Court Opinion

ID: 4451311
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2019-10-30 06:09:54.785488+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:36.340012
License: Public Domain

Opinion issued October 29, 2019.

                                     In The

                              Court of Appeals
                                     For The

                          First District of Texas
                            ————————————
                              NO. 01-18-00796-CR
                           ———————————
                        RAYMOND LYNCH, Appellant
                                        V.
                      THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

                   On Appeal from the 351st District Court
                           Harris County, Texas
                       Trial Court Case No. 1528664

                         MEMORANDUM OPINION

      Appellant, Raymond Lynch, pleaded guilty to the felony offense of

aggravated robbery, using and exhibiting a firearm. TEX. PENAL CODE § 29.03(a),

(b). Appellant signed an acknowledgement that the punishment range was “a term

of life or any term of not more than 99 years or less than 5 years” in prison and a
possible fine up to $10,000. He also acknowledged in writing that he was mentally

competent and understood the nature of the charge against him. He was sentenced

to 20 years’ confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Appellant

timely filed a notice of appeal.

      Appellant’s appointed counsel on appeal has filed a motion to withdraw,

along with a brief stating that the record presents no reversible error and the appeal

is without merit and is frivolous. See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).

Counsel’s brief meets the Anders requirements by presenting a professional

evaluation of the record and supplying us with references to the record and legal

authority. Id. at 744; see also High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807, 812 (Tex. Crim.

App. 1978). Counsel indicates that she has thoroughly reviewed the record and is

unable to advance any grounds of error that warrant reversal. See Anders, 386 U.S.

at 744; Mitchell v. State, 193 S.W.3d 153, 155 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.]

2006, no pet.). In his pro se response, appellant contends that the trial court’s

disregard of his Motion to Dismiss Court Appointed Attorney and Appoint New

Counsel was an abuse of discretion.

      We have independently reviewed the entire record in this appeal, and we

conclude that no reversible error exists in the record, there are no arguable grounds

for review, and the appeal is frivolous. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744 (emphasizing

that reviewing court—and not counsel—determines, after full examination of

                                          2
proceedings, whether appeal is wholly frivolous); Garner v. State, 300 S.W.3d
763, 767 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009) (reviewing court must determine whether

arguable grounds for review exist); Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W.3d 824, 826–27

(Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (same); Mitchell, 193 S.W.3d at 155 (reviewing court

determines whether arguable grounds exist by reviewing entire record). We note

that an appellant may challenge a holding that there are no arguable grounds for

appeal by filing a petition for discretionary review in the Texas Court of Criminal

Appeals. See Bledsoe, 178 S.W.3d at 827 & n.6.

      We affirm the judgment of the trial court and grant counsel’s motion to

withdraw.1 Attorneys Alexander Bunin and Melissa Martin must immediately

send appellant the required notice and file a copy of the notice with the Clerk of

this Court. See TEX. R. APP. P. 6.5(c). We dismiss any pending motions as moot.

                                   PER CURIAM
Panel consists of Justices Kelly, Hightower, and Countiss.

Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).

1
      Appointed counsel still has a duty to inform appellant of the result of this appeal
      and that he may, on his own, pursue discretionary review in the Texas Court of
      Criminal Appeals. See Ex Parte Wilson, 956 S.W.2d 25, 27 (Tex. Crim. App.
      1997).
                                           3