Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 1 No. WR-83,529-02

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS

AMENDED APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS

SEEKING RELIEF FROM TWO FELONY CONVICTIONS

35 th Judicial District Court of Mills County, Texas

Cause Numbers 2787 and 2788

The Honorable Judge Stephen Ellis, Presiding

Ex Parte Helene Marie Williams, Applicant

To the Honorable Court of Criminal Appeals:

This application is filed under Article 11.07 of the Code of Criminal

Procedure, seeking relief from two felony convictions that occurred on the same

day, August 14, 2013, in the same court. Trial counsel informed applicant that she

would be eligible for good conduct time, and she is not, so her plea was

involuntary.

Memorandum of Law in Support of 11.07 Applications

Respectfully submitted,

Landon Northcutt, 166 S. Belknap

Stephenville, Texas 76401

Phone 254-968-2613, fax 254-968-5402

SBN 24014544

Attorney for Applicant-Helene Marie Williams WR-83,529-01

COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Transmitted 7/28/2015 4:56:39 PM

Accepted 7/29/2015 8:19:19 AM

ABEL ACOSTA

CLERKApplication for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 2 Identity of Parties and Counsel

Applicant Helene Marie Williams

Appointed Trial Counsel Larry Meadows

Appellate Counsel Landon Northcutt

Prosecutor Sam C. Moss

Table of Contents

Identity of Parties and Counsel 2

Index of Authorities 3

Statement of the Case 4

Issue Presented 4

Trial Counsel told the Applicant she was eligible for early release on parole when

she is not, and her plea was therefore involuntary.

Statement of Facts 5

Summary of the Argument 6

Argument 7

Prayer for Relief 10

Certificate of Service 10Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 3 Index of Authorities

Statutes:

Texas Government Code

§ 508.145(d) 7

§ 508.145(e) 8

Treatises:

Performance Guidelines for Non-Capital Criminal Defense Representation

Texas Bar Journal, Volume 74, No. 7, pages 616 to 637 8Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 4 Statement of the Case

Applicant pled true on August 14, 2013 to portions of a motion to revoke

probation in Cause No. 2787, a two count indictment charging Indecency with a

Child. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Trial Court sentenced her to eight years in

the Institutional Division-TDCJ.

On the same day, Applicant pled true to portions of a motion to revoke

probation in Cause No. 2788, a one count indictment charging Sexual Assault.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Trial Court sentenced her to eight years in the

Institutional Division-TDCJ.

Also that day, Applicant plead guilty to the offense of possession of a

Controlled Substance-Drug Free Zone, Cause No. 2931, pursuant to a plea

agreement, the Trial Court sentenced her to four years in the Institutional DivisionTDCJ.

Applicant is presently confined in the Murray Unit, 1916 North Highway 36

Bypass, Gatesville, Texas 76596 as inmate # 01878697. Her date of birth is

December 23, 1988, and she is not eligible for good conduct time.Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 5 Issue Presented

Applicant received ineffective assistance of counsel in the revocation

proceeding, in that her court appointed attorney did not property inform her of her

rights and options. Applicant is not parole eligible for her indecency with a child

conviction and her conviction for possession in a drug free zone, so she also

received ineffective assistance of counsel in that plea, so her plea is involuntary.

Statement of Facts

The motions to proceed with an adjudication of guilt, provided that the

Defendant violated various terms of her deferred adjudication probation. See

Appendix A and Appendix B Motions to Proceed with Adjudication of Guilt.

Before Applicant plead true to the motions to proceed, she received incorrect

advice from her court appointed attorney. See Appendix C Affidavit of Helene

Marie Williams. Her affidavit provides:

My court-appointed lawyer on my revocation was Larry Meadows. He came to

see me in county and after our introductions he told me I was looking at 5

years. A short time later my discovery packet was sent to me with my offer of

8 years. I called Mr. Meadows and told him that I would agree to shock

probation, or SAFP, or 2-3 years in prison but not 8 years. He said he wouldApplication for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 6

see what he could do. Next time we talked was on my court date August 14,

2013. He pulled me aside and said the DA stayed at 8 but offered me 4 for my

possession of controlled substance in a drug free zone. He told me I would

come up for parole in 18 months or so and he also promised that I would not

spend more than four years in prison. He said the DA would not come down

anymore so I signed.

My 8 years turned out to be a 3g offense so I have to do at least 4 years on it

to even qualify for parole. It is possible that I will spend anywhere from 5-8

years in prison.

Affidavit of Helene Marie Williams, Appendix D.

