Court Opinion

ID: 9760397
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:52:08.107185+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:11.664448
License: Public Domain

APPENDIX 1
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 *Page 863  APPENDIX 2
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 *Page 864  APPENDIX 3 THE COURT: CAUSE NO. 53700 AND 53701, THE STATE OF TEXAS VERSUS DARREN LEE MAYFIELD. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THE DEFENDANT IS PRESENT, ALONG WITH HIS ATTORNEY, MR. BONHAM. THE STATE IS REPRESENTED BY MR. MIDDLETON.
 WILL HE WAIVE THE FORMAL READING OF THE INDICTMENT?
 MR. BONHAM: HE WILL, YOUR HONOR.
 THE COURT: MR. MAYFIELD, IN CAUSE NO. 53701 THE STATE OF TEXAS ELECTED TO PROCEED ON THE LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSE OF THIS INDICTMENT. THEREFORE, YOU'RE CHARGED WITH THE OFFENSE OF MURDER. THE OFFENSE DATE IS AUGUST 22ND, 1989, IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, THE MURDER BEING COMMITTED WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. DO YOU PLEAD GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY?
 THE DEFENDANT: GUILTY.
 THE COURT: YOUR CORRECT NAME IS DARREN LEE MAYFIELD?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: IN CAUSE NO. 53700 THE STATE OF TEXAS ELECTED TO PROCEED ON THE LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSE OF THIS INDICTMENT. THEREFORE, YOU'RE CHARGED WITH THE OFFENSE OF MURDER, AGAIN USING
 BEAUMONT COURT REPORTERS *Page 865  AND EXHIBITING A DEADLY WEAPON. THE OFFENSE DATE IS AUGUST 22ND, 1989, IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. DO YOU PLEAD GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY?
 THE DEFENDANT: GUILTY.
 THE COURT: MR. MAYFIELD, UNDER OUR LAW, EACH OF THESE OFFENSES ARE CLASSIFIED AS FIRST DEGREE FELONIES, WHICH MEANS THAT THE POSSIBLE PUNISHMENT YOU CAN RECEIVE IN EACH CASE IS FROM FIVE YEARS TO 99 YEARS OR LIFE IN THE PENITENTIARY AND, IN ADDITION, A FINE OF UP TO $10,000. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE PUNISHMENT RANGE?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: SPEAK UP SO I CAN HEAR YOU, NOW.
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: NOW, YOUR ATTORNEY, ALONG WITH THE STATE, IS GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IN EACH OF THESE CASES REGARDING PUNISHMENT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I'M NOT BOUND BY ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MAKE?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: IF I REJECT THESE PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENTS, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO WITHDRAW YOUR PLEA, AND IF YOU WITHDRAW YOUR PLEA, ANYTHING THAT'S DONE TODAY CANNOT BE USED AGAINST
 BEAUMONT COURT REPORTERS *Page 866  YOU AT A LATER TRIAL. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: ON THE OTHER HAND, IF I FOLLOW EACH OF THESE PLEA BARGAIN AGREEMENTS, YOU CANNOT APPEAL EITHER ONE OF THESE CASES WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: IN CAUSE NO. 53701 THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT I MAKE AN AFFIRMATIVE FINDING THAT A DEADLY WEAPON WAS USED AND ASSESS YOUR PUNISHMENT AT CONFINEMENT IN THE PENITENTIARY FOR A TERM OF 99 YEARS. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: IN CAUSE NO. 53700 THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT I MAKE AN AFFIRMATIVE FINDING THAT A DEADLY WEAPON WAS USED AND ASSESS YOUR PUNISHMENT AT CONFINEMENT IN THE PENITENTIARY FOR LIFE AND THEN STACK THE LIFE ON TOP OF THE 99 YEARS. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: ANY EVIDENCE THAT HE'S INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL?
 MR. BONHAM: THERE IS NOT, YOUR HONOR. WITH THAT REGARD, I WOULD TENDER INTO EVIDENCE
 BEAUMONT COURT REPORTERS *Page 867  DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NO. 1, WHICH IS A PSYCHIATRIC REPORT PREPARED BY DR. EDWARD GRIPON. IT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY TENDERED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS PRIOR TO THIS TIME.
 MR. MIDDLETON: NO OBJECTION.
 THE COURT: THERE BEING NO OBJECTION, DEFENDANT'S 1 IS ADMITTED. ANY OTHER EVIDENCE THAT HE'S INCOMPETENT?
 MR. BONHAM: NOT ON THAT ISSUE, YOUR HONOR.
