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French v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Nov 5, 1975
531 S.W.2d 613 (Tex. Crim. App. 1975)

Opinion

No. 50475.

November 5, 1975.

Appeal from the 174th Judicial District Court, Harris County, Garth Bates, J.

Gerald K. Payte, Houston, for appellant.

Carol S. Vance, Dist. Atty. and James C. Brough, Henry Oncken, Asst. Dist. Attys., Houston, Jim D. Vollers, State's Atty., and David S. McAngus, Asst. State's Atty., Austin, for the State.


OPINION


This is an appeal from a conviction for the offense of robbery by assault with firearms. The punishment was assessed at ten (10) years.

An examination of the indictment in the instant case reveals that it contains the same fundamental defect as that found in Lucero v. State, 502 S.W.2d 128 (Tex.Cr.App. 1973) (Case One) and Bouie v. State, 528 S.W.2d 587 (Tex.Cr.App., delivered July 9, 1975), in that it fails to allege "to whom the property allegedly taken belonged."

For this reason, the judgment is reversed and the prosecution ordered dismissed.


The indictment has been held fundamentally defective because ownership was not alleged. Ownership was not an element of the offense of robbery under Article 1408, V.A.P.C. (1925), which provides that robbery is committed by taking property from the possession of the injured person. Possession was alleged in this. See the dissenting opinion in Bouie v. State, 528 S.W.2d 587 (1975).

The judgment should be affirmed.


Summaries of

French v. State

Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Nov 5, 1975
531 S.W.2d 613 (Tex. Crim. App. 1975)
Case details for

French v. State

Case Details

Full title:Oscar FRENCH, Jr., Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee

Court:Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Date published: Nov 5, 1975

Citations

531 S.W.2d 613 (Tex. Crim. App. 1975)

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