Court Opinion

ID: 4069543
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-09-30 00:39:27.699995+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:53:01.408150
License: Public Domain

ACCEPTED
                                                                  03-14-00138-CR
                                                                          5970248
                                                       THIRD COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                  AUSTIN, TEXAS
                                                              7/7/2015 5:29:31 PM
                                                                JEFFREY D. KYLE
                                                                           CLERK
        NO. 03-14-00138-CR

               IN THE                            FILED IN
                                          3rd COURT OF APPEALS
                                              AUSTIN, TEXAS
        COURT OF APPEALS                  7/7/2015 5:29:31 PM
                                            JEFFREY D. KYLE
                                                  Clerk
               OF THE

THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS
          --------------------

   LARRY DEWAYNE GARRETT
                   Appellant
            vs.

         STATE OF TEXAS,
                                Appellee
           --------------------
  Appeal from Cause No. 2C1307176
  Bell County Court-at-Law No. Two
           --------------------
       BRIEF FOR THE STATE
           --------------------
                                       JAMES NICHOLS
                                BELL COUNTY ATTORNEY

                                              Stephen Morris
                                     Assist. County Attorney
                                                P.O. Box 1127
                                         Belton, Texas 76513
                                          Tel: (254) 933-5135
                                         Fax: (254) 933-5150
                                              SBN: 14501700

   ATTORNEYS FOR THE STATE

     [Oral argument not requested]
                               NO. 03-14-00138-CR

                                      IN THE

                              COURT OF APPEALS

                                      OF THE

                   THIRD JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF TEXAS
                             --------------------

                        LARRY DEWAYNE GARRETT,
                                Appellant
                                  vs.

                              STATE OF TEXAS,
                                    Appellee
                                --------------------
                       Appeal from Cause No. 2C1307176
                       Bell County Court-at-Law No. Two
                                --------------------

                            BRIEF FOR THE STATE

                                  --------------------

    TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEALS:

      Comes now the STATE OF TEXAS, Respondent, hereinafter referred to as the

state, and submits this brief, pursuant to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure,

requesting that the relief prayed for by Appellant be in all things denied.

                                           ii
ORAL ARGUMENT IS WAIVED

          iii
                         IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

Appellant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . Larry Dewayne Garrett

Appellant’s Appellate Counsel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Dale Barina
                                                                                   Attorney at Law
                                    455 East Central Texas Expressway , Suite #104
                                                              Harker Heights, Texas 76548
                                                                                (254) 699-3755

Trial Counsel for the State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark Currier
                                                                      Assistant Bell County Attorney
                                                                                                  P.O. Box 1127
                                                                                        Belton, Texas 76513

Appellate Counsel for the State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen Morris
                                                                 Assistant Bell County Attorney
                                                                                            P.O. Box 1127
                                                                                   Belton, Texas 76513

Trial Judge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hon. John Mischtian
                                                          Judge, Bell County Court-at-Law No. Two
                                                                                          P.O. Box 485
                                                                                Bell County Justice Complex
                                                                                           1201Huey
                                                                                     Belton, Texas 76513-0781

                                                      iv
                                           TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                                                                         Page

State’s request that the relief prayed
for by appellant be in all things denied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii

Waiver of Oral Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....iii

Identity of Parties and Counsel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. iv

Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...v

Index of Authorities.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

APPELLANT’S ISSUE NUMBER ONE. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Argument and Authorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Certificate of Service.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Certificate of Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

                                                               v
                                    INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

STATE CASES                                                                                                 Page

Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157, 171 (Tex. Crim. App. 1984). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Barrios v. State, 283 S.W.3d 348, 350 (Tex. Crim App. 2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Barshaw v. State, 342 S.W.3d 91, 93-94 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Martin v. State, 335 S.W.3d 867 (Tex. App. Austin 2011). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Motilla v. State, 78 S.W.2d 352, 353-54 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Ngo v. State, 175 S.W.3d 738, 743 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Price v. State, 457 S.W.3d 437, 440 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Reeves v. State, 420 S.W.3d 812, 816 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Sakil v. State, 287 S.W.3d 23 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Taylor v. State, 332 S.W.3d 483 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Warner v. State, 245 S.W.3d 458 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

STATUTES

Tex. Code Crim. Pro. Art.17.292 and Chapter 7A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .1

Tex. Code Crim. Pro. Chap. 7 A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,2

Tex. Fam. Code Chap. 85 and Sec. 6.504 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Tex. Fam. Code Chap. 88. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Tex. R. App. Proc . 44.2(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .4

                                                        vi
                                 POINT OF ERROR

The Evidence Was Insufficient To Support Appellant’s Conviction Because The
State Failed To Establish Under What Statute The Protective Order Appellant
Violated Was Issued.

