Opinion

McDowell v. State

  • 155 Tex. Crim. 415
  • 236 S.W.2d 124
  • 1951 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1739
Court
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Filed
Jan 31, 1951
Status
Published
Author
Woodley
On the bench
Woodley
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 18.5%

The opinion

WOODLEY, Judge.

Appellant was charged by complaint and information with *416 the offense of possession of whiskey for the purpose of sale in a dry area.

A jury being waived, trial was had before the court on a plea of not guilty, resulting in a judgment of conviction with punishment at a fine of $150.00, and one day in jail.

T. R. Gholson, an employee of the Texas Liquor Control Board, in possession of search warrant, entered the premises of appellant situated in a dry area. According to the statement of facts, following the overruling of an objection to the testimony regarding such search, “Mr. Gholson was then permitted to testify that he found several bottles of intoxicating liquor on the premises and that the amount of intoxicating liquor found there was in excess of one quart.”

We find no proof in the record that the intoxicating liquor found on the premises of appellant was whiskey.

Such being the allegation of the state, in the absence of proof that appellant possessed whiskey for the purpose of sale, the conviction cannot stand.

The affidavit for search warrant includes the positive averment that the premises occupied by appellant was a place where alcoholic beverages were unlawfully possessed, sold, manufactured, kept and stored in violation of the provisions of the Texas Liquor Control Act, 666-1 et. seq. The objection to the introduction of testimony as to the search made thereunder, and the result thereof, was therefore not error. See Harris v. State, 112 Tex. Cr. R. 219 , 15 S.W. 2d 1048 .

The evidence being insufficient to support the conviction, the judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Opinion approved by the court.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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