Murray v. State
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
457 S.W.3d 446 (2015)
- Written by Rich Walter, JD
Facts
The State of Texas (plaintiff) prosecuted Chad William Murray (defendant) for misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. The trial evidence established that a sheriff's deputy spotted Murray's truck by the side of a road, parked partly on the shoulder and partly in a private driveway. The deputy investigated and found the truck's engine running. Murray was alone, asleep in the driver's seat and smelling of alcohol. The deputy found no alcohol containers in or near the truck and observed no one else in the truck's vicinity. The deputy woke Murray. Murray was visibly inebriated, admitted he had been drinking, and failed field sobriety tests, leading to his arrest. The jury convicted Murray. On appeal, Murray raised several arguments, one of which was that the evidence was insufficient to support the jury's finding that he operated the truck while inebriated. The appellate court reversed the conviction. The state appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hervey, J.)
Dissent (Meyers, J.)
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