1 ... S eeT EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 4. 

## COURT OF APPEALS SECOND DISTRICTOFTEXAS FORT WORTH
NO . 2- 07- 233- CR
M AT T HE W E R I C D E VE R AP P E L L ANT V . TH E STA TE O F TEXA S STA TE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 213TH DI STRI CT CO URT O F TARRA NT CO UN TY

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### M E M ORANDU M OP I NI ON 1

----- ----- -- A p p e l l a n t M a tthe w E ri c D e v e r p l e a d e d g u i l ty to p o ss e ss i o n w i th i n ten t t o d e l i v e r o v e r fo u r g ra m s b u t l e s s th a n 2 0 0 g ra m s o f m e th a m p h e ta m i n e . A j u ry
a ss e ss e d p u n i sh m e n t at fi fty-fi v e y e a rs’ co n fi n e m e n t an d a $ 5 ,0 0 0 fi n e . I n tw o poi nt s, A ppel l ant ar gues t hat hi s gui l t y pl ea w as i nvol untary because t he t r i al
c o u rt fa i l e d to a d m o n i s h h i m re g a rd i n g d e p o rta ti o n a n d b e c a u s e th e tri a l c o u rt d i d n o t ad v i se h i m o f t h e ran g e o f pu n i sh m e n t un ti l afte r he h a d p l e a d e d g u i l ty2

i n f r ontoft he j ur y. The St a te h a s fi l e d a pl ea t o t he j ur i sd i ct i on, ar gui ng t hat

— contr ar y t o t he t r i al cour t ’ s cert i f i cat i on— A ppel l anthas no r i ght t o appeal bec aus e thi s i s a p l ea ba r gai n c as e. W e g r antt he St at e’ s pl ea t o t he ju r is d ic t io n a n d d is m is s t h e a p p e a l. P ro c e d u ra lH i s to ry Th e gr and j ur y or i gi nal l y i ndi ct ed A ppel l ant f or possessi on of a cont r ol l ed
su bs t anc e i n Novem ber2006 , an d i t r ei ndi ct ed hi m f orpos se ss i on w i t h i nt ent t o del i ver on J une 13, 2007 . Athi s ar r ai gnm enthe ar i ng on Jun e 18, 2007 , t he pr os ec ut ors t at ed on t he r ec or d,

I ti s m y und er st andi ng t hat t he D ef ense w i l l w ai ve t hei rt en d a y s, an d th a t t h e D e fen d a n t i n ten d s to p l e a d g u i l ty to the fi rstd e g r e e d e liv e r yc a s e t o t h e ju r ya n d a s kt h e ju r yt o a s s e s s h is pun i shm entand i n exchan ge pr ovi ded t hatt he j ur y r et ur ns a ver di ct t hati s f i nal , t he St at e w i l l notpro s e c u te M r . D eve ri n a ny su bs equ entt r i al s f or t he ot hers eve r al ca se s t hathe ha s pen di ng. A ppel l ant ’ s t r i al counsel t hen exam i ned A ppel l antunderoat h, as f ol l ow s: Q . You k now w e ar e se t t o st art t he t r i al and w e h avea j ur y on t h e i rwa yr i g h tn o w. A . Y e s , sir. Q . I b e l i e v e y o u h a v e 1 1 p e n d i n g fe l o n yc a s e s th a t a re o u t th e re agai nstyou. Ther e m ay b e a 12 t h because one w as a r ei ndi ct m ent . You unde r st and t hat t he ca se w e a r e t al ki ng a bout t hatyou ar e goi ng t o pl ead gui l t y t o i s act ual l y one of t he ol d cases t hatki nd of got a new num ber and t heyad ded t he del i very pa rtof th a t. D o y o u u n d e rstan d tha t?3

