CHAPTER FORTY-THREE—EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT
Art. 43.01. [785] [869] [847] Discharging judgment for fine
(a) When the sentence against an individual defendant is for
fine and costs, he shall be discharged from the same:
(1) when the amount thereof has been fully paid;
(2) when remitted by the proper authority;
(3) when he has remained in custody for the time required by
law to satisfy the amount thereof; or
(4) when the defendant has discharged the amount of fines and
costs in any other manner permitted by this code.
(b) When the sentence against a defendant corporation or
association is for fine and costs, it shall be discharged from
same:
(1) when the amount thereof has been fully paid;
(2) when the execution against the corporation or association
has been fully satisfied; or
(3) when the judgment has been fully satisfied in any other
manner.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts
1973, 63rd Leg., p. 974, ch. 399, § 2(A), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1,
1993.
Art. 43.02. [786] [870] [848] Payable in money
All recognizances, bail bonds, and undertakings of any kind,
whereby a party becomes bound to pay money to the State, and all
fines and forfeitures of a pecuniary character, shall be collected
in the lawful money of the United States only.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.03. [787] [871] [849] Payment of fine
(a) If a defendant is sentenced to pay a fine or costs or both
and the defendant defaults in payment, the court after a hearing
under Subsection (d) of this article may order the defendant
confined in jail until discharged as provided by law, may order the
defendant to discharge the fines and costs in any other manner
provided by Article 43.09 of this code, or may waive payment of the
fines and costs as provided by Article 43.091. A certified copy of
the judgment, sentence, and order is sufficient to authorize
confinement under this subsection.
(b) A term of confinement for default in payment of fine or
costs or both may not exceed the maximum term of confinement
authorized for the offense for which the defendant was sentenced to
pay the fine or costs or both. If a court orders a term of
confinement for default in payment of fines or costs under this
article at a time during which a defendant is serving another term
of confinement for default or is serving a term of confinement for
conviction of an offense, the term of confinement for default runs
concurrently with the other term of confinement, unless the court
orders the terms to run consecutively under Article 42.08 of this
code.
(c) If a defendant is sentenced both to confinement and to pay
a fine or costs or both, and he defaults in payment of either, a
term of confinement for the default, when combined with the term of
confinement already assessed, may not exceed the maximum term of
confinement authorized for the offense for which the defendant was
sentenced.
(d) A court may not order a defendant confined under
Subsection (a) of this article unless the court at a hearing:
(1) determines that the defendant is not indigent or
determines that the defendant wilfully refused to pay or failed to
make sufficient bona fide efforts legally to acquire the resources
to pay and enters that determination in writing in the court
docket; and
(2) determines that no alternative method of discharging fines
and costs provided by Article 43.09 of this code is appropriate for
the defendant.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts
1971, 62nd Leg., p. 2990, ch. 987, § 2, eff. June 15, 1971; Acts
1973, 63rd Leg., p. 974, ch. 399, § 2(A), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1,
1993; Subsec. (a) amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1111, § 1,
eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Art. 43.04. [788] [872] [850] If defendant is absent
When a judgment and sentence have been rendered against a
defendant for a fine in his absence, the court may order a capias
issued for his arrest. The sheriff shall execute the capias by
bringing the defendant before the court or by placing the defendant
in jail until he can be brought before the court.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts
1971, 62nd Leg., p. 2990, ch. 987, § 3, eff. June 15, 1971.
Art. 43.05. [789] [873] [851] Capias shall recite what
Where such capias issues, it shall state the rendition and
amount of the judgment and sentence, and command the sheriff to
bring the defendant before the court or place him in jail until he
can be brought before the court.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts
1971, 62nd Leg., p. 2990, ch. 987, § 4, eff. June 15, 1971.
