While we all know Johnny Cash had a few crimes under his belt, this movie
clip from
Walk the Line only shows a couple of criminal actions. What would rock and roll be without
the drugs and alcohol? Oh- and a criminal record.
There is an insinuation of Johnny's rough childhood in this clip. A
person commits an offense of
injury to a child if he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence
by act or omission, causes to a child bodily injury or mental injury.
We are probably to assume that Johnny's father would be guilty of
this offense.
We see Johnny handed an open beer while he is in the back of a vehicle
about to pull away. That action violates Texas Penal Code § 49.031,
which states that a person commits the offense of
possessing an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle when they knowingly possess an open container in the passenger area of
the vehicle that is located on a public street regardless of whether the
vehicle is in motion or not. The passenger area of the vehicle does not
include the glove compartment or similarly locked storage area, the trunk
of the vehicle, or behind the last upright seat of the vehicle if there
is no trunk.
Johnny could also receive a
public intoxication citation under Texas Penal Code § 49.02. A person is publicly intoxicated
if they appear in public place while intoxicated to the degree that the
person may endanger the person or another. Because Johnny cannot even
stay in his chair, he probably could be considered publicly intoxicated.
This offense is generally considered a Class C misdemeanor.
A person commits the offense of
possession of a substance when they knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance unless
the person obtained the substance from a valid prescription. This offense
is a state jail felony where the degree depends upon the amount of the
drug found.
There are a few scenes in this clip where Johnny is smashing things or
throwing things around. Under Texas Penal Code § 28.03 a person commits
the offense of criminal mischief when they intentionally or knowingly
damage or destroy tangible property or tampers with property as to cause
pecuniary loss to the owner. The range for this type of offense varies
from a Class C
misdemeanor to a State Jail
felony depending on the amount of damage done in dollar amounts and the type
of property damaged.