A . Y e s , sir. Q . Do you u nde r st and t hat i ncl ude d i n so m e ofyou rof f ens es , you hav e w hatt heyca l l 42. 12, 3( g) of f ens es ? D o you unde r st and th a t? A . Y e s , sir. Q . You al so unde r st and on t hos e t ype of of f ens es , t hatev en f or t he pur pos e o fpa ro l e and good t i m e, you unde r st and t hatt he par ol e e l i gi bi l i t y i s atha l foft hat , w hat eve ryou rs ent enc e i s, an d you do no tge t any good t i m e cr edi t f or any 3( g) of f ens es . D o yo u u n d e rstan d tha t? A . Yes. Q . Y o u h a v e a c o u p le o ft h o s e c a s e s p e n d in g a g a in s ty o u . T h is case t hatw e ar e goi ng t o t r y i s nota 3( g) of f ense. I tact ual l y i s a non 3( g) , w hi ch m eans yourpar ol e el i gi b il ity w oul d onl y be a q u a rt e r t i m e . D o y o u u n d e rstan d tha t? A . Y e s , sir. Q . A nd yo u und er st and w hatI m ean by qu art ert i m e? A . Y e s , sir. Q . That ’ s l ess th a n hal f . Forexam pl e, i fyou had a 60

- year se n ten c e , th a t w o u l d b e co m p u ted at 1 5 y e a rs, r i g h t? A . Y e s , sir. Q . Y ou al so und er st and t hat on a non 3( g) of f ense, t hatyou al so g e t c r e d it f o r g o o d t im e o n y o u r c a s e f o r t h e t im e y o u s p e n d in ja il. D o yo u und er st and t hatt oo? A . Yes. Q . D o you under st and t hati s notpossi bl e on a 3( g) of f ense?4

A . Y e s , sir. Q . K n o w i n g a l l th a t, w e h a v e d i s c u s s e d th i s a n d I w e n t o v e r -- I t h in kI s a w y o u t h r e e t im e s in t h e ja il la s tw e e k ; a n d k n o w in g a ll t hatan d m y di sc us si on w i t h yo u t oda y, you ar e w i l l i ng t o w ai ve th e ten d a y s th a t w e h a v e to p rep a re fo r t h e ca se , p l e a d g u i l ty to j ur y and l ett he j ur y deci de w hatt he pun i shm enti s f ort hi s case? A . Y e s , sir. Q . W i t h t h a t u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a l l t h o s e o t h e r c a s e s , I b e l i eve t he S t at e sai d t hatt hey w oul d do a D M 2 o r di sm i ss t he ot hercases, so i t i s a o n e -ti m e s h o t ri g h t h e re . A s l o n g a s th e j u ry c o m e s b a c k-- and w hatt hey m eant by t hat w as t hey can’ t be a hung j ur y. They h a v e to h a v e a fi n a l v e rdict. I f t h e yd o tha t, tha t’ s i t. W hatt heyco m e b ac k w i t h i s w h a t you l i ve w i t h, an d e v e ryth i n g else i s g o n e . I s th a t ho w y o u u n d e rstan d i t? A . Yes. Q . Know i ng a l l t hat , i s t hatw hatyou w antt o do? A . Y e s . A p p e l l a n t th e n p l e a d e d g u i l tyfo r p u rp o s e s o f th e a rra i g n m e n t. The pa rt i es t hen se l ec t ed a j ur y. I m m edi at el y af t er voi r di r e and out si de t he j ur y’ s pr es enc e, t he t r i al co urtad m oni sh ed A ppe l l anton t he r ec or d. A ppe l l antpe r si st ed i n pl ea di ng gu i l t y, an d t he t r i al cou rtac ce pt ed hi s pl ea . The pun i shm ent - phase evi dence i ncl uded ext ensi ve t est i m ony ab o u t othercr i m es A ppe l l ant had al l ege dl y com m i t t ed. The j ur y a ss es se d pun i sh m entatf i f t y- f i ve yea r s’ con f i nem ent and a $5, 000 f i ne. The t r i al cou rt se nt ence d A ppe l l ant5

