Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1944 )

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Xonornblo Ronw hrrl8oa, JT., Mrrotor
Toxsr Kmpartmmt or Publio fhrel
cap M8brY
Aurtin, TOM,
D8rr Sir8
quot8 trcm your letter
th0 00nriot a ourrant 0r
alent intefl8ityto OaUI@ death, andthe apptie8-
tion 8od oontinueno. Of 8UOh Ourrent through tha
body df ruoh OOnliOt Ufltllsuoh OOnViOt i8 4.84.”
Iionorablo?lOMr 68rri8On, Jr., p8go 2
m0 d8iOnd8nt NntiOCIOd by YOU Ua8 OOINiOtOd &III-
do? 8 8t8tUtO whirh tOVid*d thrt mOd0 O? lXOOUth¶ 8hOuli
bo by hrn&#&, rod t E 0 8bOW Qubt8d 8rtiOl8 manly ohan~or
th* Wo of lxooutiom ?ror hrn&ng to sloetrooutioa.
m0 court Oi Cd&B81 h9pO818 O? hX88 itlm p8rtO
Johnron, 258 5. 9. 473, 8r%dl
'?h18 8ppliO8tiOil?Or dl8Oh8rm by W8J Of
writ o? k8bo88 oo?pur 18 upon the @muad that thr
rrrdlot do818r.8 th8t hi8 de&b 8h811 be by h8-0
in(l,While th8 808tOaOO dO818rO8 that it 8h811
k by 8f8OtrOOUtiOa. At tho tin of hi8 t?i81,
undo? tho 18~ o fth i8
lt8to. the mode of oxeau-
tloa whore tha dorth prnrltyx18 ordord ma by
.ban&&. By rot of tho Thlity-EighthLeglrlaturo,
.S000ndCalled !k88lOn, the mod0 e? lWatloa ~88
ohangad to that of ll8otrOoutlon. So* oh8ptor
51, AOt8 38th &I., 2d C81106 b88.
lmO ~inO0 O? tb JhWY W88 t0 dOOld UP
on tho (ul!t o? tho 8p?lloant,dnd whothor ho lhould
be puniehod rt do8th or by oonilruamt in tho pan-
lt8ntirry. That p8rt ot the vrrdlrt u8ing tho
Word8 ‘by h8n&l6 rtntild.84’ 18 IOTp1U88130, 8nd
in no 8oam riti8todthe rordiot. m8 moth& oi
lX~OUtiO#l WI IlOtwithin th8 8OOp0 Of thr JUFf’8
ruthority, but 8t tha tiaI0the 1erdiOt W88 ran-
dorod U88 fix.& by 18w. ‘he obaP(toor the mode
or lxaoutlen ?ror hanging to llsetrooutlOnwa8
withinth8 8OOpO Of the 1ftgi818t$V8POWOr, 8IM3
did not orfoad 888lnst the oonrtltutlonalprowl-
8iOn PFOhibiting 8X pO8t ?aOtO lt@8i8tiOfL Suoh
ir the view lx p r o 88o
by dthe Supremo Court o? tho
VIiitOd $ht*8 8nd tb6 OOUTt8 in 8WW81 Of th0
8t8tO8.
.fll &811Oy’8 CI80, 237 17. 9. 180, 35 %p.
ct. 507, 59 L Ed. 905, the qUO8tiOn hiOr@ th8
oourt ua8 whether Malloy, who had ooarltted tho
o??rara of surdor iu 1910, at uhieh tlra the mob
o flxooutioa by
h8n((ily,Urd who W88 Oonrlot-
W88
ed in 1912, uhan the soda of rxeoution Wa8 by
oleotrooution, rhotid bo dirohrrpd. In tho opln-
ion rodorrd in 1915, th8 SuprOrtrCourt o? tho
Xonor8ble Honr mrrl8on, Jr., pago 3
Unit.& mt.8, 8ftW ?8+iOdn( 801pa9rWiOU8 8n-
wunoam8nt8 by thhrtloU?t, ~8.6 thl8 layu8@0:
w*kpro8804
with tho rrrloor ob~oation to
lS88UtiO88 by hrB&#,
8nd hopoiul th8t 808n8
8l&t k fowd ru kkly life *in I 10~8 batbar-
OUI YDIIU,~ 8lu Oovornor or Row fork broughtthe
rub l.t $0 th0 8ttontia Of tho &~i8f@tUr8 in
188 c . A l#i#8iOll th8?.8?t,r 8p Obtod t0 (II-
OOrt811 tho mO8t humno 8nd prrotP 081 wthod Of
lnrllotly d88ul rontoasr roportoilin ?8VOr O?
ll8Ot~OUtlOE. thi8 W88 rdoptod by th0 8t8tUt8
e? 1888, 8lld, dth thr 8p~iot81 of tho ooWt8,
h88 bOOa in OOStlllUOUB WO 81lhOO th8t tim0. Ro
x8rlu 1% 0. s. 436, 34 L. Rd. 519, 10 3up. ct.
