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... S ee Te x. R. App
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## CO URT OF A PPEALS SEC OND D I STR I CTOF T E XAS FORT WORTH NO. 2
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- 27 3- CR
W I L L I E CH AR L E S B OYN T ON AP P E L L ANT V
. TH E STA TE O F TEXA S STA TE

----- ----- -- FR O M THE 2 97TH 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 j ur y c onvi ct ed A ppe l l antW i l l i e Char l es Boynt on o f tw o cou nt s of aggr avat ed robb er

y w i t h a deadl y w e apon and assess ed hi s puni shm entat t w ent y years’ conf i nem entfor each coun t . I n a si ngl e poi nt , Bo ynt on ar gues t h a tt h e e v id e n c e is fa c t u a lly in s u f f ic ie n t t o s u p p o r th is c o n v ic t io n . W e w ill a f f i r m.2

A tap proxi m at el y 10: 30 p. m . on Sept em ber 17, 200 6, a m al e e nt ered a con ven i enc e s t ore i n W hi t e Set t l em ent , poi nt ed a g un a tt w o s t ore c l er ks , an d dem anded m oney. The perpet rat or w as bl ack, H i spani c, or bl ack and H i spani c; he st ood a bouts i x fee tt al l , ha d a s m al l , at hl et i c b ui l d, an d w as be t w ee n t he a g e s o f ei g h tee n an d tw e n ty-fi v e ; h e w o re je a n sh o rt s, b l a c k g l o v e s, a w h i te and bl ac k b and ana ove r p a rt o f hi s fac e, an d a bl ac k o r gray hoodi e w i t h t he h o o d o v e r

h is h e a d ; h e c a r r ie d a g re e n b a c k p a c k ; a n d h is g u n w a s w ra p p e d in a b a n d a n a th a t m a tc h e d t h e b a n d a n a p a rti a l l y c o v e ri n g h i s fa c e . T h e s to re cl er ks co m pl i ed w i t h t he per pet rat or ’ s dem and an d ga ve hi m t he st ore’ s m one y, and he l eftt he sto re . O ne of t he cl er ks l at er

i den t i f i ed Boynt on bo t h i n a phot ograph i c s prea d and at t r i al as t he perso n res pons i bl e f or co m m i t t i ng t he agg rava t ed robbe r

y. B o y n t o n a rg u e s t h a tt h e e v id e n c e is fa c t u a lly in s u f f ic ie n t t o s u p p o r th is con vi ct i on be ca us e t here w a s “c onf l i ct i ng a nd i nco ns i st ent ” t es t i m ony regardi ng hi s i denti t y as t he person responsi bl e for com m i t t i ng t he aggr avat ed rob b e ry. W h e n rev i e w i n g the fac tu a l su ffi c i e n c y o f th e e v i d e n c e to su p p o rta con vi ct i on, w e v i ew al l t he evi den ce i n a ne utral l i ght , favo r i ng ne i t her pa r t y. N e 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 ), cer t . deni ed , 129 S
. C t. 1 0 3 7 (2 0 0 9 ); W a tso n v . S tate , 204 S
. W
. 3d 404, 414 (Tex. Cr i m . A pp. 200 6)
. W e t hen as k w het her t he evi den ce s uppor t i ng t he con vi ct i on, al t hough3

le g a lly s u f

f ic ie n t , is n e v e r t h e le s s s o w e a k t h a t t h e fa c t f in d e r ’s d e t e r m in a t io n is c le a r ly w ro n g a n d m a n ife s t ly u nju s to r w h e t h e r c o n f lic t in g e v id e n c e s o g re a t ly o u tw e i g h s th e e v i d e n c e s u p p o rti n g th e c o n v i c ti o n th a t th e fa c tfin d e r’s d e te rm i n a ti o n i s m a n i fe s tl y u n j u s t. L a n c o n v . S tate , 253 S. W
. 3d 699, 704– 0 5 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 8 ); W at so n , 20 4 S
. W
. 3d at 41 4– 15 , 41 7. To reverse unde r t he se con d ground, w e m us tde t er m i ne, w i t h s om e o bj ec t i ve bas i s i n t he rec ord, t hatt he grea t w ei ghtan d prepo nde ranc e o f al l t he evi den ce , t hough l e g a l l y s u fficie n t, c o n tra d i c ts th e v e rd i c t. W at so n , 204 S. W
. 3d a t417. W e m a y n o t s u b s t i t u te o u r j u d g m e n t fo r th e fa c tfin d e r’s . John so n v. S tate , 2 3 S .W .3 d 1 , 1 2 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 0 ); C a i n v . S tate , 958 S. W
. 2d 4 0 4 , 4 0 7 (