accor di ngl y. The t r i al courtcert i f i ed t hat“t hi s cr i m i nal case . . . i s nota pl eabar gai n case, and t he def endan thas t he r i ght t o appeal . ” S ee T EX . R. A PP . P. 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ), (b ). Jur i sd i ct i on The St at e a r gu e s i n i t s pl ea t o t he j ur i sd i ct i on t hatnot w i t hs t and i ng t he t r i al cou rt ’ s ce rt i f i ca t i on, t hi s i s a p l ea ba r gai n c as e a nd Appel l antha s no r i ght t o appeal . W hen a com pl et e r ecor d i s pr esent , an appel l at e courti s obl i gat ed t o e xam i ne t hatr ec or d s o a s t o a sc ert ai n w het hert he t r i al co urt ’ s ce rt i f i ca t i on i sd e fe c ti v e . S e eD e a rs v. S tate , 154 S . W . 3d 610, 614– 15 ( Tex. Cr i m . A pp. 200 5) . A com pl et e r ec or d i s pr es ent i n t hi s ca se ; t hus , w e m us tex am i ne t he ent i r e r ecor d i n l i ght o f c o n t r ol l i ng pr ecedent t o det er m i ne w het hert he t r i al
cour t ’ s cert i f i cat i on i s def ect i ve. The St at e r el i eson Sh a n kle v. S tatef ort he pr opos i t i on t hata def end ant h a s n o ri g h t o f a p p e a l u n d e r a rti c l e 4 4 .0 2 o f th e c o d e o f c ri m i n a l p ro c e d u re
w h e n t h e d e f e n d a n te n t e r s in t o a “ c h a r g e -b a r g a in ,” t h a tis , a p le a b a r g a in

w her e t he def end antag r ee s t o pl ea d gui l t y t o one ch ar ge i n e xch ang e f ort he St a t e ’ s p r om i s e no t t o pr os e c ut e t hed e f e nd a ntf oro t he rc ha r ge s . 119 S. W . 3d 8 0 8 ( T e x . C r i m. Ap p . 2 0 0 3 ) . I n Sh a n kle , t h e C o u rto fC r im in a l A p p e a ls descr i bed t w o basi c ki nds ofpl ea- bar gai ni ng i n t he U ni t ed S t at es: “char ge- bar g a in ing” and “sent ence- bar gai ni ng. ” Id. a t 8 1 3 . In6

“ c h a r g e -b a r g a in in g ,” a d e f e n d a n ta g r e e s t o p le a d g u ilt yt o t h e o f f e n s e f o r m a lly al l ege d or t o so m e l es se r or r el at ed of f ens e and t he St at e a gr ee s t o di sm i ss , or
re fra i n fro m b ri n g i n g , o th e r c h a rg e s . Id. “ Sent enc e- bar gai ni ng” m ay occ ur
w hen t he part i espl ac e b ef or e t he t r i al co urt b i n di ng ornonb i ndi ng
r ec om m end at i ons on se nt enc es , i ncl udi ng a r ec om m end ed “c ap”on s ent enc i ng
a n d /o r a re c o m m e n d a ti o n fo r d e fe rre d a d j u d i c a ti o n c o m m u n i tys u p e rv i s i o n . Id . Th e cour t obser ved t hat both char ge- bar gai ni ng and sent ence- bar gai ni ng ei t her di r ec t l y i nvol ve puni sh m e n t, oratl ea staf f ec tpuni sh m ent , an d not ed, f or
exam pl e, t hatan agr eem entt o d is m i ss a pend i ng char ge ornott o br i ng an avai l abl e char ge ef f ect i vel y putsa cap on pun i shm ent at t he m axi m um sent ence fo r th e c h a rg e n o t d i s m i s s e d . Id . The c ourts etouta hypo t het i ca l ex am pl e o f
c h a r g e -b a r g a in in g t h a tis re m a r k a b lys im ila r t o t h e f a c t s o f t h e in s t a n ta p p e a l:

C har ge- bar gai ns c an af f ec tpuni sh m enti n ot herw ays . Fo r exa m pl e, t w o of fe ns esm ay be w i t hi n t he sa m e r ang e o f p u n is h m e nt , buti fone oft hem i s descr i bed i n C ode of C r i m i nal Pr oce dur e a rt i cl e 42. 12, s ec t i on 3g, an d t he ot heri s not , t he e ffec ts o f se n ten c e s th a t a re i d e n ti c a l o n th e i r fac e s c a n b e q u i te di f f er ent . Sent enc est hatar e d es cr i bed i n t hats ec t i on c ann otbe su sp end ed by t he t r i al cou rt w i t hout t he r ec om m end at i on ofa j ur y, a n d o f f e n d e r s c o n v i c t e d o ft h e m b e c o m e e lig ib le f o rp a r o le o n ly w hen t hei rac t ual ca l end art i m e s erved i n c onf i nem ent equ al s t he l esserofone- hal foft he sent en c e or30 year s, w hi l e ot her of f end er s are e l i gi bl e w hen t hei rac t ual ca l end art i m e s erved pl us goo d cond uct t i m e equal s t he l esserofone- f our t h oft he sent ence or15 year s. Id. at81 3– 1 4 (f o o tn ot es om i t t ed) . The cou rtconcl uded t hatsuch a char ge-2 ... A rt i cl e 44 . 02 pr ovi des as f ol l ow s:

