Jerry Wayne Hill v. State ( 2008 )


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  •                                    NO. 07-07-0127-CR
    IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
    FOR THE SEVENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
    AT AMARILLO
    PANEL B
    JUNE 12, 2008
    ______________________________
    JERRY WAYNE HILL, APPELLANT
    V.
    THE STATE OF TEXAS, APPELLEE
    _________________________________
    FROM THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT NO. 1 OF TARRANT COUNTY;
    NO. 1007370D; HONORABLE SHAREN WILSON, JUDGE
    _______________________________
    Before QUINN, C.J., and CAMPBELL and HANCOCK, JJ.
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    Appellant, Jerry Wayne Hill, pleaded guilty to a charge of felony driving while
    intoxicated. Appellant appeals the denial of his motion to quash contending that the trial
    court erred in finding that the evidence supported a free and voluntary waiver of his right
    to an attorney during one of the prior jurisdictional convictions. We affirm.
    Background
    On July 7, 2006, appellant was charged by indictment for the offense of driving while
    intoxicated. The State alleged in the indictment that appellant had been previously
    convicted of two prior driving while intoxicated charges, making the current offense a third
    degree felony. On February 27, 2007, prior to the plea, the trial court heard appellant’s
    motion to quash the indictment, which contended that the indictment included a prior
    conviction, for jurisdictional purposes, where appellant waived his right to an attorney.
    Appellant contended that, although the record relating to the prior conviction contained a
    written waiver of counsel, the waiver did not include an inquiry into appellant’s educational
    background or his ability to understand the contents of the waiver. Therefore, appellant
    claimed that the prior conviction was void and could not be used for enhancement
    purposes. The trial court denied appellant’s motion to quash. Subsequently, appellant
    pleaded guilty to the indictment as charged.
    Appellant filed his notice of appeal contending that the trial court erred in denying
    his motion to quash the indictment. We affirm.
    Law and Analysis
    An appellate court will review a trial court’s ruling on a motion to quash an indictment
    under an abuse of discretion standard. See Thomas v. State, 
    621 S.W.2d 158
    , 163
    (Tex.Crim.App. 1980). Right to counsel may be waived if such waiver is made voluntarily
    and with knowledge of the consequences of self-representation. See Garcia v. State, 
    909 S.W.2d 563
    , 565 (Tex.App.–Corpus Christi 1995, pet. ref’d). In collaterally attacking the
    2
    validity of prior convictions on the basis of a denial of the right to counsel, appellant has
    the burden of proof to show the involuntariness of the waiver of his right to counsel.1 
    Id. at 566.
    In this case, the record shows a written waiver of appellant’s right to counsel in the
    prior conviction being collaterally attacked. Further, the judgment of conviction for the prior
    conviction states, “. . . the Defendant appeared in person having waived his right to an
    attorney; . . . [t]he Defendant was arraigned and the defendant after being admonished of
    the consequences thereof by the Court pleaded guilty to the charge set forth in the
    information.” Hence, the evidence before us demonstrates that appellant signed a waiver
    and that the trial court orally admonished appellant on the consequences. We do not know
    whether the trial court inquired into appellant’s educational background or his ability to
    understand the contents of the waiver. Appellant did not present any testimony or
    documentation during the pretrial hearing on the motion to quash to demonstrate that the
    trial court did not perform such an inquiry. In short, appellant, who has the burden of proof
    on a collateral attack to the judgment, has presented no evidence that the waiver of his
    right to attorney was not knowingly or voluntarily. Further, the trial court that accepted
    appellant’s plea of guilty in the prior conviction had the opportunity to observe appellant’s
    demeanor when deciding whether appellant voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently waived
    counsel. Therefore, we give great deference to the trial court’s decision regarding the
    voluntariness of appellant’s waiver of counsel. 
    Id. at 566-67.
    We conclude that appellant
    1
    In a direct appeal of the conviction, the State bears the burden of establishing that
    the record affirmatively shows a valid waiver of counsel. 
    Id. at 566.
    3
    has failed to demonstrate that the trial court erred in its denial of his motion to quash the
    indictment.
    Conclusion
    For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
    Mackey K. Hancock
    Justice
    Do not publish.
    4
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 07-07-00127-CR

Filed Date: 6/12/2008

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 9/8/2015