T e x . C ri m . A p p . 1 9 9 7 ). U n l e ss the rec o r d clea rl y rev e a l s th a t a di f ferentres ul ti s app ropr i at e, w e m us t def er t o t he j ur

y’ s det er m i nat i on of

t he
w ei ght t o be gi ven con t radi ct or y t es t i m oni al evi den ce bec aus e res ol ut i on of t he confl i ct“oft en t ur ns on an eval uat i on of credi bi l i t y and de m e a nor , and t hose j urors w ere i n at t en d a n c e w hen t he t est i m ony w as del i vered. ” John so n , 23 S
. W
. 3d at 8. Th us, unl ess w e concl ude t hati ti s necessar y t o cor rectm ani fest i nj ust i ce, w e m ustgi ve due deference t o t he fact f i nder ’ s det er m inat i ons, “p ar t i cul ar l y t hos e det er m i nat i ons con ce r ni ng t he w ei ght and credi bi l i t y of t he evi dence. ” Id
. a t 9
. O u r d e fe re n c e i n th i s re g a rd s a fe g u a rd s th e d e fe n d a n t’s ri g h t to a tri a l b y j u ry . La nco n, 253 S. W
. 3d a t704.4

I n a cr i m i nal t r i al , t he St at e m us tprove t hatt he ac cus ed w as t he p e rpe tra to r, an d the ac c u se d sta n d s i n n o c e n t be fo re th e co u rtu n ti l h i s i d e n ti ty i s e s ta b l i s h e d b e y o n d a re a s o n a b l e d o u b t. R i c e v . S tate , 801 S
. W
. 2d 16, 17 (Tex
. A pp. — For tW or t h 1 99 0, pet . ref ’ d)
. I denti t y can be est abl i shed by di rect o r c i rc u m s ta n ti a l e v i d e n c e o r b y i n fe re n c e s . E a rl s v . S tate , 707 S. W
. 2d 82, 85 (T e x . C ri m . A p p . 1 9 8 6 ); R o b e rso n v . S tate , 16 S. W
. 3d 156, 167 (Tex. A p p .— A u s ti n 2 0 0 0 , p e t. re f’d ). T h e e v i d e n c e s h o we d t h a tDa r l e n e Arc h e r wa s o n e o f

t h e c o n v eni ence st ore c l er ks w or ki ng on t he ni ghtof th e robbe r

y. Ar che r

t es t i f i ed t hats he t hou g h t t h e p e r p e t ra t o r l o o k e d l i k e a y o u n g b l a c k ma n wh o wa s a l i t t l e t al l er t han he r

an d proba bl y no t“ ol d eno ugh t o buy bee r . ” She w as ab l e t o obs er ve th e p o rti o n o f h i s fa c e a b o v e th e b a n d a n a : h i s n o s e a re a , h i s e y e s , a n d a p a rt of hi s forehe ad. Ar che r m etw i t h a d e tec t i ve aft er t he robbe r

y a nd v i ew ed a pho t ogr aphi c spread t hatcont ai ned B oynton’ s phot o. Boy nt on’ s phot o w as i ncl ude d i n t he sp rea d be ca us e a det ec t i ve w i t h t he Sagi naw Pol i ce D epa r t m ent had i den t i f i ed Boynt on a s a p os si bl e su sp ec t i n t he ca se . A rche r “ i m m edi at el y” i denti f i ed B oynton as t he pe rson responsi bl e for com m i t t i ng t he aggr avat ed robbe r y. Ar che r

al so i den t i f i ed Boynt on a tt r i al as th e p e rs o n res pons i bl e f or com m i t t i ng t he agg rava t ed robbe r y.5

