1 ... S ee Te x. R. App . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OFAPPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOF TEXAS FORT WORTH NO . 2- 08- 355- CR S COT TAN T HON Y GOME Z AP P E L L ANT V . TH E STA TE O F TEXA S STA TE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 355TH DI STRI CT CO URT OF HO O D CO UN TY

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### MEMORANDU M OPI NI ON 1

----- ----- -- A ppel l a n t S cot tA nt hon y G om ez appeal s hi s convi ct i on f oraggr avat ed ro b b e ry . W e a ffir m . A kbe rTej aniw asw or ki ng a l one i n a co nve ni enc e st or e w hen ap pel l ant
w a lk e d in w e a r in g a s k i m a s ko v e rh is f a c e a n d m is -m a t c h e d g lo v e s o n h is hand s and car r yi ng a m et al pi pe. A ppel l antst r u c k A kberw i t h t he pi pe,2

k n o c k i n g h i m t o t h e f l o o r , a n d d e ma n d e d mo n e y f r o m t h e c a s h r e g i s t e r . As A kberst art ed t o open t he r egi st er , Rh ond a M i l l erw al ked i n t o buyci gar et t es, w her eupo n a p pel l antexi t ed t he st or e. Rho nda’ s husband B r yan had been
w ai t i ng i n hi s t r uckatt he gaspum p. W hen hes aw ap pel l antco m e o utw ea r i ng a sk i m a sk , h e y e l l e d , “H e y ,” a n d a p p e l l a n t to o k o ff run n i n g . B rya n w e n t i n to t he st or e t o check on h i s w i f e. S he confi r m ed t hatshe w as al l r i ght, and A kber t ol d hi m t hathe had been r obb ed. W hi l e A kberdi al ed 9 11 , Br yan t ur ned a r o u n d , c h a s e d a p p e lla n t , a n d t a c k le d h im in a n e a r b y f ie ld w h e r e h e h e ld h im unt i l t he pol i cear r i ved . A ppe l l antw asar r es t ed and cha r ged w i t h a ggr ava t ed r obbe r y w i t h a d e a d lyw e a p o n , n a m e ly , a s t e e l p ip e . A ju r yf o u n d h im g u ilt ya n d a s s e s s e d h is p u n is h m e n ta te ig h t e e n y e a r s ’ c o n f in e m e n t . T h e t r ia l c o u rts e n t e n c e d h im a c c o rd i n g l y . I n s i x po i nt s, ap pel l antch al l eng est he l ega l an d f ac t uals uf f i ci enc y oft he evi denc e to supp ortt he deadl y w eapon f i ndi ng. W hen r evi ew i ng t he l egal suf f i ci ency of t he evi dence, w e consi deral l t he evi dence i n th e li ght m ost f avo r abl e t o t he ver di ctan d de t erm i ne w het hera r at i ona l j ur or , ba se d on t he ev i de nc e and r ea so nab l e i nf er enc ess upport ed by t he evi den ce , co ul d ha ve2 ... Ja cks o nv. V ir gin ia , 4 4 3 U. S . 3 0 7 , 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . Ct . 2 7 8 1 , 2 7 89 (1 9 7 9 ); Cl

ayton v. State, 2 3 5 S .W .3 d 7 7 2 , 7 7 8 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 7 ). 3 ... Ne a l v. S tate , 2 5 6 S .W .3 d 2 6 4 , 2 7 5 ( T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ), c ert. denied, 1 2 9 S . C t. 1 0 3 7 (2 0 0 9 ); W a tso nv. S tate , 204 S. W . 3d 404 , 414 ( Tex. C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 6 ).