       ARGUMENT AND AUTHORITIES AS TO POINT OF ERROR

       The trial testimony of defendant’s wife, Marina Garrett, established that she

had obtained a protective order from the 264th Judicial District Court, which ordered

appellant not to go within a thousand feet of her residence. Ms. Garrett identified the

defendant as her ex-husband who was present in the courtroom. During the testimony

of Ms. Garrett, the state introduced into evidence, a certified copy of the protective

order as State’s Exhibit No. 1. ( R.R. Vol. 3, p. 16-17 )

       The amended information that was presented to the jury at trial states among

other things, that appellant did there and then intentionally and knowingly go to and

within a thousand feet of the residence of Marina Garrett at 1308 S. 13th St. Temple,

Bell County, Texas 76504. Such act was in violation of an order issued under

Section 6.504 and Chapter 85 Family Code and under Article 17.292 and Chapter 7A

of the Code of Criminal Procedures and by another Jurisdiction as provided by

Chapter 88, Family Code, in the 264th Judicial District Court. (C.R. Vol.1 p. 8), (C.R.

Vol. 3, p. 5,6).

                                          1
      The court’s charge to the jury recites the following:

             Now, if you find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt
      that on or about the 10th day of September, 2013, in Bell County, Texas,
      the defendant, Larry Garrett, did then and there intentionally or
      knowingly go to or within a thousand feet of the residence of Marina
      Garrett at 1308 S. 13th Street, Bell County, Texas 76504, who was then
      and there a protected individual or a member of the family or household
      of the defendant, and such act was in violation of a court order issued
      under Section 6.504 or Chapter 85 of the Family Code in the 264th
      Judicial District Court, then you will find the defendant guilty of a
      misdemeanor as charged in the information. But, unless you so find
      beyond a reasonable doubt, or you have a reasonable doubt thereof, you
      will find the defendant not guilty.

(C.R. Vol. 1, p. 18)

      At the close of the evidence defense counsel, after reviewing the court’s

proposed charge, announced to the court that the defense had no additions or

corrections to the court’s charge on guilt or innocense. (R.R. Vol. 4, p.66)

      Failure to preserve jury instruction error is not a bar to appellate review. The

degree of harm required for reversal depends on whether the error was preserved in

the trial court. Warner v. State, 245 S.W.3d 458 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). If the error

was not preserved by objection, the error will not result in reversal of the conviction

without a showing of egregious harm. Price v. State, 457 S.W.3d 437, 440 (Tex.

Crim. App. 2015).

      Egregious harm is a “high and difficult standard” to meet, and such a

                                          2
determination must be “borne out by the trial record.” Reeves v. State, 420 S.W.3d3

812, 816 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013). To determine if charge error was egregiously

harmful, the Court of Appeals examines the record as a whole, including the

remainder of the charge, the evidence, including the contested issues and weight of

the probative evidence, and the arguments of counsel. Martin v. State, 335 S.W.3d
867 (Tex. App. Austin 2011); Taylor v. State, 332 S.W.3d 483 (Tex. Crim. App.

2011).

         Because appellant did not raise a timely objection to the jury instructions,

reversal is required only if the error was fundamental in the sense that it was so

egregious and created such harm that the defendant was deprived of a fair and

impartial trial. Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157, 171 (Tex. Crim. App. 1984),

Ngo v. State, 175 S.W.3d 738, 743 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005); See also Barrios v. State,

283 S.W.3d 348, 350 (Tex. Crim App. 2009). If no proper objection was made at

trial the accused must claim that the error was “fundamental.” Sakil v. State, 287
S.W.3d 23 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009).

      “In the harm analysis under Rule 44.2(b), is an appellate court required to

disregard overwhelming evidence of the defendant’s guilt? The answer is No. We

reaffirm our previous holdings that an appellate court can and should consider

overwhelming evidence of guilt in a harm analysis.” Motilla v. State, 78 S.W.3d 352,

                                          3
353-54 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002)

       On appellate review, and pursuant to [TRAP] 44.2(b), a non-constitutional

error must be disregarded it unless it affects the defendant’s substantial rights. This

court will not overturn a criminal conviction for non-constitutional error if the

appellate court, after examining the record as a whole, has fair assurance that the error

did not influence the jury, or influenced the jury only slightly. Barshaw v. State, 342
S.W.3d 91, 93-94 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011)

                                       PRAYER

      The STATE OF TEXAS prays this Honorable Court affirm the findings and

judgment rendered by the trial court and deny all relief sought by Appellant.

                                               Respectfully submitted,

                                               /S/ Stephen Morris
                                               Stephen Morris
                                               Assistant Bell County Attorney
                                               P.O. Box 1127
                                               Belton, Texas 76513
                                               Tel: (254) 933-5135
                                               Fax: (254) 933-5150
                                               SBN: 14501700

                                         ATTORNEY FOR THE STATE

                                           4
                         CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

       I certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Brief for the State was
this date forwarded in the manner required by the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure
to Mr. Bobby Dale Barina, Attorney for Appellant, 455 East Central Texas Expwy
Ste. 104, Harker Heights, Texas 76548

Signed: July 7, 2015
                                                      /S/ Stephen Morris

                                                    Stephen Morris
                                              Assistant County Attorney

    TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEALS:

      Comes now the STATE OF TEXAS, Respondent, hereinafter referred to as the

state, and submits this brief, pursuant to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure,

requesting that the relief prayed for by Appellant be in all things denied.

                       CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

      In accordance with Rule 9.4, Rules of Appellate Procedure, I certify that the

foregoing brief for the State contains 1,494 words.

                                                      /S/ Stephen Morris

                                                      Stephen Morris
                                                      Assistant County Attorney

                                          5
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