Jo s hu a Ba yl e t e s t i f i e d t ha t he w or k e d a ta Su bw a y i n Se pt e m be r 2006
. O n S e p te m b e r 1 6 a t a ro u n d 1 0 : 0 0 p .m ., a p p ro x i m a te l y tw e n ty -fo u r h o u rs bef ore t he con ven i enc e s t ore robbe r y, a m an bet w ee n t he age s of ei ght ee n a nd t w ent y- f i ve ent ered t he S ubw ay car r yi ng a green backpack and w ear i ng a gray h o o d i e a nd a w hi t e a nd b l a c k b a nd a na o ve r h i s m ou t h. Th e s t ore ’ s s e c ur i ty ca m e ra s c a p t ured i m age s of t he perso n. The Sagi naw Pol i ce D epa r t m ent request ed a copy of t he footage. Tr i vel l Le w i s t es t i f i ed t hat hi s brot her at t end ed hi gh s cho ol w i t h Boynt on, t h a tB o y n t o n w a s a f r ie n d o f h is fa m ily , a n d t h a t B o y n t o n liv e d w it h h is fa m ily fo r a p e ri o d o f ti m e i n 2 0 0 6 . L e w i s h a d w o r k e d a t t h e s a m e S u b w a y w h e re Bay l e w or ked. O n S ept em ber 14 , 20 06 , Lew i s t ook B oynton t o t he S ubw ay to fi l l o u t a n e m p l o y m e n t a p p l i c a ti o n . Le w i s w a s l a ter ca l l e d to th e S u b w a y to vi ew t he i m age s of t he perso n w ho ent ered t he st ore on Sept em ber 16, an d he concl uded t hatt he person i n t he i m ages resem bl ed Bo ynt on; Lew i s recogn i zed t he hoodi e, he opi ned t hatt he sh or t s w or n by t he perso n us ed t o be hi s, an d he l as ts aw Boynt on w ea r i ng bl ac k, hi gh- t op sh oes s i m i l ar t o t hos e w or n by t he perso n i n t he i m age s. Le w i s t herea ft er ha d a co nve rsa t i on w i t h Boynt on a bout t he si t uat i on atth e S u b w a y . Lew i s t est i f i ed t hathe becam e one hun dred percent sure at t hat poi ntt hatt he person i n t he i m ages w as Boyn t on becau se6

B o y n t o n a s k e d a b o u tt h e b a n d a n a u s e d b y t h e p e rs o n , b u tL e w is h a d n o ts a id anyt hi ng t o B oynton about t he person w ear i ng a band ana. M argaretG arci a w as t he ot her co nve ni enc e s t ore c l er k w or ki ng t he ni ght o f t h e ro b b e r

y . S h e d e s c r ib e d t h e p e r p e t ra t o r a s a b la c k o r b la c k a n d H is p a n ic m a l e w h o h a d a s m a l l , a th l e ti c b u i l d a n d w a s b e tw e e n th e a g e s o f ei g h tee n to t w ent y- f i ve. She o bser ved t he br i dge of hi s nose t o t he m i ddl e of hi s forehead dur i ng t he robbe r

y, b u t s h e w a s una bl e t o i den t i f y t he per pet rat or

w hen s he vi ew ed a p hot ograph i c s prea d. Att r i al , s he w as s how n a n i m age t ak en of t he perso n a t t he Subw ay, and sh e o pi ned t hatt he perso n i n t he i m age w as ni net yni ne perce nti den t i ca l t o t he perso n w ho c om m i t te d t he robbe r y a tt he con ven i enc e s t ore. The St at e q u e s ti one d Garci a i f s he sa w an yone i n t he cou r t room w ho ha d fea t ures s i m i l ar t o t he perso n w ho c om m i t te d t he agg rava t ed robbe r

y a tt he con ven i enc e st ore, an d s he i den t i f i ed Boynt on bec aus e s he rec ogni z ed t he sh ape of hi s eye s and hi s bui l d. D efens e c ouns el at t em pt ed t o c as tdoub ton Boy nt on’ s i den t i t y a s t he person responsi bl e for com m i t t i ng t he robb ery b y s tr essi ng t hatt he pol i ce repor ti denti f i ed t he per pet rat or as a l i ght ski nned bl ack m al e or a H i s p a n ic m al e. D efen s e c o u n s el al so el i ci t ed t est i m ony from a w i t ness w ho ob ser ved t he per pet rat or

