Court Opinion

ID: 9396989
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-24 06:08:37.351076+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:19:20.681119
License: Public Domain

AFFIRMED and Opinion Filed May 16, 2023

                                               In The
                                 Court of Appeals
                          Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                                      No. 05-21-00565-CR
                                      No. 05-21-00566-CR

                             HENRY LEE CAREY, Appellant
                                        V.
                            THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

                 On Appeal from the Criminal District Court No. 1
                               Dallas County, Texas
                Trial Court Cause Nos. F-1910416-H & F-1955133-H

                            MEMORANDUM OPINION
                    Before Justices Reichek, Goldstein, and Kennedy1
                              Opinion by Justice Goldstein
       Appellant Henry Lee Carey appeals the trial court’s judgments adjudicating

guilt for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN.

§ 29.03. In his sole issue, appellant contends that the trial court erred by failing to

hold a separate hearing on punishment. We affirm in this memorandum opinion.

TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).

   1
     The Honorable Justice David J. Schenck was originally a member of this panel. The Honorable Justice
Kennedy succeeded Justice Schenck when his term expired on December 31, 2022. Justice Kennedy has
reviewed the briefs and the record.
        In Cause No. F-1910416-H, appellant was indicted for aggravated robbery

with a deadly weapon alleged to have occurred in May 2019. In Cause No. F-19-

55133-H, appellant was indicted for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon

alleged to have occurred in September 2019. Pursuant to a plea-bargain agreement

with the State, appellant made an open plea of guilty to both charges. In each case,

the trial court entered an order of deferred adjudication community supervision for

ten years. In April 2021, the State filed motions to revoke in each cause, alleging

that appellant had violated the terms of his community supervision. At a hearing on

June 7, 2021, appellant pleaded true to the allegations in the State’s motion. The trial

court heard evidence regarding the alleged violations. After the parties rested and

closed the evidence, the trial court found the allegations true and sentenced appellant

to fifteen years’ confinement in each cause, with the sentences to run concurrently.

        In his sole issue, appellant complains that the trial court erred by failing to

conduct a separate hearing on punishment. The State argues that this issue was not

preserved for appeal.2 We agree with the State. A criminal defendant whose guilt

has been adjudicated has a right to a separate punishment hearing. See TEX. CODE

CRIM. PROC. ANN. art. 42A.110(a); Issa v. State, 826 S.W.2d 159, 161 (Tex. Crim.

    2
      The State alternatively argues that even if error had been preserved, appellant was not entitled to a
separate punishment hearing because he presented mitigation evidence during the June 7, 2021 hearing. See
Duhart v. State, 668 S.W.2d 384, 387 (Tex. Crim. App. 1984) (“Fairness would dictate that a defendant be
accorded an opportunity to offer appropriate evidence in mitigation of punishment after the revocation of
“probation” and the adjudication of guilt and before the assessment of punishment if such evidence has not
already been elicited during the proceedings, particularly if the defendant requests the opportunity.”
(emphasis added)). Given our disposition of this case on error-preservation grounds, we need not address
this alternative argument. See TEX. R. APP. P. 47.1.
                                                   –2–
App. 1992) (“[W]hen a trial court finds that an accused has committed a violation as

alleged by the State and adjudicates a previously deferred finding of guilt, the court

must then conduct a second phase to determine punishment.”). However, the

entitlement to a separate punishment hearing “is a statutory right which can be

waived.” Vidaurri v. State, 49 S.W.3d 880, 886 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001). In order to

preserve the issue for appeal, the defendant must request a separate punishment

hearing, object to the trial court’s failure to hold a separate punishment hearing, or,

if the defendant had no opportunity to object, file a motion for new trial. See id. at

885–86 (citing TEX. R. APP. P. 21.2 & 33.1).

      Here, appellant neither objected to the trial court’s failure to hold a separate

punishment hearing nor filed a motion for new trial after his guilt was adjudicated.

We therefore conclude appellant failed to preserve this issue for appeal.

      We overrule appellant’s sole issue and affirm the trial court’s judgments.

                                            /Bonnie Lee Goldstein//
210565f.u05                                 BONNIE LEE GOLDSTEIN
210566f.u05                                 JUSTICE
Do Not Publish
Tex. R. App. P. 47.2(b)

                                         –3–
                            Court of Appeals
                     Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                                 JUDGMENT

HENRY LEE CAREY, Appellant                   On Appeal from the Criminal District
                                             Court No. 1, Dallas County, Texas
No. 05-21-00565-CR          V.               Trial Court Cause No. F-1955133-H.
                                             Opinion delivered by Justice
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee                 Goldstein. Justices Reichek and
                                             Kennedy participating.

    Based on the Court’s opinion of this date, the judgment of the trial court is
AFFIRMED.

Judgment entered this 16th day of May, 2023.

                                       –4–
                            Court of Appeals
                     Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
                                 JUDGMENT

HENRY LEE CAREY, Appellant                   On Appeal from the Criminal District
                                             Court No. 1, Dallas County, Texas
No. 05-21-00566-CR          V.               Trial Court Cause No. F-1910416-H.
                                             Opinion delivered by Justice
THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee                 Goldstein. Justices Reichek and
                                             Kennedy participating.

    Based on the Court’s opinion of this date, the judgment of the trial court is
AFFIRMED.

Judgment entered this 16th day of May, 2023.

                                       –5–