4 ... L a n c o nv. S tate , 2 5 3 S .W .3 d 6 9 9 , 7 0 4 (T e x . C r im . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ); W atso n , 204 S. W . 3d a t414– 15, 417. 3 fo u n d th e e ss e n ti a l e l e m e n ts o f t h e cri m e b e y o n d a re a so n a b l e d o u b t. 2 W h e n rev i e w i n g fac tu a l su ffi c i e n c y , w e v i e w a l l th e e v i d e n c e i n a n e u tr a l l i g h t, f avo r i ng ne i t herpa rt y. 3W e t hen as k w het hert he evi den ces upport i ng t he
v e rd i c t, a l th o u g h l e g a l l ys u fficie n t, i s n e v e rth e l e s s s o w e a kth a t th e j u ry ’s det er m i nat i on i s cl ea r l y w r ong and m ani f es t l y un j us torw het herco nf l i ct i ng evi den ces o gr ea t l y ou t w ei gh s t he evi den ces upport i ng t he ver di ctt hatt he j u ry’s d e term i n a ti o n i s m a n i fes tl yu n j u st. 4 I n hi s f i r st f our poi nt s, app el l ant as se rt s t hat t he evi den cei s l ega l l y a nd f ac t ual l y i ns uf f i ci entt o pr ov e t hatheus ed orex hi bi t ed a p i pe dur i ng t he o f f e n s e , o rift h e e v id e n c e is s u f f i c ie n tt o s h o w t h a th e d id u s e a p ip e , itis nevert hel ess l egal l y and f act ual l y i nsuf f i ci entt o show thatthe pi pe adm i t t ed at t r i al w ast he oneheus ed. A kbert est i f i ed t hata m an w ear i ng a m ask ent er ed t he st or e car r yi ng an “i r on r od”ora “m et al pi pe” curved i nt o a hook sh apeon o ne end , hi thi m i n t he c h e s t a n d o n t h e b a c kw i th it, a n d t o l d h i m h e w a n te d m o n e yfro m th e re g i s te r.5 ... Jacks on , 4 4 3 U .S . a t 3 1 9 , 9 9 S . C t. a t 2 7 8 9 ; Cl ayton, 235 S. W . 3d a t778. 4 The St at e off er ed St at e’ s Exhi bi t26 ast he pi pe us ed i n t he r obbe r y a nd rec o v e red b yp o l i c ei n the fi e l d w h e re a p p e ll a n t w a s c a u g h t. H o o d C o u n ty S h e ri ff’s In v e s ti g a to r J o h n n yR o s e te s ti fi e d th a t A k b e r to l d h im t h a t S ta te ’s Exhi b i t 2 6 w as t he pi pe t hatt he m asked m an beathi m w i t h. Br yan M i l l er t es t i f i ed t hataft er se ei ng app el l antex i tt he st or e, hech as ed hi m i nt o a f i el d a nd t ackl ed hi m , w hi ch caused hi m t o d rop Stat e’ s Exhi bi t26 . I nvest i gat orRo se t es t i f i ed t hathe ha d c ol l ec t ed St at e’ s Exhi bi t26 f r om t he f i el d w her e a ppe l l ant
w as ar r es t ed and t hati tw ass am e o bj ec tt hatA kbe rha d i den t i f i ed ast he
w ea pon a ppe l l antha d hi thi m w i t h. V ie w e d in t h e lig h tm o s tf a v o r a b le t o t h e v e r d ic t , t h e e v id e n c e isle g a lly suf f i ci entt o suppo rta r ati o n a l j ur or ’ s bel i efbeyon d a r easonabl e doub tt hat app el l antused orexhi bi t ed t he pi pe adm i t t ed asSt at e’ s Exhi bi t26 dur i ng t he
r obbe r y. 5 W e, t her ef or e, over r ul e appel l ant ’ s f i r stand t hi r d poi nt s. H avi ng he l d t he evi den ce l ega l l y su f f i ci ent , w e now con si derw het hert he evi den cei s f ac t ual l y s uf f i ci ent . Appel l antt es t i f i ed t hathe di d notha ve a p i pe i n t he st or e but t hat he pi ck ed one up on t he si de of t he r oa d a s he f l ed. Rhonda an d Br yan M i l l erbot h t es t i f i ed th att heygota cl os e l ookatap pel l ant l ea vi ng t he st or e, but t hey di d not se e hi m ca r r yi ng a p i pe att hatt i m e. Rhonda5

t es t i f i ed t hats he nev ers aw a pi pe. Br yan t es t i f i ed t hathef i r stnot i ce d a pi pe i n a ppel l an t ’ s ha nd w hen het ac kl ed hi m i n t he f i el d, buton a 911 t ape a d m i tted as S tate ’s E x h i b i t 3 4 , B rya n ’s v o i c eca n b e h e a rd y e l l i n g at a p p e l l a n t,

