Elizabeth Silva Mendoza v. State ( 2015 )

ACCEPTED
06-14-00225-CR
SIXTH COURT OF APPEALS
TEXARKANA, TEXAS
4/13/2015 4:07:49 PM
DEBBIE AUTREY
CLERK
CAUSE NO. 06-14-00225-CR
CAUSE NO. 06-14-00226-CR
CAUSE NO. 06-14-00227-CR FILED IN
6th COURT OF APPEALS
TEXARKANA, TEXAS
THE COURT OF APPEALS 4/13/2015 4:07:49 PM
FOR THE SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DEBBIE AUTREY
AT TEXARKANA Clerk
_______________________________________________________________
ELIZABETH MENDOZA
APPELLANT,
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS,
APPELLEE.
________________________________________________________________
CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT #6
DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS
NO. F12-61870-X; F13-34344-X; F13-40734-X
__________________________________________________________________
APPELLANT’S BRIEF
__________________________________________________________________
BRUCE ANTON
STATE BAR NO. 01274700
SORRELS, UDASHEN & ANTON
2311 Cedar Springs Road
Suite 250
Dallas, Texas 75201
214/468-8100
214/468-8104 - fax
ba@sualaw.com
Attorney for Appellant
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................... ii
IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL ....................................................... iii
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES ............................................................................. iv-vi
PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
(CHRONOLOGY) ................................................................................................ vii
STATEMENT OF FACTS ...................................................................................... 1
POINT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE .................................................................... 2
Relevant Facts ................................................................................................ 2
Reformation of Judgment ............................................................................. 2
PRAYER ................................................................................................................... 2
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE .............................................................................. 3
ii
IDENTITIES OF PARTIES
APPELLANT Elizabeth Mendoza
DEFENSE COUNSEL AT TRIAL Winston Shepherd
Roger Lennox
APPELLANT’S ATTORNEY ON APPEAL Bruce Anton
Sorrels, Udashen & Anton
2311 Cedar Springs Rd #250
Dallas, Texas 75201
STATE’S ATTORNEYS AT TRIAL Josh Healy
Brandi Mitchell
Jody Warner
Kenna Miller
Caitlin Paver
Assistant District Attorney
133 N. Riverside Drive
Dallas, Texas 75207
STATE’S ATTORNEY ON APPEAL not yet designated
JUDGE Honorable Anthony Randall
Magistrate Judge
Honorable Dorothy Shead
Magistrate Judge
Honorable Jeanine Howard
Criminal District Court #6
Dallas County, Texas
iii
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES
CASES PAGE
Asberry v. State, 813 S.W.2d 526, 529 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1991, pet. ref'd)………2
Bigley v. State, 865 S.W.2d 26, 27–28 (Tex.Crim.App.1993)……………………2
Christian v. State _S.W.3d_, 2013 WL 5969565 (Tex.App.-Dallas,2013)……….2
Ramirez v. State, 336 S.W.3d 846, 852 (Tex.App.-Amarillo 2011, pet. ref'd)……2
CODES AND RULES
Tex.R.App. P. 43.2(b) ................................................................................................ 6
iv
PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
(CASE CHRONOLOGY)
F12-61870-X
CHARGE Aggravated assault w/deadly weapon
Offense date: October 27, 2012
Arrest date: October 27, 2012
Indictment: November 26, 2012
(CR.13)
PLEA Guilty (RR2.8)
May 2, 2013
PLEA BARGAIN 2 years deferred probation (CR.35)
JURY WAIVED (CR.35-36)
JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE May 22, 2013(CR.40-41)
MOTION TO ADJUDICATE Filed September 10, 2014 (CR.47-
48,53-53)
Heard November 13, 2014
PLEA True (CR.60-61,RR5.8)
VERDICT ON PUNISHMENT 6 years TDC (RR5.19)
JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE November 13,2014 (CR.56-57)
MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL Filed November 18, 2014 (CR.63)
NOTICE OF APPEAL November 18, 2014 (CR.62)
v
PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
(CASE CHRONOLOGY)
F13-34344-X
CHARGE Possession of controlled substance
Less than 1 gram
Offense date: March 18, 2014
Arrest date: April 16, 2014
Indictment: May 2, 2014(CR.7)
MOTION TO REDUCE CHARGE
TO ATTEMPTED POSSESSION July 2, 2014(CR.27)
PLEA Guilty (CR.19)
July 2, 2014
PLEA BARGAIN 10 months deferred probation (CR.19)
JURY WAIVED July 2, 2104 (CR.19)
JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE July 2, 2014(CR.21-22)
MOTION TO ADJUDICATE Filed September 10, 2014(CR.36)
Heard November 13, 2014
PLEA True (CR. 44,RR5.8)
VERDICT ON PUNISHMENT 1 year county jail(RR5.19)
JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE November 13,2014 (CR.38-39)
MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL Filed November 18, 2014 (CR.46)
NOTICE OF APPEAL November 18, 2014 (CR.47)
vi
PROCEDURAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE
(CASE CHRONOLOGY)
F13-40734-X
CHARGE Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
Offense date: April 10, 2012
Arrest date: April 10, 2012
Indictment: waived (CR.11)
PLEA Guilty
May 2, 2013(RR2.8)
PLEA BARGAIN 2 years deferred probation (CR.25)
JURY WAIVED (CR.25)
JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE May 22, 2013 (CR.34-35)
MOTION TO ADJUDICATE Filed September 10, 2014(CR.40-
41,47-48)
Heard November 13, 2014
PLEA True (RR5.8)
VERDICT ON PUNISHMENT 10 months State jail (RR5.20)
JUDGMENT AND SENTENCE November 13,2014 (CR.50-51)
MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL Filed November 18, 2014(CR.55)
NOTICE OF APPEAL November 18, 2014(CR.56)
vii
STATEMENT OF FACTS
Elizabeth Mendoza, the appellant, was placed on probation for three separate
offenses: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor
vehicle, and attempted possession of a controlled substance. Subsequently, the State
moved to adjudicate her guilt on these offenses. Mendoza entered a plea of true to
the violations in each offense and proceeded without benefit of a plea bargain.
(RR5.8) After hearing testimony from Ms. Mendoza, the court revoked her probation
and assessed the following punishments: in Cause No. F12-61870-X, 6 years
confinement in TDC for the offense of aggravated assault; in Cause No. F13-40734-
X 10 months confinement in State jail for the offense of unauthorized use of a motor
vehicle; and in Cause No. F13-34344-X 10 months in the county jail for the offense
of attempted possession of a controlled substance. (RR5.19-20) These appeals are
taken therefrom.
POINT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE
THE JUDGMENTS AND SENTENCES IN EACH CAUSE INCORRECTLY
STATE THAT APPELLANT ENTERED INTO A PLEA BARGAIN
AGREEMENT.
Relevant Facts
Appellant Mendoza was charged in three causes: aggravated assault with a
deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and attempted possession of a
controlled substance. Although Mendoza entered into plea agreements for probation
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in each cause, when the State moved to adjudicate her guilt, she entered pleas of true
without benefit of a plea bargain. Nonetheless, the judgments and sentences reflect
that the sentences were based upon agreed pleas.
Reformation of Judgment
Appellate courts have the power to modify the judgment of the trial court to
make the record speak the truth when the court has the necessary information to do
so. Tex.R.App. P. 43.2(b). Ramirez v. State, 336 S.W.3d 846, 852 (Tex.App.-
Amarillo 2011, pet. ref'd) (citing Bigley v. State, 865 S.W.2d 26, 27–28
(Tex.Crim.App.1993)). Appellate courts have the power to reform whatever the trial
court could have corrected by a judgment nunc pro tunc where the evidence
necessary to correct the judgment appears in the record. Asberry v. State, 813 S.W.2d
526, 529 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1991, pet. ref'd). The power to reform a judgment is “not
dependent upon the request of any party, nor does it turn on the question of whether
a party has or has not objected in the trial court.” Id. at 529–30. This includes the
power to correct an incorrect statement of the existence of a plea bargain. Compare
Christian v. State ___S.W.3d___, 2013 WL 5969565
(Tex.App.-Dallas,2013).
PRAYER
WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Appellant prays that this
Court will reform the judgment in this case.
2
Respectfully Submitted,
/s/ Bruce Anton
BRUCE ANTON
State Bar No. 01274700
Sorrels Udashen & Anton
2311 Cedar Springs Road, Suite 250
Dallas, Texas 75201
214/468-8100
214/468-8104 facsimile
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
This is to certify that a true and correct copy of Appellant’s brief was served
on District Attorney of Dallas County via email to dcdaappeals@dallascounty.org
on the 13th day of April, 2015.
/s/ Bruce Anton
BRUCE ANTON
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
Pursuant to TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(i)(3), undersigned counsel certifies
that this brief complies with:
1. the type-volume limitation of TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(i)(2)(B) because this
brief contains 896 words, excluding the parts of the brief exempted by TEX. R. APP.
P. 9.4(i)(1).
2. the typeface requirements of TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(e) and the type style
requirements of TEX. R. APP. P. 9.4(e) because this brief has been prepared in a
proportionally spaced typeface using Microsoft Word 2011 in 14-point Times New
Roman.
/s/ Bruce Anton
BRUCE ANTON
3