Rep. 936 ll9 If. 1. 569 7 L. R. A. 715, 16 Am;
St. ltop.'859,24 1. X. 1.
g~I~luonood by the rorulto la IlowTork,
llo VeB
other 8t8t.r hto 8dOptOd th8 88# modo
iOr ill?liOtta( do8th lib l8plt81 088.81 8&d, 88
i8 001potiy kItOn, th18 rO8rilt i8 th8 OOn8OqUOnt
of 8 roll-goondod klio? that rl~otrooution 18
120~ 8yUim8~d MI0 bun. th8B h8ll&6.
P 178 Y8rr. 549, 553, 52 L. R. A.
620, 60 Ii. X.'ilOr St8tO v. Torm881, 75 1. t. L.
739, 747, 69 Ati. 21L
='%.I. 8t8tUtO -do? OOll8ldOr8tiO& did BOt
0h811g0 tho posalty--dorth--?or mUMOr, but only
tho mode oi produola(l thlr, todathor with
lOti8i8 MnO88088i81 dot8118 in MS Oat Of IUT-
?O-a-8. mo puBi.hrat UO8 BOt P BQro88Od, 8nd
8omo a? tho OdiOU8 fO88UTO8 inaidont to tho old
mothod wuo 8ktod.“’
ThO t%lprUIO COW8 Of LOUl818a8 in Stat0 t. Pi@Jr’rO,
200 La. 808, 9 30. (2d) 42, rrldr
Wo point mado by the dofond8nt th8t tho
?8iilm Of tho LIgi818tUrO to ineludo in A08 lb
Eonorablo Homo? 08rri8On, Jr., p8p 1,
Oi 1940 8 88Vim l18U8a mU8t ll@Oo888?11y fro0 th.
808U8Od 18 wIthout BUit, bO88WO U. ham 81n8dy
doBon8tr8todth8t tho 8t8tUt8 do08 not
8??eOt my
8Ub8t8nti81 ri#It oi the 8rOU8Od 8dtOI8Olf, th8t it
18 pLU.1~ proooduml, 8?t@OtiB6Otiy DOB81 8&hi8-
trrtiw by ,ubrtitutin(l th0 vthod of iUfliOtin&
dO8$h by 8i8OtFOOUtlOn h u8U O? th0 rod0 O? in-
fllrO1~ death by k8Hgily in o8pital 08808 8adB thoro-
iCU0, 88 18 l8 III OX 9088 f8080 1 8% m0 Otiyl??Wt
th8t 8 88tin6 ti8UDO would bBV0, I? 0110hrd boon
p18006 irrtho Aot, wuld br to prorono 8nd 88~0 the
old pmoduro of OxOoutIoa by h8n&ry, whloh the do-
fOBd8Bt thOn OOtid h-0 in818tOd Upoll bdn( 08RiOd
Out by TiMdiO Of tho tWB8 Of th8 8t8tUtO it8eif.
w88hilyfOJ v. Dowlin&, 1926, 92 ?18. 601, 109 So.
588, rad la Xx p8rto Br~wno, 1927, 93 Pl8. 332, 111
So. 518.
Strom what wo h8rr
it 18 lhar
8816 that the
dofond8Bt o8nnot bo by hnglag 88 the law
lxooutod
whioh 8UthOrirtod tk8t uthod Of C48l'Tyi~Out the
dorth pW8lty h88 b00a rope8lOd by the fAgi8htUre
without 8 88V1~kd018u8O in thO 8tatUtO. HO 18 llOt
lntltlod to bo di8o h rldr b0oru8r ho rt8ndr valldly
oonvIotO6 8nd ront8aro % to daath lnd oannot legally
OOa9181llO? tho d88th ponrlty klag laillotod by
moan8 or llootrooutlon under a oon8tltutIonal8tat-
ut0 pmvlding for that method or ~04 0 or lx o o utio n.
V8vlng ro8ohod tho lonalu8lon that Aot 14, O?
