Julio Ivan Bautista v. State ( 2018 )

AFFIRMED; Opinion Filed August 21, 2018.
In The
Court of Appeals
Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
No. 05-17-00295-CR
JULIO IVAN BAUTISTA, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the Criminal District Court No. 4
Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. F16-75991-K
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before Justices Lang-Miers, Evans, and Schenck
Opinion by Justice Evans
A jury convicted Julio Ivan Bautista of continuous sexual abuse of a child, and the trial
court assessed punishment at forty years’ imprisonment. In a single issue, Bautista asserts the trial
court “erred in allowing an expert to opine that the complainant was telling the truth.” We affirm
the trial court’s judgment.
BACKGROUND1
Bautista was indicted in August 2016, shortly after the complainant, his step-daughter,
disclosed to her mother that Bautista had abused her for the last five years. At the time the abuse
began, the complainant was eight years old.
1
Because the sufficiency of the evidence is not challenged, we provide only a brief recitation of the facts.
At trial, the State presented no physical evidence but relied on the detailed testimony of the
complainant, her mother, and the forensic interviewer to establish Bautista had sexually assaulted
the complainant multiple times. The State also called the investigating detective who testified he
prepared Bautista’s arrest warrant after observing the complainant’s forensic interview; the nurse
examiner who explained physical examinations of sexual abuse victims do not always yield
evidence; a Department of Family and Protective Services (“DFPS”) investigator who testified her
“conclusion,” after investigating the allegations, “was reason to believe” Bautista had sexually
abused the complainant; and the complainant’s counselor who testified partly about the effect the
abuse had on the complainant. Bautista called only himself as a witness and denied the allegations.
ANALYSIS
Bautista’s sole issue asserts the trial court erred in allowing the DFPS investigator to testify
as to her conclusion regarding the abuse. Bautista maintains the testimony constituted improper
expert opinion testimony regarding the complainant’s truthfulness and should have been excluded.
See Schutz v. State, 957 S.W.2d 52, 59 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997) (citations omitted) (expert
testimony that “constitutes ‘a direct opinion on the truthfulness’ of a child complainant’s
allegations” does not assist the jury and is not admissible.). Bautista further asserts he was harmed
by the investigator’s testimony because no evidence independent of the complainant’s statements
was presented, he denied the allegations, and the record reflects the State “emphasized in argument
that the ‘experts’ saw no reason to think [the complainant] was lying.” 2 The State responds, in
part, that Bautista failed to preserve error because his argument on appeal does not comport with
his objection at trial.
We review a trial court’s ruling on the admission of evidence for abuse of discretion and
will uphold the ruling unless the trial court “acted without reference to any guiding rules and
2
The argument was in rebuttal after defense counsel argued reasons why the complainant could have lied about the abuse.
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principles.” See Rezaie v. State, 259 S.W.3d 811, 814 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007, pet.
ref’d) (quoting Montgomery v. State, 810 S.W.2d 372, 380 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991)). If we
determine the trial court abused its discretion, we will conclude the error was harmful and will
reverse the trial court’s judgment if the error affected the appellant’s substantial rights. See
Gonzalez v. State, 544 S.W.3d 363, 373 (Tex. Crim. App. 2018). However, we will conclude any
error was waived if the complaint on appeal does not comport with the objection at trial. See Lovill
v. State, 319 S.W.3d 687, 691–92 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009).
The record here reflects Bautista’s objection at trial when the investigator testified as to
her conclusion regarding the abuse was as follows:
Objection, Judge. It’s a – any conclusion on her part is based on hearsay. We
would object to it because it’s less probative and more impactful, I would say.
As the State argues, Bautista’s complaint on appeal does not comport with his objection at trial.
Accordingly, he has waived any error. See Lovill, 319 S.W.3d at 691–92. On the record before
us, we decide Bautista’s sole issue against him.
CONCLUSION
We affirm the trial court’s judgment.
/David Evans/
DAVID EVANS
JUSTICE
Do Not Publish
TEX. R. APP. P. 47
170295F.U05
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Court of Appeals
Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
JUDGMENT
JULIO IVAN BAUTISTA, Appellant On Appeal from the Criminal District Court
No. 4, Dallas County, Texas
No. 05-17-00295-CR V. Trial Court Cause No. F16-75991-K.
Opinion delivered by Justice Evans,
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee Justices Lang-Miers and Schenck
participating.
Based on the Court’s opinion of this date, we AFFIRM the trial court’s judgment.
Judgment entered this 21st day of August, 2018.
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