Court Opinion

ID: 9680629
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:35:24.404404+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:29.731760
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON APPELLANT’S MOTION FOR REHEARING
WOODLEY, Judge.
On the day appellant was sentenced he gave notice of appeal and the court appointed counsel to represent him on appeal.
The record before us has not been approved by the trial judge, as required by Art. 40.09(7), Vernon’s Ann.C.C.P. We are unable to ascertain from such record whether or not appellant has been denied a transcription of the reporter’s notes (statement of facts); or whether or not he has been denied the effective aid of counsel by the failure of his court appointed counsel to obtain such transcription, or advise and assist appellant in obtaining same in the manner provided in Art. 40.09(5) C.C.P.
It is not specifically shown in the record whether appellant was unable to pay or give security for a transcription of the reporter’s notes, and the record is silent as to whether an extension of time for filing such a transcription for inclusion in the record was requested.
Contrary to the procedure followed in this Court prior to Henry v. State of Mississippi, 379 U.S. 443, 85 S.Ct. 564, 13 L.Ed.2d 408, and the 1965 Code of Criminal Procedure, we are not bound to confine ourselves to the record sent up from the trial court in passing upon a federal claim such as the denial of a constitutional right.
This appears to be a case where a further hearing should be held in the trial court while the appeal is pending in order that appellant not be denied his constitutional right to the effective aid of counsel on appeal. See Griffin v. People of State of Illinois, 351 U.S. 12, 76 S.Ct. 585, 100 *442L.Ed. 891; Douglas v. People of State of California, 372 U.S. 353, 83 S.Ct. 814, 9 L.Ed.2d 811.
We suspend the final disposition of appellant’s motion for rehearing for 90 days pending the receipt of a record on appeal, approved by the trial court, containing a transcript of the reporter’s notes or a finding of the trial court of facts showing that appellant waived or was not denied his right to such .transcript or to effective aid of counsel in regard thereto.
It is so ordered.