CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CHAPTER 43.

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, Sec. 2(A), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.

Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 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, Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 1971; Acts 1973,
63rd Leg., p. 974, ch. 399, Sec. 2(A), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.

Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 5.04, eff. Sept. 1,
1993; Subsec. (a) amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1111, Sec.
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, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 1, eff. May
14, 1981; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 347, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 785, Sec. 4.13, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;
Subsecs. (a), (d) amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 753, Sec. 1,
eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Subsec. (e) added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch.
1040, Sec. 3, eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Subsecs. (f) to (j) added by Acts
1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1040, Sec. 4, eff. Aug. 28, 1989. Amended by
Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 4.06, eff. Aug. 26, 1991.
Subsec. (l) added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1, eff.
Aug. 26, 1991. Subsec. (a) amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch.
578, Sec. 2, eff. June 11, 1993; Subsec. (l) amended by Acts 1993,
73rd Leg., ch. 578, Sec. 2, eff. June 11, 1993; Subsec. (m) added by
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 414, Sec. 1, eff. June 6, 1993. Amended by
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 5.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1993;
Subsec. (k) amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1545, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 1, eff. Aug.
31, 1981; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 753, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1989;
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 785, Sec. 4.14, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts
1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Subsec. (a)
amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, Sec. 14.09, eff.
Oct. 1, 1991. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 578, Sec. 3, eff.
June 11, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 5.04, eff. Sept.
1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 3.19, eff. Sept. 1,
1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, Sec. 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, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 86, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993;
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 5.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts
1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 29, 1977.

Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 812, ch. 291, Sec. 120, eff.
Sept. 1, 1981; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 652, Sec. 11, eff. Sept. 1,
1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 319, Sec. 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:

(1) a subsequent or untimely application for a writ of habeas corpus
filed under Article 11.071; or

(2) a motion for forensic testing of DNA evidence submitted under
Chapter 64.

(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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Subsec. (d) amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 13, Sec. 6, eff.
Sept. 1, 2003.

 

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, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 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, Sec. 6, eff. June 19, 1975; Acts 1977,
65th Leg., p. 288, ch. 138, Sec. 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, Sec. 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.

 

 

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