Art. 43.06. [790] [874] [852] Capias may issue to any county
The capias provided for in this Chapter may be issued to any
county in the State, and shall be executed and returned as in other
cases, but no bail shall be taken in such cases.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.07. [791] [875-6] Execution for fine and costs
In each case of pecuniary fine, an execution may issue for the
fine and costs, though a capias was issued for the defendant; and
a capias may issue for the defendant though an execution was issued
against his property. The execution shall be collected and
returned as in civil actions. When the execution has been
collected, the defendant shall be at once discharged; and whenever
the fine and costs have been legally discharged in any way, the
execution shall be returned satisfied.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.08. [792] [877] [855] Further enforcement of judgment
When a defendant has been committed to jail in default of the
fine and costs adjudged against him, the further enforcement of
such judgment and sentence shall be in accordance with the
provisions of this Code.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.09. [793] [878] [856] Fine discharged
(a) When a defendant is convicted of a misdemeanor and his
punishment is assessed at a pecuniary fine or is confined in a jail
after conviction of a felony for which a fine is imposed, if he is
unable to pay the fine and costs adjudged against him, he may for
such time as will satisfy the judgment be put to work in the county
jail industries program, in the workhouse, or on the county farm,
or public improvements and maintenance projects of the county or a
political subdivision located in whole or in part in the county, as
provided in the succeeding article; or if there be no such county
jail industries program, workhouse, farm, or improvements and
maintenance projects, he shall be confined in jail for a sufficient
length of time to discharge the full amount of fine and costs
adjudged against him; rating such confinement at $50 for each day
and rating such labor at $50 for each day; provided, however, that
the defendant may pay the pecuniary fine assessed against him at
any time while he is serving at work in the county jail industries
program, in the workhouse, or on the county farm, or on the public
improvements and maintenance projects of the county or a political
subdivision located in whole or in part in the county, or while he
is serving his jail sentence, and in such instances he shall be
entitled to the credit he has earned under this subsection during
the time that he has served and he shall only be required to pay
his balance of the pecuniary fine assessed against him. A
defendant who performs labor under this article during a day in
which he is confined is entitled to both the credit for confinement
and the credit for labor provided by this article.
(b) In its discretion, the court may order that for each day's
confinement served by a defendant under this article, the defendant
receive credit toward payment of the pecuniary fine and credit
toward payment of costs adjudged against the defendant.
Additionally, the court may order that the defendant receive credit
under this article for each day's confinement served by the
defendant as punishment for the offense.
(c) In its discretion, the court may order that a defendant
serving concurrent, but not consecutive, sentences for two or more
misdemeanors may, for each day served, receive credit toward the
satisfaction of costs and fines imposed for each separate offense.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, in
its discretion, the court or the sheriff of the county may grant an
additional two days credit for each day served to any inmate
participating in an approved work program under this article or a
rehabilitation, restitution, or education program.
(e) A court in a county served by a community supervision and
corrections department that has an electronic monitoring program
approved by the community justice assistance division of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice may require a defendant who is
unable to pay a fine or costs to discharge all or part of the fine
or costs by submitting to electronic monitoring. A defendant that
submits to electronic monitoring under this subsection discharges
fines and costs in the same manner as if the defendant were
confined in county jail.
(f) A court may require a defendant who is unable to pay a
fine or costs to discharge all or part of the fine or costs by
performing community service.
(g) In its order requiring a defendant to participate in
community service work under Subsection (f) of this article, the
court must specify:
(1) the number of hours the defendant is required to work;
and
(2) whether the community supervision and corrections
department or a court-related services office will perform the
administrative duties required by the placement of the defendant in
the community service program.
(h) The court may order the defendant to perform community
service work under Subsection (f) of this article only for a
governmental entity or a nonprofit organization that provides
services to the general public that enhance social welfare and the
general well-being of the community. A governmental entity or
nonprofit organization that accepts a defendant under Subsection
(f) of this article to perform community service must agree to
supervise the defendant in the performance of the defendant's work
and report on the defendant's work to the district probation
department or court-related services office.
(i) The court may require bail of a defendant to ensure the
defendant's faithful performance of community service under
Subsection (f) of this article and may attach conditions to the
bail as it determines are proper.