A de f end ant i n any cr i m i nal ac t i on hast he r i ghtofap pea l unde rt he r ul eshe r ei naft erpr es cr i bed , pr ovi ded , how e v e r , be f or e t he def end antw ho ha s bee n c onvi ct ed upon ei t herhi s pl ea ofgui l t y or pl ea ofnol o c ont end er e b ef or e t he cou rtan d t he cou rt , upon t he el ec t i on oft he def end ant , as se ss espuni sh m entan d t he puni sh m ent doe s not exc ee d t he puni sh m entr ec om m end ed by t he pr os ec ut or a n d a g r e e d t o b yt h e d e f e n d a n ta n d h is a t t o r n e ym a yp r o s e c u t e h is appeal , he m ust have per m i ssi on of t he t r i al court , excepton t hose m a tters w h ic h h a v e b e e n rai se d b yw ri tten m o ti o n fi l e d p ri o r t o t r ia l. T EX . C ODE C R IM . P R OC . A NN . a rt. 4 4 .0 2 (V e rn o n S u p p . 2 0 0 7 ).

3 ... Ru l e 25 . 2( a) ( 2) pr ovi des as f ol l ow s: I n a pl ea bar gai n case–t hat i s, a case i n w hi ch a def endan t ’ s pl ea w as gui l t y ornol o contender e and t he pun i shm ent di d not exceed t he puni sh m ent r ec om m end ed by t he pr os ec ut oran d a gr ee d t o by t he def end ant –a de f end antm ay app ea l onl y: ( A ) t hose m at t er s t hat w er e r ai sed by w r i t t en m ot i on f i l ed and r ul ed on be f or e t r i al , or (B ) a f t e rg e t t in g t h e t r ia l c o u rt ’s p e r m is s io n t o a p p e a l. T EX . R. A PP . P . 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ). 7 bar gai n i s a pl ea bar gai n as def i ned b y art i cl e 44 . 02 oft he code of cr i m i nal p ro c e d u re a n d ru l e o f a p p e l l a te p ro c e d u re 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ).

2 Sh a n kle , 119 S. W . 3d 34 ... A l t hough t he cou rt of cr i m i nal ap pea l s obs erved t hati t“ em bodi ed t he

g u ilt y -p le a d in g d e f e n d a n t ’s rig h tt o a p p e a l” u n d e ra rt ic le 4 4 .0 2 in ru le 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ), Sh a n kle , 11 9 S . W . 3d at 81 2, w e note t hat t he def i ni t i on of “pl ea ba r ga i n”i n rule25. 2( a ) ( 2) i s n ott hes a m e a s t hed e f i ni t i on i n a rt i c l e 44. 02. A rt i cl e 44 . 02 l i m i t s “pl ea bar gai n” t o si t uat i ons w her e “ th ec o urt, upon t he el ec t i on oft he def end ant , as se ss espuni sh m entan d t he puni sh m entdoe s not exceed t he pun i shm entr ecom m ended by t he pr osecut or . ” T EX . C ODE C R IM . P R OC . A NN . art . 44 . 02 ( em p hasi s added) . Rul e 25 . 2( a) ( 2) ’ s def i ni t i on of pl ea bar gai n— “a case i n w hi ch a def endan t ’ s pl ea w as gui l t y ornol o contender e and the puni shm ent di d not exc ee d the puni shm ent rec om m ended by the pros ec utor and agree d to bythe def endant ”

