Gilbert v. State

Full title: L. A. GILBERT v. THE STATE

Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas

Date published: Feb 1, 1933

56 S.W.2d 880 (Tex. Crim. App. 1933)

56 S.W.2d 880

Opinion

No. 15593.

Delivered February 1, 1933.

Attempt to Commit Arson — Statute.

The omission from the caption of act amending statute, covering attempted arson, of any notice of an intention to change the penalty provided for in body of act renders the amending act inoperative leaving original statute in force.

Appeal from the District Court of Navarro County. Tried below before the Hon. Hawkins Scarborough, Judge.

Appeal from a conviction for an attempt to commit arson; penalty, confinement in the penitentiary for one year. Reversed and remanded.

The opinion states the case.

Lovett Lovett and Davis, Jester George, all of Corsicana, for appellant.

Lloyd W Davidson, State's Attorney, of Austin, for the State.

MORROW, PRESIDING JUDGE. —

Attempt to commit arson is the offense; penalty assessed at confinement in the penitentiary for one year.

The prosecution is for violation of article 1316, P. C., as it appears in chapter 82, Acts of the 42nd Legislature, Regular Session, page 124, which is an act to amend article 1316, as it appears in chapter 1, title 17, P. C., 1925. The penalty prescribed in article 1316, as it appears in the revision of the Penal Code of 1925 is not less than two nor more than seven years. The penalty prescribed in chapter 82 amending article 1316, is confinement in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than five years. The caption of chapter 82 is as follows: "An Act to amend Article 1316, Chapter 1, Title 17, of the Penal Code of 1925; further defining the offense of an attempt to commit arson; and declaring an emergency."

The omission from the caption of any notice of an intention to change the penalty renders the amending act inoperative. The subject is discussed at length in the case of Rotner v. State, 55 S.W.2d 98. The invalidity of the amending act because of its failure to comply with the demand of the Constitution, art. 3, sec. 35, leaves in force article 1316, as it appears in the Penal Code, and the prosecution for the offense is permissible there under.

The judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded.

Reversed and remanded.