(j) A court may not order a defendant to perform more than 16
hours per week of community service under Subsection (f) of this
article unless the court determines that requiring the defendant to
work additional hours does not work a hardship on the defendant or
the defendant's dependents.
(k) A defendant is considered to have discharged $100 of fines
or costs for each eight hours of community service performed under
Subsection (f) of this article.
(l) A sheriff, employee of a sheriff's department, county
commissioner, county employee, county judge, an employee of a
community corrections and supervision department, restitution
center, or officer or employee of a political subdivision other
than a county is not liable for damages arising from an act or
failure to act in connection with manual labor performed by an
inmate pursuant to this article if the act or failure to act:
(1) was performed pursuant to confinement or other court
order; and
(2) was not intentional, wilfully or wantonly negligent, or
performed with conscious indifference or reckless disregard for the
safety of others.
(m) Fines and costs imposed by a municipal court, regardless
of whether the court is a court of record, may be discharged in the
manner provided by Subsection (f) of this article. A community
supervision and corrections department or a court-related services
office may provide the administrative duties and other services
necessary for the placement in programs under this article of a
defendant convicted in a municipal court, regardless of whether the
municipal court is a court of record.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 360, ch. 143, § 1, eff. May 14,
1981; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 347, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 785, § 4.13, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;
Subsecs. (a), (d) amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 753, § 1,
eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Subsec. (e) added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch.
1040, § 3, eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Subsecs. (f) to (j) added by Acts
1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1040, § 4, eff. Aug. 28, 1989. Amended by
Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, § 4.06, eff. Aug. 26, 1991. Subsec.
(l) added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 900, § 1, eff. Aug. 26,
1991. Subsec. (a) amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 578, § 2,
eff. June 11, 1993; Subsec. (l) amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg.,
ch. 578, § 2, eff. June 11, 1993; Subsec. (m) added by Acts 1993,
73rd Leg., ch. 414, § 1, eff. June 6, 1993. Amended by Acts 1993,
73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Subsec. (k)
amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1545, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Art. 43.091. Waiver of Payment of Fines and Costs for Indigent
Defendants in Justice or Municipal Court
A municipal court, regardless of whether the court is a court
of record, or a justice court may waive payment of a fine or cost
imposed on a defendant who defaults in payment if the court
determines that:
(1) the defendant is indigent; and
(2) each alternative method of discharging the fine or cost
under Article 43.09 would impose an undue hardship on the
defendant.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1111, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Art. 43.10. [794] Manual labor
Where the punishment assessed in a conviction for misdemeanor
is confinement in jail for more than one day, or where in such
conviction the punishment is assessed only at a pecuniary fine and
the party so convicted is unable to pay the fine and costs adjudged
against him, or where the party is sentenced to jail for a felony
or is confined in jail after conviction of a felony, the party
convicted shall be required to work in the county jail industries
program or shall be required to do manual labor in accordance with
the provisions of this article under the following rules and
regulations:
1. Each commissioners court may provide for the erection of a
workhouse and the establishment of a county farm in connection
therewith for the purpose of utilizing the labor of said parties so
convicted;
2. Such farms and workhouses shall be under the control and
management of the sheriff, and the sheriff may adopt such rules and
regulations not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of the
Commission on Jail Standards and with the laws as the sheriff deems
necessary;
3. Such overseers and guards may be employed by the sheriff
under the authority of the commissioners court as may be necessary
to prevent escapes and to enforce such labor, and they shall be
paid out of the county treasury such compensation as the
commissioners court may prescribe;
4. They shall be put to labor upon public works and
maintenance projects, including public works and maintenance
projects for a political subdivision located in whole or in part in
the county;
5. One who from age, disease, or other physical or mental
disability is unable to do manual labor shall not be required to
work. His inability to do manual labor may be determined by a
physician appointed for that purpose by the county judge or the
commissioners court, who shall be paid for such service such
compensation as said court may allow; and
6. For each day of manual labor, in addition to any other
credits allowed by law, a defendant is entitled to have one day
deducted from each sentence he is serving. The deduction
authorized by this article, when combined with the deduction
required by Article 42.10 of this code, may not exceed two-thirds
(2/3) of the sentence.
Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 2647, ch. 708, § 1, eff. Aug.
31, 1981; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 753, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 785, § 4.14, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts
1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 900, § 2, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Subsec. (a)
amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, § 14.09, eff.
Oct. 1, 1991. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 578, § 3, eff.
June 11, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept.
1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, § 3.19, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, § 3.015, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Art. 43.101. Voluntary work
(a) A defendant confined in county jail awaiting trial or a
defendant confined in county jail after conviction of a felony or
revocation of community supervision, parole, or mandatory
supervision and awaiting transfer to the institutional division of
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice may volunteer to
participate in any work program operated by the sheriff that uses
the labor of convicted defendants.
(b) The sheriff may accept a defendant as a volunteer under
Subsection (a) of this section if the defendant is not awaiting
trial for an offense involving violence or is not awaiting transfer
to the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice after conviction of a felony involving violence, and if the
sheriff determines that the inmate has not engaged previously in
violent conduct and does not pose a security risk to the general
public if allowed to participate in the work program.
(c) A defendant participating in a work program under this
section is not an employee for the purposes of Chapter 501 or 504,
Labor Code.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 753, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 86, § 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993;
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts
1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, § 3.20, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Art. 43.11. [795] [879] [857] Authority for confinement
When, by the judgment and sentence of the court, a defendant
is to be confined in jail, a certified copy of such judgment and
sentence shall be sufficient authority for the sheriff to place
such defendant in jail.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1,
1993.
Art. 43.12. [796] [880] [858] Capias for confinement
A capias issued for the arrest and commitment of one convicted
of a misdemeanor, the penalty of which or any part thereof is a
fine, shall recite the judgment and sentence and command the
sheriff to immediately bring the defendant before the court; and
this writ shall be sufficient to authorize the sheriff to place the
defendant in jail until the defendant appears before the court.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1,
1993.
Art. 43.13. [797] [881] [859] Discharge of Defendant
(a) A defendant who has remained in jail the length of time
required by the judgment and sentence shall be discharged. The
sheriff shall return the copy of the judgment and sentence, or the
capias under which the defendant was imprisoned, to the proper
court, stating how it was executed.
(b) A defendant convicted of a misdemeanor and sentenced to a
term of confinement of more than 30 days discharges the defendant's
sentence at any time between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the
day of discharge.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 714, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Art. 43.131. Immunities
(a) An individual listed in Subsection (c) of this article and
the governmental entity that the individual serves as an officer or
employee are not liable for damages arising from an act or failure
to act by the individual or governmental entity in connection with
a community service program or work program established under this
chapter if the act or failure to act:
(1) was performed pursuant to a court order or was otherwise
performed in an official capacity; and
(2) was not performed with conscious indifference for the
safety of others.
(b) Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, does not
apply to a claim based on an act or a failure to act of an
individual listed in Subsection (c) of this article or a
governmental entity the officer serves as an officer or employee if
the act or failure to act is in connection with a program described
by Subsection (a) of this article.
(c) This article applies to:
(1) a director or employee of a community supervision and
corrections department or a community corrections facility;
(2) a sheriff or employee of a sheriff's department;
(3) a county judge, county commissioner, or county employee;
(4) an officer or employee of a state agency; or
(5) an officer or employee of a political subdivision other
than a county.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 5.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Art. 43.14. [798] Execution of convict
Whenever the sentence of death is pronounced against a
convict, the sentence shall be executed at any time after the hour
of 6 p.m. on the day set for the execution, by intravenous
injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity
sufficient to cause death and until such convict is dead, such
execution procedure to be determined and supervised by the Director
of the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts
1977, 65th Leg., p. 287, ch. 138, § 1, eff. Aug. 29, 1977.
Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 812, ch. 291, § 120, eff. Sept.