 THE COURT: MR. MAYFIELD, IN EACH OF THESE CASES ARE YOU PLEADING GUILTY FREELY, VOLUNTARILY, AND BECAUSE YOU ARE, IN FACT, GUILTY?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: ALSO, BY PLEADING GUILTY, IF YOU'RE NOT A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY, YOU RUN THE RISK OF BEING DEPORTED OR EITHER EXCLUDED ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES OR DENIED NATURALIZATION. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: THE STATE HAS TENDERED NO. 1 IN EACH CAUSE NUMBER.
 MR. BONHAM: NO OBJECTION.
 THE COURT: STATE'S NO. 1 IN EACH CAUSE NUMBER IS ADMITTED.
 BEAUMONT COURT REPORTERS *Page 868  MR. MAYFIELD, STATE'S EXHIBIT NO. 1 IN EACH OF THESE CASES CONTAINS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A JUDICIAL CONFESSION. BY MAKING THIS JUDICIAL CONFESSION, THAT ALONE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE COURT TO FIND YOU GUILTY WITHOUT ANY OTHER EVIDENCE OR TESTIMONY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: DO YOU UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'VE SIGNED HERE TODAY?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: HAVE YOU READ EACH ONE OF THESE INDICTMENTS, AND HAS YOUR ATTORNEY EXPLAINED THEM TO YOU?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: IS EVERYTHING THAT'S IN EACH OF THESE INDICTMENTS — THAT'S THE LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSE OF MURDER INVOLVING A DEADLY WEAPON — IS ALL THAT TRUE AND CORRECT?
 THE DEFENDANT: YES, SIR.
 THE COURT: THE COURT WILL ACCEPT THE JUDICIAL CONFESSION AND ACCEPT THE DEFENDANT'S PLEA.
 ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE RECORD?
 MR. MIDDLETON: NO, YOUR HONOR.
 THE COURT: EACH OF THESE CASES WILL BE
 BEAUMONT COURT REPORTERS *Page 869  RESET FOR A PSI REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 26TH.
 ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL YOU WANT TO ASK ME, MR. MAYFIELD?
 THE DEFENDANT: NO, SIR.
 THE COURT: ALL RIGHT. WE'LL SEE YOU BACK ON FEBRUARY 26TH, AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF I'M GOING TO GO ALONG WITH THE PLEA BARGAIN. GO WITH THE DEPUTY.
 (WHEREUPON THE PLEAS WERE CONCLUDED.) BEAUMONT COURT REPORTERS *Page 870  APPENDIX 4
On February 26, 1990, the aforestyled and numbered causes of action, 53,700 and 53,701, State of Texas vs. Darron Mayfield, came on for hearing before the Honorable Leonard J. Giblin, Jr., Judge, 252nd Criminal District Court of Jefferson County, Texas, in connection with sentencing of the defendant.
The State appeared by and through Mr. Jim Middleton and Mr. Paul McWilliams, Assistant District Attorney, Beaumont, Texas.
The Defendant appeared in person and by and through Mr. David Bonham, Attorney at Law, Nederland, Texas.
All parties being present before the Court, the following proceedings were had:
THE COURT: Cause Nos. 53,700 and 53,701, State of Texas vs. Darron Mayfield.
Let the record reflect in Cause Nos. 53,700 and 53,701, the Defendant is present along with his attorney, Mr. Bonham.
The Court previously accepted the defendant's plea in each of these cause numbers and ordered a PSI report. The Court having reviewed that report is going to reject the plea bargain agreement in each of these cases.
Mr. Mayfield, I have rejected the plea bargain agreement in each of these cases. The law provides you have a right at this time to withdraw your plea. Do you wish to withdraw your plea at this time?
MR. BONHAM: The defendant stands mute, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Let the record reflect that the defendant has refused to withdraw his plea. The case will be reset for a 28.01 hearing for March 26.
MR. BONHAM: Your Honor, for the point of the record, the Court has indicated that the defendant refuses to withdraw his plea. And I reiterate for the record, the defendant does not respond to the Court's inquiry. If the Court wishes to make a judicial finding or withdraw his plea for him, then of course, that would be the judgment of the Court.
THE COURT: I don't think I can withdraw it for him. I think he is the only one that can do it.
MR. BONHAM: He is not withdrawing his plea, nor is he urging his plea at this time.
THE COURT: All right. I will make the record so indicate.
Thirty days will give you some time to file some motions and stuff.
MR. BONHAM: Yes, sir.
THE COURT: I am not sure when the trial date would be. We already have a case set in the fall, a capital murder. After we have our pretrial hearings we will look at our calendars and see if we can come up with some dates.
Mr. Mayfield, we will have you back before the Court on March 26th for the pretrial hearing and we will pick a trial date at that time.
 (Hearing Concluded)