1940 18 8ppfiO8bl. 8Zhd OOli8titUtiOM~ 8lidth8t it8
pIWi8iOB8 do not dOpri+O th0 IOl8tOI Of 8nJr8Ub-
8t8nti81 rl*t that ho 8t8n68oondomnod
rnd undu 8
valid ooarlotlon 8nd nntoaoo Of d08#, thr puertlon
8ri888 88 t0 tiethor OI aOt that
9rOT181On iZbthe
rantonoo prmldlng for the mad0
lnfllatlnC:the 0r
pea81ty by ban&d mybo trertrd 88 rurplura6e and,
by OpOr8tIOu 0r 18~. the new method or oarrylng out
the ponaltp by ll~otrooutlon may bo rubrtltutod In
it8 pi800 Without th8 n80888ity Of thi8 dOU?t UWnd-
lng tho 8ontoaor in thlt rorpoot or romrndlnd the
0880 to the dirtriot oourt to have tho rontenor
8MBdod 80 88 to oonfom with thr now law, Aot 14
or 19w.
Honor8blo Honr Oarrl8on, Jr., DlrootOr,'p8ga 5
‘In the 08108 a? Woo Dlk !?8UV. Sata 8~6
i!O?llrBd88 V. Strto, 8upX’8, who?0 tho dofOndMt8 hrd
kOn 8OBtOae8d to 408th by h8 lng UB~O? the 18W,
but b.fOrO tho lXOOUtiOn8 8OU14 take 91800, 10618-
i88iM ww p8888d WhiOh Oh8agOdBhO rod8 Of ia-
tllotl~ tA8 dorth pomlty fro8 hwglng to oloa-
trOotit;on8&d 1Oth81 e8, ro8~otiVo1y, tho Court
rpwrOn$ly lOa 8ido nd th8t by Yr. OpO?8tiO8 Of 18W
tho a8w mthod o? lXOOUtiOn m# tho ~Og81 w8y t0
oUry Out the poB8lty Without msoadln~ tho 8OBtOBOO8,
bOOIU80, Ln th0 tOmOr aa8a 18 dlreatad lXOOUtlM
Ofth 888lLtUbOO9l-OBOUllO86 8nd in tho 18ttOr, On
8p98@1, it 8tp1t 8ffltm8d tho dUdgl8at8.
”. . .
'I8 st8tO v. bOwn, 8Upr8, thr dofond8nt ~88
oonrlotid of mu&u In the flrrt 4 8 lo rnd 8on-
tonood to 408th by h8a#ily, 88 pmr f do6 by the l8w
in *??06t It th8t tb0. 8Ub8oqUontly, the k618-
18tUrO D88aad 8 8t8tUtr, whioh r~p08104 Outri&t,
wlthouta 88~1~16018~88, th0 18~ protl6lng for tha
In?lletlon of the do8th pea8lty by h8n(In& Thr
now 8Ot 8ubrtitut.d th8 rothod of the lxooutlon by
th0 8dItdni8tr8tiOn Of lOth8i 688. The Attorney-
0OnOr81 iii06 8 mtiOn to h8te the Oofhno. am.&@-
ld to OOnform with th8 BOW 18W. The oourt rollowod
tho ralo Of tho M811Oy 0880 and other 8UthOritie8
thrroln elted 8nd ooaoluded th8t 88 the dafond8at
W88 not 8ffMitOd ia 8lly Of hi8 8Ub8t8nti81 OOnlti-
tUtioM1 or 8t8tUtOry r-t8 and aI the ohawe we8
pU?Oly pI'OOOdCW81, nl8tiu 80101y 80 PM1 8diiIb
i8tr8tiOns thOr0 V88 BO ?888On Why thh,B@W hW :
rbould not l ply to 08808 pondlh( 88 UIO tlm8 t&o
Oh8ngo not Pat0 8ffOOt. The Court thon oomlduod
the quartion of crhO#Or or not it 8hould tmpa~o the
rontrnoe in 8aoordanoo rdth th0 a8w law or rebpad
tha oa8o to the 618trlot oowt for that purpom and
oonoladod by 8rfitrily the oonriotlaa of the 8ppO1-
lant or aurdu in tho rlrrt a0gr00 8nd tho lnillo-
tion ot oapitrl puni8hmnt 8Bd 8Ot 88ide the 8on-
tmnom to 8UffOr drrtll by h8n&n& md rrmndod WI0
0880 to the trial ooutt to h8TO tho IaBtOBOO Im-
god la looordanoo with tho prorbloa8 of th8 new
.
