### TEXA S C OU R T OF A PPEAL S, THIR D DIST R ICT , AT AU STIN

NO. 03-0 8 -00 522 -CR

Ca r lt on M c Ewen , A ppe lla nt

v. The State of Texas, App ellee

F ROM THE DISTRICT CO URT OF TRAVIS COUNTY , 403RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT NO. D-1- DC-08 -90 4053 , HO NORAB LE B RENDA KENNEDY , JUDGE PRESIDI NG

M E M O R

A N D U M O P I N I O N A j ur y c on vic te d a

pp e lla nt Carl ton Mc Ew e n of fo ur c ounts of ind e c e nc y

wi th a c hil d by contac t and one count of indece ncy with a child by

exposure. See Tex. P enal Code A nn. § 21.11 (West 2003). The indece ncy with a child by

contac t offense s were enhanc ed by a prior c onviction for that of

fense . The district co u rt as s es s ed punishment at life imprisonment for e ach c ount of ind e c e nc y wi th a c hil d b y c on ta c t and

tw e nty y e ars ’ i mpr iso nme nt f

or the c ount o f i nd e c e nc y

wi th a child by exposure. Th e jur y he ard e vid e nc e t

h a t, at th e tim e of

the a lle g e d a

bu se , M c Ew e n w a s th e liv e -i n bo y fr ie nd of the vic tim ’s g ra

ndmot he r. Th e vic tim , w ho wa s tw e lve y e ars old a t th e tim e of

tria l, te sti fi e d tha t, wh e n she wa s fiv e or six or sev e n y e ars old , McE we n touc he d an d rub be d h e r p ri vate pa rt s, e xpos ed hi ms elf to he r, and ma de he r t ou c h h is p ri vate pa rt s. Ac c or din g to t

he vic tim , th is ha pp e ne d o n m ore than

on e oc c a sio n, a lth ou g h s he c ou ld n ot r e me mbe r h owmany tim e s it2

had happe ned. The jury

also hear d evidenc e that the vi ctim repor ted t he abuse to her teache r, who notified the vi ctim’s fathe r, who in turn called the police. The father testified at trial, althoug h the te a c he r d id n ot.

De te c tiv e Chr is V e tr ano of the Au sti n Po lic e Depart ment , th e le a d inve sti g a tor in the c a se , te sti fi e d a

bo ut t he inv e sti g a tio n. He e xpla ine d tha t he c a lle d M c Ew e n a nd ta lke d to him on the p h o n e about the alleg ations. A rec ording of that conve rsation was a dmitted into evidence. Th e State ’s fi na l w itn e ss w a s th e vic tim ’s g ra ndmo th er, w ho te sti fi e d a bo ut h e r r e la tio ns hip wi th McEwe n. The only witness to testify for the defe nse wa s McEwe n’s cur rent wife , who claimed that McEwe n suffe red f

rom ere ctile dy sfunction. McEwe n’s cour

t-appointed at t orney

has filed a

motion to wit hdrawsupported by

a br ie f c on c lud ingthat th e a pp e a l is fr ivo lou s and wi tho ut me ri t. Th e br ie f m e e ts the re qu ir e me nts of An de rs v . Ca lif

or nia , 386 U.S. 738 (1967), by prese nting a

profe ssional evaluation of the rec ord demonstrating why there are no arguable gr ounds to be advance d. Se e als o P e ns on v . O hio , 4 88 U. S. 75 (1 98 8) ; Hi

gh v . S tat e , 573 S.W. 2d 80 7 ( Te x. Cr im. Ap p. 19 78 ); Cur riev . S tat e , 516 S.W .2d 684 (T e x. Cr im. Ap p. 19 74 ); J ac k so n v . S tat e , 4 85 S.W. 2d

55 3 ( Te x. Cr im. Ap p. 19 72 ); Gainous v. Sta te , 436 S.W .2d 137 (Tex. Crim. App. 1969). McEwe n rec eived a copy of counse l’s brief a

nd has submitt ed a w ritten response objecting to counsel’s motion to withdraw a nd asser ting r easons why he do e s n ot b e lie ve the a

pp e a l is fr ivo lou s. We h a v e r e v ie w e d th e r e c o r d , c o u n s e l’ s b r ie f , an d M c E w e n ’ s w r itte n r e s p o n s e . We ag ree with counsel that the appeal i s frivolous and without merit. We find nothing in the r ecor d that might arg uably support the appeal. Se e Bl e ds oe v . S tat e , 178 S.W .3d 824, 826-27 (Te x . Crim. App.3

20 05 ) ( ho ldi ng that it is c on sti tut ion a l e rr or fo r a pp e llate c ourt

to a dd re ss n on -m e ri tor iou s argume nts raised in pr o se re sponse to An de rs brief) . Counsel’s motion to wit hdrawis gr anted.

The judg ment of convic tion is affirmed.

__________________________________________ Bob Pembe rton, J ustice Be fore J ustices Patterson, Pury ear and Pember

ton Affir med Filed: August 26, 2009 Do No t Pu

bli sh