“ Y o u w a l k e d o u t o f th a t F ’n s to re w i th a p i p e .” A kbe ri s t he o nl y w i t nes s ot hert han ap pel l antw ho w aspr es entdur i ng t he r obb e r y . On l yAk b e rt e s t i f i e d t h a ta p p e l l a n tu s e d t h e p i p e t o c o m m i tt he of f ens e. Al t hough appel l antpoi nt s t o part s ofA kbe r ’ s t es t i m ony i n w hi ch he app ea r s t o i ndi ca t e t hatSt at e’ s Exhi bi t26 w as no tthe pi pe us ed i n t he ro b b e ry , a t o th e r p o i n ts i n t h e re c o rd , h e re p e a te d l ya ffir m e d th a t S ta te ’s Exhi bi t26 w ast he sa m e p i pe w i t h w hi ch he w asatt ac ke d. A p p e lla n ta r g u e s t h a tA k b e r ’s t e s t im o n yis n o tc r e d ib le b e c a u s e it con f l i ct s atva r i ouspoi nt s i n t he r ec or d a nd Akberha d di f f i cul t y s pea ki ng Engl i sh , t her ef or e, heco ul d notpr ope r l y c om m uni ca t e f ac t s t o t he i nve st i gat i ng o ffice rs o r to th e j u ry . I n hi s ow n t es t i m ony, ap pel l antad m i t t ed t hathe had t he pi pe i n hi s han d a s he f l ed t he sce ne . I nv esti ga t or R os e t esti f i ed t ha t he co l l ec t ed S ta te ’s E x h i b i t 2 6 fr o m th e fi e l d w h e re ap p e l l a n t w a s ca u g h t. A fter arres ti n g ap p e l l a n t, h e s h o w e d S t a t e ’s E x h ib it2 6 t o A k b e r , w h e r e u p o n A k b e rp o in t e d , n o d d e d h is head, and m ade a cow er i ng gest ur e.6 ... Jo hn so nv. S tate , 2 3 S .W .3 d 1 , 8 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 0 ). 7 ... S eeT e x . P e n a l C o d e A n n . § 1 .0 7 (a )(1 7 )(B ) (V e rn o n S u p p . 2 0 0 8 ). 6 R e v i e w i n g th e e n ti re re c o rd i n a n e u tra l l i g h t a n d d e fe rri n g to th e j u ry ’s d e te rm i n a ti o n o f th e w e i g h t to b e g i v e n c o n fl i c tin g te s ti m o n i a l e v i d e n c e , w e hol d t hatt he j ury’ s r es ol ut i on ofco nf l i ct s i n t he t es t i m ony i s notcl ea r l y w r ong o r m a n i fes tl yu n j u st. 6A c c o r d in g ly , w e h o ld t h a tt h e e v id e n c e isf a c t u a lly s uf f i c i e ntt o s ho w t ha ta pp e l l a ntu s e d t hep i pea dm i t t e d a s St a t e ’ s E xh i bi t26, and w e over r ul e appel l ant ’ s second and f ourt h poi nt s. In h is f if t h a n d s ix t h p o in t s , a p p e lla n tc o n t e n d s t h a tt h e e v id e n c e is le g a lly and f ac t ual l y i ns uf f i ci entt o pr ovet hatt he pi pe, i n t he m ann erofi t s us e o r i nt end ed us e, w asca pab l e o fca us i ng de at h ors er i ousbodi l y i nj ur y. A “deadl y w eapon ” i s anyt hi ng t hati n t he m annerof i t s use ori nt ended us e i s ca pab l e o fc aus i ng de at h ors er i ousbodi l y i nj ur y. 7 A kbert est i f i ed t hat app el l antst r uckhi m on t he che stan d ba ckw i t h St at e’ s Exhi bi t26, kn ock i ng hi m to th e fl oor . O n t he day of t he of f ense, he r eport ed t o I nvest i gat orRo se h o w a p p e lla n th a d h ith im w it h t h e p ip e . In v e s t ig a t o rR o s e t e s t if ie d t h a t , in h is o p in io n , b a s e d o n h is t r a in in g a n d e x p e r ie n c e , S t a t e ’s E x h ib it2 6 w a s c a p a b le8 ... S e eg en eral lyTu cker v. S tate , 274 S. W . 3d 688 , 692 ( Tex. Cr i m . A pp. 2 0 0 8 ) ( s t a t in g t h a tp o lic e o f f ic e r s m a yb e c o n s id e r e d e x p e rt s in w h a tis c o n s i d e re d to b e a d e a d l yw e a p o n ).