— d o e s n o t l i m i t th e te rm to s i tu a ti o n s w h e re th e c o u rt a s s e s s e s p u n i s h m e n t. T EX . R. A PP . P . 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ) (e m p h a s i s a d d e d ). T h u s, rul e 2 5 . 2 (a)( 2 )’ s l i m i tati o n o n a p l e a -ba rga i n i n g d e fen d a n t’ s ri g h t t o a p p e a l en c o m p a ss e s s i tu a ti o n s w h e re, as h e re, a ju ry a ss e ss e s p u n i sh m e n t, w h i l e a rti c l e 4 4 .0 2 l i m i ts a d e fe n d a n t’s ri g h t to a p p e a l o n l y w h e n t h e c o u rt a ss e ss e s p u n i sh m e n t. 8 a t814. Bec aus e t he puni sh m entas se ss ed i n Sh a n kledi d notex ce ed t he

4

m axi m um puni sh m entf ort he nondi sm i ss ed cha r ge t o w hi ch t he def end ant p l e a d e d g u i l tyu n d e r h i s c h a rg e -b a rg a i n a g re e m e n t w i th th e S ta te , th e c o u rt hel d t hathe ha d no r i ghtt o a ppe al unde r art i cl e 44. 02 and r ul e 25. 2( a) ( 2) an d d i s m i s s e d th e a p p e a l fo r l a c ko f j u ri s d i c ti o n . Sh a n kle , 119 S. W . 3d a t814. Fort he sa m e r ea so ns , A ppe l l antha s no r i ghtt o a ppe al i n t hi s ca se . The p le a a g r e e m e n tw a s s t a t e d o n t h e r e c o r d b y t h e p r o s e c u t o r : T h e S t a t e w o u ld
n o t pro se c u te A p p e l l a n t i n h i s o th e r p e n d i n g c a se s i f A p p e l l a n t plea d e d g u i l ty t o t he possessi on w i t h i nt entto d e li verm et ham phetam i ne char ge. N ei t her A ppe l l antnorhi s cou ns el obj ec t ed t o t he p ro s e c u tor ’ s r ec i t at i on oft he
a g re e m e n t, a n d c o u n s e l ’s s u b s e q u e n t e x a m i n a ti o n o f A p p e l l a n t a n d A p p e l l a n t’s9

a n s w e rs to h i s q u e s ti o n s a re w h o l l y c o n s i s te n t w i th th e a g re e m e n t. T h e j u ry
asses sed puni shm entt hatw as l ess t han t he m axi m um f ort he char ge t o w hi ch A p p e l l a n t p l e a d e d g u i l ty . S eeT EX . H EALT H & S A FE TY C ODE A NN . § § 4 8 1 .1 1 2 (a ), (d ) (V e rn o n 2 0 0 3 ); T EX . P EN AL C ODE A NN . § 12 . 32 ( V er non 2 0 0 7 ) (t o get her pr ovi di ng t hatpossessi on w ith in te ntt o del i verm or e t han f ourbutl ess t han 200 g ra m s ofm et ham phe t am i ne i s a f i r st - deg r ee f el ony puni sh abl e b y a
s e n te n c e o f i m p ri s o n m e n t o f u p to n i n e ty -n i n e y e a rs o r l i fe a n d a $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 fi n e ). Beca us e Appel l an tpl ea ded gui l t y a nd “ t he puni sh m entdi d notex ce ed t he p u n i s h m e n t re c o m m e n d e d b yth e p ro s e c u to r a n d a g re e d to b y th e d e fe n d a n t,”

w e h o l d th a t A p p e l l a n t h a s n o ri g h t o f a p p e a l u n d e r ru l e 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ). S ee T EX . R. A PP . P . 2 5 .2 (a )(2 ); Sh a n kle , 119 S. W . 3d a t814. B e c a u s e A p p e lla n th a s n o rig h to f a p p e a l, w e h a v e n o ju r is d ic t io n o v e rh is
c o m p l a i n t th a t th e tri a l c o u rt fa i l e d to p ro p e rl ya d m o n i s h h i m . S e eSh a n kle , 119 S. W . 3d at814. W e t her ef or e g r antt he St at e’ s pl ea t o t he j ur i sd i ct i on a nd d i s m i s s th e a p p e a l . S e eid .; T EX . R. A PP . P . 4 2 .3 (a ). P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: GA RD N ER, LI V I N G STO N , an d DA U PH I N O T, JJ. DO NO T P UBLI SH T EX . R. A PP . P. 47. 2( b) DEL I VERE D: Aug us t7, 2008