r unni ng f rom th e co nve ni enc e s t ore a nd de sc r i bed t he perso n as “ H i sp ani c l ook i ng. ” A rche r , how eve r , t es t i f i ed t hats he nev er de sc r i bed t he7

per pet rat or

as H i sp ani c, an d Garci a c onf i r m ed t hats he had de sc r i bed t he per pet rat or

as bl ack or

bl ack and H i sp ani c, no t H i s p a n i c . The w i t nes s w ho descr i bed t he per pet rat or as “ H i spani c l ooki ng” confi r m ed t hathe had assum ed t h e p e r p e t ra t o r w a s H is p a n ic b e c a u s e h e h a d s e e n a lo t o f o t h e r p e o p le in h is nei ghb or hoo d w ear i ng at t i re si m i l ar t o w hat t he per pet rat or w ore and because of a bi as he har bored as a res ul t of hi s veh i cl e b ei ng v and al i z ed. The det ec t i ve w h o s h o w e d A rc h e r a n d G a rc ia t h e p h o t o g r a p h i c s p re a d t e s t if ie d t h a tin h is exp er i ence as a det ect i ve, w i t nesses can gi ve varyi ng descr i pt i ons of ot her peop l e. D efense counsel al so poi nt ed out t hatA rcher w as h y s te ri cal and upset
w hen t he robbe r

y occ ur red and w hen s he vi ew ed t he phot ograph i c s prea d, but A rche r t es t i f i ed t hats he w as “ a t hous and
- and
- one perce nt su re” t hatBoynt on com m i t t ed t he agg ra v a ted robbe r y, an d t he det ec t i ve opi ned t hathe t hough t A rche r w as a good w i t nes s bec aus e sh e i m m edi at el y rec ogni z ed Boynt on a s t he perso n res pons i bl e f or co m m i t t i ng t he robbe r y. A s t h e ju d g e o f

t h e w e ig h ta n d c re d ib ilit y o f t h e e v id e n c e , t h e ju r y c o u ld hav e g i ven m ore w ei ghtt o t he di rec t and ci rcum st ant i al ev i den ce de m ons t rat i ng t hatBo ynt on com m i t t ed t he robb er y t han i tgave t o any con t radi ct ory evi dence; t he m ere e xi st enc e of con t radi ct or y evi den ce i s noten ough t o s uppor ta f i ndi ng8

o f fa c tu a l i n s u fficie n c y . S e e G o o d m a n v . S tate , 66 S. W
. 3d 283, 287 (T ex. C ri m . A p p . 2 0 0 1 ); John so n , 23 S
. W
. 3d a t8–9, 12. V i ew i ng a l l t he evi den ce i n a ne ut ral l i ght , favo r i ng n e i t her pa r t y, t he e v i d e n c e s u p p o rti n g th e c o n v i c ti o n i s n o t s o w e a k th a t t h e fa c tfin d e r’s det er m i nat i on i s cl ea r l y w ro n g a nd m ani fes t l y unj us tnor doe s t he con f l i ct i ng evi den ce s o grea t l y ou t w ei gh t he evi den ce su ppor t i ng t he con vi ct i on t hatt he fa c tfin d e r’s d e te rm i n a t i o n i s m a n i fe s tl y u nj u s t. See L anc on , 25 3 S
. W
. 3d at 7 0 4 ; W at so n , 2 0 4 S .W .3 d a t 4 1 4
– 1 5 , 4 1 7
. W e h o ld t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e is fac t ua l l y s uf

f i ci entt o s uppor tBoynt on’ s con vi ct i on for bot h c ount s of agg rava t ed robbe r

y w i t h a de adl y w ea pon. W e o ver r ul e Boy nt on’ s so l e p oi nt and aff i r m t he t r i al cour t ’ s j udg m ent s. P E R CU R I AM PA N EL: M EI ER, D A U PH I N O T, an d GA RD N ER, JJ. DO NO T P UBLI SH Tex. R. A pp. P. 47. 2( b) DEL I VERE D: Oct ob e r 1, 2009