9 ... S eeT e x . P e n a l C o d e A n n . § 1 .0 7 (a )(1 7 )(B ). 10 ... S ee Tu cker, 274 S. W . 3d a t692. 7 ofcausi ng death orser i ous bod i l yinj ur y w hen used i n t he m annerA kberhad d e s c r i b e d t o h i m. 8 V ie w e d in t h e lig h tm o s tf a v o r a b le t o t h e v e r d ic t , t h e e v id e n c e isle g a lly su f f i ci entt o s upporta r at i ona l j ur or ’ s bel i ef bey ond a r ea so nab l e doubtt hatt he p ip e w a s c a p a b le o fc a u s in g d e a t h o rs e r io u s b o d ilyin ju r yin t h e m a n n e rin
w hi ch i tw as used. W e over r ul e poi ntf i ve. I n p o i n t si x , a p p e l l a n t arg u e s th a t t h e ev i d e n c e i s fa c tu a l l yi n su ffi c i e n t t o pr ovet hatt he pi pe w as ca pab l e of ca us i ng dea t h or se r i ous bodi l y i nj ur y i n t he
m anneri n w hi ch i tw as used because A kbersuf f er ed no ser i ous bod i l y i nj ur i es. By de f i ni t i on, a dea dl y w ea pon n ee d notac t ual l y c aus e s er i ousbodi l y i nj ury or deat h i n or dert o suppo rt a deadl y w eapon f i ndi ng; i tneed onl y be c ap a b leof causi ng deat h orser i ous bod i l y i nj ur y i n t he m annerofi t s use. 9A s di scussed above, I nvest i gat or R ose t est i f i ed t hat based on hi s t r ai ni ng a n d ex per i ence, St at e’ s Exhi bi t26 w asca pab l e ofcaus i ng de at h ors er i ousbodi l y i nj ur y i n t he
m ann eri n w hi ch i tw asus ed ori nt end ed t o beus ed. 1011 ... W atso n , 204 S. W . 3d a t417. 12 ... S e eNe a l, 2 5 6 S .W .3 d a t 2 7 5 ; W atso n, 204 S. W . 3d a t414. 8 A f t erex am i ni ng t he ent i r e r ec or d, w e c ann ots ay t hatt he gr ea tw ei ght and pr epo nde r anc e o fal l t he evi den ce , t hough l ega l l y suf f i ci ent , co nt r adi ct s t he j u ry’s v e rdict. 11 Accor di ngl y, w e hol d t hatt he evi den cei s f ac t ual l y s uf f i ci ent t o d e t e r m in e t h a tt h e p ip e u s e d w a s c a p a b le o fc a u s in g d e a t h o rs e r io u s b o d ily i n j u ryi n th e m a n n e r i n w h i c h i t w a s u s e d . T h e re fo re , w e o v e rru l e a p p e l l a n t’s sixth p o i n t. 12 H a v i n g o v e rru l e d a l l o f a p p e l l a n t’s p o in t s , w e a ffir m th e tri a l c o u rt’s j u d g m e n t.

P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: CA YC E, C. J. ; D A U PH I N O T and M EI ER, JJ. DO NO T P UBLI SH Tex. R. A pp. P. 47. 2( b) DEL I VERE D: Aug us t20, 2009