expert for a mrdsr trial, 00-t 8ay@ that it 18 a Well kMlW5 ii?iOt UpUt ritllO88@8 are usually paid ertra oomperumtion for their clenioer when oalled in laRny QP8e8, uid the QUe8tion as to the amount ther 8hall reoelve is u8~al3.y regu.lato6 by eontraot. In People, ex ref. Eemilton vs. Jeffernoa County, 54 8. W. Sup. OBll, whioh ~a8 an notion for sorrlae8 rendueb by an expert In a orlmlnal oa8e, it appear8 that the etatute provided paynnnt of em- pensem lnaurred by the dfatriot attorney, aed, the oontract harlng been made by hla, th6 court sald It Wa8 cbqmtent for bhe attorney to blnd the oounty for 8~ob 8erddeS.
The Code of Criminal ProoeduFe (Art. 1079) provides that aorb from the attendanee of WitIle88.8 aooruing in criminal oaae8 shall be taxed @alnat the defendant 41 he i8 &W~TfaiOn i8 ilade fOT the ppJl6 005tiQt6d, Of WitIN te.8 by the Stete in feloa~r oases Art1018 1095, Code Of crlmlnal Procedure, 8upra.
In this etate the right of witnsasee to reoeire oompen- they are for their attendanoe is StatUtorp, 8atiOn entitled to such fees only a8 the statutes premribe.
Artiole 2359, Vernon~e &motet&d Code of CriJdnel PrOcedUre, provide8 a
Bon. ~illli8m A. Grlffis, Jr.,'page 6
*Upon eurnlnstion of one aooused of a capital OffOR86, no saglstrate other than a julge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, district court or aounty oourt, shall have power to Ai8charge the "cy rraglatrato may admit to ball, defendant. ia l vlAeut.* exoept In capital oase8 where the proof It 16 6tated In your letter that the aoou8eA la oharged oomplalnt with the offense 0r murAer. The eqme Is a oapital offenee, and the Court of Crlmlnal Appeal8 held in the O&80, Lx part0 &iynn, 88 6. K. (6a) My, that vdtm-0 the OOu80$ Is charged with a capital offehle, the exadnlng mgirrtrate without authority to discharge the accuseA. You have not rtated whether or not the xaglatrate before whom the oomplalnt Wa8 filed lo a just108 of the pesrce. IioweVeT, iri the absonoe of a 8tntOUMt to the contrary, ior the purpose of thlr eplhlon, weaamnm that this complaint waa filed with a jurtiae of tha peaoe sitting as a 'iuagi8trate. Theraters, the aragl8trete OM Alroharge the aOOU8ed. In order to deteraine the 8hnity of the aocuaed, we think the oely procedure Is to 1nAiOt hlr ohargiug the offense of murder. Mter the lndiotsent ha8 beon returneA, and where +manlty 15 interpoeed a8 a defen88,.th* defendant or aooused may be tried on that issue alone in the I)ietrict Court before the main oharge. If the Jury find8 the AefenAaht 158ahe, or to have besn ln8ane at the time the not alle(ged to have been oommltted, they 8hall eo rtate in thdr rerdiot, or IS the Jury find8 that the defendaat wa8 inrum at the tlm the aot is allsgea to have been oommltted but *ano at the trial, he &all be irumebiately AlschargeA. If the jury flnde that the defendant was insane at the tia*r the eat is alleged to have been oomaltted MA lnrrane at the time of trial, or sahe at the tlm the aot is al.legeA have bea oonmltted insam at the time or the trial, the aourt 8hnLl thereupon make and have antored on the minute8 of the oourt ah order ooaunlttlug the defendant to the cu8todr of thr sheriff, to be kept subJect to the further order of the county JuAge of the oounty, anA the prooeedings shall forthwith be oertifled to the county judge who shall at onoe take aeoas8ary steps to have the defendant oommitted to and conrined in the State the insane until he bsocmss 8a13e4 3n the other I!oepltal hand, when the defense on the trial of the min charge 18 the limanlty of the defendant the jury shall be lnatruoted, if thq raot with their verdict, to atate that aoquit him on that ground, auA lf they further find the defendant to have bean Insan at the time the act 16 alleged to have been oommlttaA, but 8~ at the time or the trial; iie 'shalf,be lraweAlately dleohargeb. *7 son. riilliam i.. Grlffis, Jr., page 7
rowever, if the jury f’lndda that the dofender& wae insano at the tim the act ia alleged to hare been oommittsd and insane pt the time of trial, or IMe at the time the eot is alleged $0 have bean. omtitted end Insane at the time of the trial, the oourt eball themupon make end have entered on the Inlnuter of the oourt 6n order oolillPitt.fag the $etendant to the oustody of the sheriff, to be kept aubjeat to further orber of the oounty judge of the county, and the promodings @hall forth- with be oertilied to the oounty judge nho ahall at moo tekr the neoessery step6 to hare the dofondant oommltted ,to and oodined in a Gate iioepital for the insane until he beeomee sane. (ht. 932a, 7. A. 0, C. P.)
In view of the fore&oing authorltiea, you are rmpeotfull~ adviSed that It is the opinion of this Departnent thrt the oountr attorney or 8heriSf of Gainee County doe8 not have the legal authority to demand reoelve an e-nation end opinion of the medical stair OS the Stats Hospital at Big Spring, Texas, as to the sanity of the prl8oner ohareed with a felony in Geinea County, Taxes. It fS our further opfnion that the party ohargsd with a arimlnal oifenm oannot now ttlai In the oounty oourt to determine whether or not he i8 of tqmund mind under Article bBdla, Vernon’n Annotated Civil Statutes. It is olear under the above rmntloned authorities that the ph eioian would not be authorized by &r to char&e end reoeiro a i 100 fee in the event he ir eel&ad upon to tertfiy upon the trial of eooueed. AD etated ebove, ia thSr State the right of witneesee to receive compensation ror their attendance la statutory, end they are entitled to SW& faoe only am tha atatutea preroribs.
Trusting that the f’ore$olng rully enawere /cur inquiry, we are
Yourr very truly