I. . .
Honor8Uo Hour Ourl8on, Jr., 04. 4
VItbo ln8t8nt MM thr aoourod ~88 8omtenoed
to death and tha mod. of htllrtl~ thr penalty
WI by h8wa(l, in rOOO?d8MO With th8 18W 88 it
8Xi8t8d lt tb 8t tb I0. ml10 th0 8880 WI8 pOadin@,
th0 8t8tO 8t8tUte Oh~IQh~ tho -thOd Of lX8OUti~
to l~OOtl'OOUtiOIlboo-8 lfiOOtlVO. A8 thi8 II8Ul8W
h8d rOtrO8~OtitO OttOOt 8XOOUtiO~ by h8w 88
8t8t86 in tho 8OlltOn8.di d no tlOllfO?m t0 th0 R8W
m8thOd Of 1ntllOtla~ th8 do&h pomlty. %?I. V8rdiOt
O? tho #lry tlndlrU tho d8t8lId8at 6IJilty 88 Oh8r68d,
la uapuallfled rerdlet, 88 roll 88 the rentmoe lm-
pO81ll the d88th POMlty, UO?O hold t0 b8 +811d by
thi8 8Ourt, 8Bd th. %Qwom Wut Ot tho United
Strter refured to rotlor tho 0880. Rooutln( the
prerent trlid doeth 8entonoo by bragI tho do-
tendant 18 not in oonformltr with the new law ro-
gulrlnu the infl~ot~oa of the dorsh poarlty by oleo-
trooutlon. A8 th8 n8nnor of ue8utlng the death
penalty by lleotrooutlon 18 more hurrae mad doe8
UOt 8ffeOt 8ay rubrt8ntirr or 8Ub8teatl81 ri&ht Or
tho dorend8nt. ho OfsMOt OMDtin or the rentenoe
being 8mended-80 I8 t0 OOniOb 81th th8 prOvi8bdI8
of Aot y of 1940."
Supreme
The Oourt o? Louidrnr In Henry v. Reid,
201 La. 858, Mldl
Oarplmlmt OS the rel8trlI 18 that
"The 818111
for uny yo8r8 under the prerlou8 18~ Of thlr
State, it h88 been ourtmery to prowldo in tho
Judpeot or rentonoo of 608th thr unnor or mod8 of
looutlOm Of tho prl8OnU (1. 0. death by h8muln(o,
and th8t th18 U88 8 88fe 8ad deiht0 VI8 Oi 08r’ry-
1116out the law and 8bOUid hare boon to13: olod.
%ven li be oonoeded th8t rtfpulrting In
it
the Judgment aentonoe the manner end mode ot the
of
exeoutlon of the death rrntenoe war the bett8r
pr8otioe, it 18 obrerred thrt the relatrix ha8 not
polntrd to 8my 18W th8t 8hOW8, under tie f8Ot8 8nd
oirouutsmoer of thi8 088e, rhe 18 beiq~ deprived
02 any legal right, or 18 about to be lxeouted in
I mnner 8nd by I mean8 oontrrry to the 1~ a8 it
Wi8t8 tOd8y. Her 8ttorney8 cnre mare o? the iaot
thrt the Judgment 0r rentenoo w88 to be omrlod out
looordin6 t0hw, 8t the time her 8ppe81 ~a8 fb811y
pa88ed upon by thl8 Court rnd did not then r8iro thi8
i88Ue. Stete 'I.Henry',200 La. 875, 9 So. 2d 215.
I!onor8bloHmier Curlron, Jr., 98&e 7
*Rarlne failed to ahou that 8ha W(I8in ray
my prejudload or w118m8wruiiy dtprlved _ _ of any
right, thr trlrl Judge properly rerwea to gent
8 prolinln8~y lnjunotlon to rertrdn thr rherlrf
and hi8 drputlor r-m thr porforarinoeof their
dutler in oatryl~ out the rmtenoo 0s the oourt
and the death rnrrrnt of the Oovemor.
Vlth roteronoo to th8 oontentlon that Aot
x0. 14 Of i!&o 18 UnOOn8titUtiW8i bO8U80 it 18
80 lx pO8t raoto bar, it 18 8UffiOi8nt to My that
thl8 Court 9888*4 upon thir ldentloal quertlon
ln the 0880 OS Sate 1. “larra, 200 La. 606, 9 30.
:;,gi and held that the Aob~88 not unoon8tltu-
ThOre8fter, the rooured rpplled to the
Suprem; Court 0r ths United St8ter for I nit 0s
oertlomrl, nhloh ~88 denied on Ootobor 12, 19I.2.
3~. State of Loulrlrru lx rel. Huxh Pl8rre t.
I?On&ablr SUB Uou8ton JOne8, tiloriiorOf i6ulilan8,
63 5. Ct. 64, 67 Lans. Ch. 36."
In view 0s the foregoing tuthorltlo8
18 the lt
opinion or thl8 department that when the defendant 18 rp-
prehended and returmd to Taxm8, he may br llrotrooutad.
VUY trUlY JrOlW8
ATTORNXY bKNXRAL OY TEXAS
.cm, .
BY 91
. C. D8vi8, Jr.
A88iBtant