The conviction for possession in a drug free zone does not provide for early

parole. See Appendix E, Judgment of Conviction by Court for Possession of a

Controlled Substance-Drug Free Zone.

Summary of the Argument

Court appointed trial counsel did not inform Applicant that she had a right to a

hearing. He told her that the sentence offered in cause No. 2787 would not be a 3g

offense, when it is a 3g offense. He did not tell her that possession in a drug free

zone requires a five year minimum sentence or the actual time served before

eligibility for parole is available. This is ineffective assistance of counsel, andApplication for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 7

Applicant’s convictions should be set aside and new punishment hearings should

be held.

Argument

“An inmate serving a sentence for an offense described by Section

3g(a)(1)(A), (C), (D), (E), (F), (G), (H), (I), (J), (K), (L), or (M), or (N), Article

42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, an offense for which the judgment contains an

affirmative finding under Section 3g(a)(2) of that article, an offense under Section

20A.03, Penal Code, or an offense under Section 71.02 or 71.023, Penal Code, is

not eligible for release on parole until the inmate's actual calendar time served,

without consideration of good conduct time, equals one-half of the sentence or 30

calendar years, whichever is less, but in no event is the inmate eligible for release

on parole in less than two calendar years.” Tx. Govt. Code §508.145(d).

Indecency with a child is an offense for which good conduct time does not

enter into the calculations for parole eligibility. Trial counsel gave the Applicant

unacceptable legal advice, which in turn caused Applicant to accept an erroneous

plea agreement.

“An inmate serving a sentence for which the punishment is increased under

Section 481.134, Health and Safety Code, is not eligible for release on parole until

the inmate's actual calendar time served, without consideration of good conductApplication for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 8

time, equals five years or the term to which the inmate was sentenced, whichever is

less.” Tx. Gov’t. Code §508.145(e).

Possession in a drug free zone is an offense for which good conduct time

does not enter into the calculations for parole eligibility. Trial counsel gave more

unacceptable legal advice.

The State Bar of Texas developed and adopted Performance Guidelines for

Non-Capital Criminal Defense Representation in January of 2011. The Guidelines

were published in the Texas Bar Journal, Volume 74, No. 7, pages 616 to 637, in

the July 2011 issue. “The Guidelines are not disciplinary rules nor are they black

and-white standards for the judicial evaluation of ineffective assistance. They are,

instead, a set of tools to be used by criminal defense lawyers, judges, and county

officials to improve our criminal justice system.” Guidelines at p 617.

The Guidelines provide, in relation to a lawyers duty in plea negations, as

follows: (beginning at page 627):

Guideline 6.2 The Contents of the NegotiationsApplication for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 9

A. In conducting plea negotiations, counsel should attempt to become familiar with

any practices and policies of the particular jurisdiction, judge, and prosecution that

may impact the content and likely results of a negotiated plea agreement.

B. In order to develop an overall negotiation plan, counsel should be fully aware

of, and make the client fully aware of:

1. The minimum and maximum term of imprisonment and fine or restitution that

may be ordered, any mandatory punishment, and the possibility of forfeiture of

assets;

2. The potential for recidivist sentencing, including habitual offender statutes and

sentencing enhancements, and all other applicable sentencing statutes or case law;

the client must comply in order to avoid revocation or adjudication;

3. The effects of good-time or earned-time credits on the sentence of the client, the

period that must be served according to statute before the client becomes eligible

for parole, and the general range of sentences for similar offenses committed by

defendants with similar backgrounds;

.Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 10

Counsel gave Applicant defective advice, and she accepted a plea based on

incorrect advice. The plea was therefore involuntary to possession in a drug-free

zone.

Prayer

Applicant requests that her conviction for indecency with a child and

possession in a drug-free zone be set aside, and that her cases be remanded to the

trial court for re-consideration of the motion to revoke her deferred adjudication

probation and for resentencing on the possession in a drug-free zone.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Landon Northcutt

Landon Northcutt, 166 S. Belknap

Stephenville, Texas 76401

Phone 254-968-2613, fax 254-968-5402

SBN 24014544Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Helene Marie Williams Page 11 Certificate of Service

A copy of this document was delivered to:

Appellant: Helene Marie Williams, TDC # 01878697

Murray Unit, 1916 North Hwy 36 Bypass

Gatesville, Texas 76596

State’s Attorney Sam C. Moss, District Attorney

Brown County DA’s Office

Courthouse

Brownwood, Texas 76801

Dated: July 28, 2015

____ /s/ Landon Northcutt

________ Landon Northcutt