Case Name: Fred Lee WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee
Court: Texas Courts of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1997-08-07
Citations: 960 S.W.2d 758
Docket Number: No. 01-96-00415-CR
Parties: Fred Lee WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
Judges: Before TAFT, MIRABAL and WILSON, JJ.
Reporter: South Western Reporter Second Series
Volume: 960
Pages: 758–762

Head Matter:
Fred Lee WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas, Appellee.
No. 01-96-00415-CR.
Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (1st Dist.).
Aug. 7, 1997.
Peter G. Heckler, Houston, for Appellant.
John B. Holmes, Eric Kugler, Houston, for Appellee.
Before TAFT, MIRABAL and WILSON, JJ.

Opinion:
OPINION
TAFT, Justice.
Appellant, Fred Lee Williams, pled guilty to indecency with a child. The trial court imposed a sentence of five-years confinement, consistent with the State's recommendation. Appellant claims his plea was involuntary and he received ineffective assistance of counsel. We address whether these contentions are properly before us to review, as well as the merits of appellant's involuntary plea claim. We affirm.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
In his second point of error, appellant contends he was denied effective assistance of counsel. Appellant argues trial counsel was ineffective because: (1) he did not recognize appellant at the motion for new trial hearing; (2) he failed to adequately counsel about the probation issues; (3) he met with appellant in a crowded cell preventing privacy; and (4) he failed to interview outside witnesses.
In an appeal from a plea-bargained conviction, a defendant's general notice of appeal confers no jurisdiction on a court of appeals to address nonjurisdictional defects. Lyon v. State, 872 S.W.2d 732, 736 (Tex.Crim.App.1994). Ineffective assistance of counsel is a nonjurisdictional defect. Id. Appellant gave a general notice of appeal. Therefore, we have no jurisdiction to address appellant's ineffective assistance of counsel complaint. We overrule appellant's second point of error.
Voluntariness of Plea
In his first point of error, appellant contends his guilty plea was not voluntary. Appellant contends he did not understand the consequences of pleading guilty. He also argues his plea was rendered involuntary by trial counsel's: (1) lack of specific recollection of appellant's plea; (2) inability to recognize appellant at the hearing on appellant's motion for new trial; and (3) failure to address appellant's probations in other counties.
This Court has previously held that we may address involuntariness of a guilty plea despite a general notice of appeal from a conviction pursuant to a plea bargain. Forcha v. State, 894 S.W.2d 506, 509 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, no pet.). The Court of Criminal Appeals has more recently held voluntariness of the plea may be raised by one who has been sentenced in accord with a plea bargain agreement despite a general notice of appeal. Flowers v. State, 935 S.W.2d 131, 134 (Tex.Crim.App.1996). Therefore, we address appellant's involuntariness contention.
When the record shows the trial court properly admonished the defendant, there is a prima facie showing that the plea was knowing and voluntary. Smith v. State, 857 S.W.2d 71, 73 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1993, pet. ref'd). The burden then shifts to the defendant to show he did not understand the consequences of his plea. Miller v. State, 879 S.W.2d 336, 338 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1994, pet. ref'd). This Court has stated that a defendant's attestation of volun-tariness at the original plea hearing imposes a heavy burden on the defendant to later show a lack of voluntariness. Thornton v. State, 734 S.W.2d 112, 113 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1987, pet. ref'd).
Appellant does not contend the trial court improperly admonished him, and the record shows appellant was properly admonished. The burden then shifts to appellant to show he did not understand the consequences of pleading guilty. All he presented was his own testimony that he did not understand the ramifications, particularly that he would be revoked for his out-of-county probations on the basis of this conviction. As appellant concedes, his trial counsel rebutted each of appellant's allegations so as to create fact issues for the trial court. The trial court obviously resolved those fact issues against appellant. Specifically, trial counsel testified that he counselled with appellant extensively concerning the out-of-county probations.
As for appellant's claims that his plea was involuntary because trial counsel did not recognize appellant or specifically recall appellant's plea proceeding, we see no logical connection between the voluntariness of a plea and trial counsel's memory of it or the accused at a later date. We do note trial counsel secured a plea bargain for appellant in which a second pending charge for felony theft was dismissed.
Accordingly, we hold appellant has not met his heavy burden of demonstrating that his plea of guilty was involuntary. We overrule appellant's first point of error.
Conclusion
We affirm the trial court's judgment.
TAFT, J., also concurring.