This section lets a convening authority issue an arrest warrant in some court-martial cases, sets bail handling rules, and makes sheriffs or constables liable if they do not carry out required duties.
Sec. 432.193. ARREST, BONDS, LAWS APPLICABLE. (a) If charges against a person in the military service of this state are made or referred to a convening authority authorized to convene a court-martial for the trial of the person, and a convening authority, believing that the charges can be sustained and that the person charged will not appear for trial or intends to flee from justice, may issue a warrant of arrest to the sheriff or any constable of the county in which the person charged resides, or in which he is supposed to be, commanding the sheriff or constable to take the body of the charged person and confine him in jail until his case is finally disposed of. The sheriff or constable, on the order of the convening authority, shall bring the charged person before the court-martial for trial, or turn him over to whoever the order may direct. The convening authority issuing the warrant of arrest shall endorse on it the amount of bail to be required. It is a violation of duty on the part of a sheriff or constable to permit a committed person to remain out of jail, except that the sheriff or constable may, if the person desires it, permit the person to give bail in the sum endorsed on the warrant, conditioned for his appearance, from time to time, before the court-martial as he may be ordered for trial and until his case is finally disposed of or until he surrenders to the sheriff or constable as directed by the convening authority of the court-martial before which he may be ordered for trial. (b) On the failure of any person who has been admitted to bail conditioned for his appearance for trial before a court-martial, or on failure of any person admitted to bail to appear as a witness in any case before a court-martial, as conditioned in the bail bond of the person, the court-martial shall certify the fact of the failure to appear to the convening authority, or to the officer commanding for the time being, as the case may be. The officer shall cause a judge advocate or district or county attorney to file suit in Travis County for the bail. (c) The rules laid down in the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the giving of bail, the amount of bail, the number of sureties, the persons who may be sureties, the property exempt from liability, the responsibility of parties to it, and all other rules of a general nature not inconsistent with this chapter are applicable to bail taken as provided by this chapter. (d) A warrant of arrest issued by a convening authority to order a court-martial, and all subpoenas and other process issued by courts-martial and courts of inquiry, extend to every part of the state. (e) If a lawful process, issued by the proper officer of a court-martial, comes to the hands of a sheriff or constable, the sheriff or constable shall perform the usual duties of that officer and perform all acts and duties imposed by this chapter or authorized to be performed by a sheriff or constable. Failure of a sheriff or constable to perform the duties required by this chapter is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and by confinement of not less than six months nor more than 12 months in jail. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.