Stallworth v. State, 30099

Decision Date12 November 1958
Docket NumberNo. 30099,30099
PartiesRoy STALLWORTH, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
CourtTexas Court of Criminal Appeals

[167 TEXCRIM 20] Baldwin & Goodwin, Beaumont, for appellant on appeal only.

Leon B. Douglas, State's Atty., Austin, for the State.

MORRISON, Presiding Judge.

The offense is burglary; the punishment, 10 years.

We are met at the outset with appellant's contention that the State failed to prove the lack of consent of the owner to the entering and the taking of the goods from the alleged burglarized premises.

The witness Palmer testified that he was the manager for the American National Insurance Company at Orange and that the building in question was under his care, custody and control, and yet was not asked and did not testify that the entry and subsequent taking was without his consent. We have searched this record in vain and fail to find such requisite evidence from any other source.

Recently, in Mitchell v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 313 S.W.2d 286, we had occasion to review this identical question and cited 27 cases from this Court, covering the period from 1905 to 1951, which consistently hold that where the owner of the premises burglarized or the property taken testifies in the case, then lack of consent may not be proven by circumstantial evidence.

In addition to the cases there cited, appellant calls our attention to holdings in Mitchell v. State, 117 Tex.Cr.R. 78, 38 S.W.2d 331, and Dillard v. State, 126 Tex.Cr.R. 292, 71 S.W.2d 529, which also support the general rule announced in Mitchell v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 313 S.W.2d 286.

As opposed to this great weight of authority, the State relies upon Gonzalez v. State, 162 Tex.Cr.R. 600, 288 S.W.2d 503, which we have concluded does not support them. In that case, the owner of the premises testified that he did not give the appellant permission to enter the building, which we concluded[167 TEXCRIM 21] carried with it a lack of consent to take anything therefrom.

For the failure of the State to make this essential proof, the judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

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14 cases
  • United States v. Prejean, 73-2988.
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fifth Circuit
    • May 23, 1974
    ...Even if he commits theft once inside, if the owner consented to his entry, he cannot be convicted of burglary. Stallworth v. State, 167 Tex.Cr.R. 19, 316 S.W.2d 417 (1958); Jones v. State, 155 Tex.Cr.R. 481, 236 S.W.2d 805 (1951); Shaffer v. State, 137 Tex.Cr.R. 476, 132 S.W.2d 263 (1939) (......
  • Taylor v. State
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    • April 24, 1974
    ...in Branch's in support of the above quoted rules are Wilson v. State, 168 Tex.Cr.R. 420, 328 S.W.2d 305 (1959); Stallworth v. State, 167 Tex.Cr.R. 19, 316 S.W.2d 417 (1958); and Mitchell v. State, 166 Tex.Cr.R. 291, 313 S.W.2d 286 (1958). But see and compare Casarez v. State, 468 S.W.2d 412......
  • Obarts v. State, 30414
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    • February 11, 1959
    ...v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 310 S.W.2d 90; Pruitt v. State, Tex.Cr.App., 310 S.W.2d 338; Brinkley v. State, Tex., 320 S.W.2d 855; Torrez v. State, Tex., 316 S.W.2d 417; Brantley v. State, Tex., 320 S.W.2d No notice of appeal was given at the term of court during which the judgment was rendered a......
  • Ashby v. State
    • United States
    • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    • May 16, 1979
    ..."effective consent." In support of her contention concerning the necessity of direct evidence, appellant relies on Stallworth v. State, 167 Tex.Cr.R. 19, 316 S.W.2d 417; Mitchell v. State, 166 Tex.Cr.R. 291, 313 S.W.2d 286; Mitchell v. State, 117 Tex.Cr.R. 78, 38 S.W.2d 331. We note that th......
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