1, 1981; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 652, § 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 319, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Art. 43.141. Scheduling of execution date; withdrawal;
modification
(a) If an initial application under Article 11.071 is timely
filed, the convicting court may not set an execution date before:
(1) the court of criminal appeals denies relief; or
(2) if the case is filed and set for submission, the court of
criminal appeals issues a mandate.
(b) If an original application is not timely filed under
Article 11.071 or good cause is not shown for an untimely
application under Article 11.071, the convicting court may set an
execution date.
(c) The first execution date may not be earlier than the 91st
day after the date the convicting court enters the order setting
the execution date. A subsequent execution date may not be earlier
than the 31st day after the date the convicting court enters the
order setting the execution date.
(d) The convicting court may modify or withdraw the order of
the court setting a date for execution in a death penalty case if
the court determines that additional proceedings are necessary on
a subsequent or untimely application for a writ of habeas corpus
filed under Article 11.071.
(e) If the convicting court withdraws the order of the court
setting the execution date, the court shall recall the warrant of
execution. If the court modifies the order of the court setting
the execution date, the court shall recall the previous warrant of
execution, and the clerk of the court shall issue a new warrant.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 319, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Art. 43.15. [799] Warrant of execution
Whenever any person is sentenced to death, the clerk of the
court in which the sentence is pronounced, shall within ten days
after the court enters its order setting the date for execution,
issue a warrant under the seal of the court for the execution of
the sentence of death, which shall recite the fact of conviction,
setting forth specifically the offense, the judgment of the court,
the time fixed for his execution, and directed to the Director of
the Department of Corrections at Huntsville, Texas, commanding him
to proceed, at the time and place named in the order of execution,
to carry the same into execution, as provided in the preceding
Article, and shall deliver such warrant to the sheriff of the
county in which such judgment of conviction was had, to be by him
delivered to the said Director of the Department of Corrections,
together with the condemned person if he has not previously been so
delivered.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 812, ch. 291, § 121, eff. Sept.
1, 1981.
Art. 43.16. [800] Taken to department of corrections
Immediately upon the receipt of such warrant, the sheriff
shall transport such condemned person to the Director of the
Department of Corrections, if he has not already been so delivered,
and shall deliver him and the warrant aforesaid into the hands of
the Director of the Department of Corrections and shall take from
the Director of the Department of Corrections his receipt for such
person and such warrant, which receipt the sheriff shall return to
the office of the clerk of the court where the judgment of death
was rendered. For his services, the sheriff shall be entitled to
the same compensation as is now allowed by law to sheriffs for
removing or conveying prisoners under the provisions of Section 4
of Article 1029 or 1030 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1925,
as amended.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 812, ch. 291, § 122, eff. Sept.
1, 1981.
Art. 43.17. [801] Visitors
Upon the receipt of such condemned person by the Director of
the Department of Corrections, the condemned person shall be
confined therein until the time for his or her execution arrives,
and while so confined, all persons outside of said prison shall be
denied access to him or her, except his or her physician, lawyer,
and clergyperson, who shall be admitted to see him or her when
necessary for his or her health or for the transaction of business,
and the relatives and friends of the condemned person, who shall be
admitted to see and converse with him or her at all proper times,
under such reasonable rules and regulations as may be made by the
Board of Directors of the Department of Corrections.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 1181; ch. 572, § 1, eff. Aug.
27, 1979.
Art. 43.18. [802] Executioner
The Director of the Texas Department of Corrections, shall
designate an executioner to carry out the death penalty provided by
law.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts
1975, 64th Leg., p. 911, ch. 341, § 6, eff. June 19, 1975; Acts
1977, 65th Leg., p. 288, ch. 138, § 2, eff. Aug. 29, 1977.
Art. 43.19. [803] Place of execution
The execution shall take place at a location designated by the
Texas Department of Corrections in a room arranged for that
purpose.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 250, § 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1985.
