Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
Arthur Garcia Sanchez, Appellant v. the State of Texas
June 22, 20052005 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 971
Summary
The Court held that the proper harmless‑error test for State‑improper juror‑commitment questions is the one set out in Rule 44.2(b) of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, and that the appellate court must conduct a tailored harmless‑error analysis using the factors listed. It vacated the Court of Appeals’ judgment and remanded for reconsideration under that test. The Court also affirmed that the prosecutor’s questions were improper commitment questions. Justice WOMACK, in a concurring opinion, clarified that peremptory‑challenge rules do not justify questioning jurors about matters beyond their qualifications.