Thomas Keith Sloan v. State

Opinion issued February 7, 2019
In The
Court of Appeals
For The
First District of Texas
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NO. 01-18-00142-CR
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THOMAS KEITH SLOAN, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee
On Appeal from the 177th District Court
Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 1517822
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Thomas Keith Sloan pleaded guilty to the offense of aggravated robbery with
a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment in the Institutional
Division of Texas Department of Criminal Justice. On appeal, Sloan’s appointed
counsel has filed a motion to withdraw, along with a brief, stating that the record
presents no reversible error and the appeal is without merit and is frivolous. See
Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S. Ct. 1396 (1967).
Counsel’s brief meets the Anders requirements by presenting a professional
evaluation of the record and supplying us with references to the record and legal
authority. 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 1400; see also High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807,
812 (Tex. Crim. App. 1978). Counsel indicates that she has thoroughly reviewed the
record and is unable to advance any grounds of error that warrant reversal. See
Anders, 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 1400; Mitchell v. State, 193 S.W.3d 153, 155
(Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, no pet.).
Counsel advised Sloan of his right to access the record and provided him with
a form motion for access to the record. Counsel further advised Sloan of his right to
file a pro se response to the Anders brief. Sloan did not request access to the record
and did not file a pro se response.
We have independently reviewed the entire record in this appeal, and we
conclude that no reversible error exists in the record, there are no arguable grounds
for review, and the appeal is frivolous. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 1400
(emphasizing that reviewing court—and not counsel—determines, after full
examination of proceedings, whether appeal is wholly frivolous); Garner v. State,
300 S.W.3d 763, 767 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009) (reviewing court must determine
whether arguable grounds for review exist); Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W.3d 824, 826–
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27 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (same); Mitchell, 193 S.W.3d at 155 (reviewing court
determines whether arguable grounds exist by reviewing entire record). We note that
an appellant may challenge a holding that there are no arguable grounds for appeal
by filing a petition for discretionary review in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
See Bledsoe, 178 S.W.3d at 827 & n.6.
We affirm the judgment of the trial court and grant counsel’s motion to
withdraw.1 Attorney Cheri Duncan must immediately send Sloan the required notice
and file a copy of the notice with the Clerk of this Court. See TEX. R. APP. P. 6.5(c).
We dismiss any pending motions as moot.
PER CURIAM
Panel consists of Justices Keyes, Higley, and Hightower.
Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).
1
Appointed counsel still has a duty to inform appellant of the result of this appeal
and that he may, on his own, pursue discretionary review in the Texas Court of
Criminal Appeals. See Ex Parte Wilson, 956 S.W.2d 25, 27 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997).
3