Art. 43.20. [804] Present at execution
The following persons may be present at the execution: the
executioner, and such persons as may be necessary to assist him in
conducting the execution; the Board of Directors of the Department
of Corrections, two physicians, including the prison physician, the
spiritual advisor of the condemned, the chaplains of the Department
of Corrections, the county judge and sheriff of the county in which
the Department of Corrections is situated, and any of the relatives
or friends of the condemned person that he may request, not
exceeding five in number, shall be admitted. No convict shall be
permitted by the prison authorities to witness the execution.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.21. [805] Escape after sentence
If the condemned escape after sentence and before his delivery
to the Director of the Department of Corrections, and be not
rearrested until after the time fixed for execution, any person may
arrest and commit him to the jail of the county in which he was
sentenced; and thereupon the court by whom the condemned was
sentenced; either in term-time or vacation, on notice of such
arrest being given by the sheriff, shall again appoint a time for
the execution, not less than thirty days from such appointment,
which appointment shall be by the clerk of said court immediately
certified to the Director of the Department of Corrections and such
clerk shall place such certificate in the hands of the sheriff, who
shall deliver the same, together with the warrant aforesaid and the
condemned person to the Director of the Department of Corrections,
who shall receipt to the sheriff for the same and proceed at the
appointed time to carry the sentence of death into execution as
hereinabove provided.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.22. [806] Escape from Department of Corrections
If the condemned person escapes after his delivery to the
Director of the Department of Corrections, and is not retaken
before the time appointed for his execution, any person may arrest
and commit him to the Director of the Department of Corrections
whereupon the Director of the Department of Corrections shall
certify the fact of his escape and recapture to the court in which
sentence was passed; and the court, either in term-time or
vacation, shall again appoint a time for the execution which shall
not be less than thirty days from the date of such appointment;
and thereupon the clerk of such court shall certify such
appointment to the Director of the Department of Corrections, who
shall proceed at the time so appointed to execute the condemned, as
hereinabove provided. The sheriff or other officer or other person
performing any service under this and the preceding Article shall
receive the same compensation as is provided for similar services
under the provisions of Articles 1029 or 1030 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure of 1925, as amended. If for any reason
execution is delayed beyond the date set, then the court which
originally sentenced the defendant may set a later date for
execution.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.23. [807] Return of Director
When the execution of sentence is suspended or respited to
another date, same shall be noted on the warrant and on the arrival
of such date, the Director of the Department of Corrections shall
proceed with such execution; and in case of death of any condemned
person before the time for his execution arrives, or if he should
be pardoned or his sentence commuted by the Governor, no execution
shall be had; but in such cases, as well as when the sentence is
executed, the Director of the Department of Corrections shall
return the warrant and certificate with a statement of any such act
and his proceedings endorsed thereon, together with a statement
showing what disposition was made of the dead body of the convict,
to the clerk of the court in which the sentence was passed, who
shall record the warrant and return in the minutes of the court.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.24. [808] [888] Treatment of condemned
No torture, or ill treatment, or unnecessary pain, shall be
inflicted upon a prisoner to be executed under the sentence of the
law.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.25. [809] [891] [869] Body of convict
The body of a convict who has been legally executed shall be
embalmed immediately and so directed by the Director of the
Department of Corrections. If the body is not demanded or
requested by a relative or bona fide friend within forty-eight
hours after execution then it shall be delivered to the Anatomical
Board of the State of Texas, if requested by the Board. If the
body is requested by a relative, bona fide friend, or the
Anatomical Board of the State of Texas, such recipient shall pay a
fee of not to exceed twenty-five dollars to the mortician for his
services in embalming the body for which the mortician shall issue
to the recipient a written receipt. When such receipt is delivered
to the Director of the Department of Corrections, the body of the
deceased shall be delivered to the party named in the receipt or
his authorized agent. If the body is not delivered to a relative,
bona fide friend, or the Anatomical Board of the State of Texas,
the Director of the Department of Corrections shall cause the body
to be decently buried, and the fee for embalming shall be paid by
the county in which the indictment which resulted in conviction was
found.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.
Art. 43.26. [811] Preventing rescue
The sheriff may, when he supposes there will be a necessity,
order such number of citizens of his county, or request any
military or militia company, to aid in preventing the rescue of a
prisoner.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722.