Court Opinion

ID: 9954393
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-26 10:18:13.583634+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:12:09.013562
License: Public Domain

TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT, AT AUSTIN

                                    NO. 03-23-00458-CR

                          Antwone Dashawn Goodwyn, Appellant

                                              v.

                                The State of Texas, Appellee

             FROM THE 26TH DISTRICT COURT OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
        NO. 21-2033-K26, THE HONORABLE RICK J. KENNON, JUDGE PRESIDING

                           MEMORANDUM OPINION

              Antwone Dashawn Goodwyn pled guilty in an open plea to the court to the

offense of aggravated kidnapping. See Tex. Penal Code § 20.04(a)(5). Following a hearing on

punishment, the trial court sentenced Goodwyn to eight years’ imprisonment.

              Goodwyn’s court-appointed attorney on appeal has filed a motion to withdraw

supported by a brief contending that the appeal is frivolous and without merit. See Anders v.

California, 386 U.S. 738, 744-45 (1967). Goodwyn’s court-appointed attorney’s brief meets the

requirements of Anders by presenting a professional evaluation of the record and demonstrating

that there are no arguable grounds to be advanced. See 386 U.S. at 744-45; Garner v. State,

300 S.W.3d 763, 766 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009); see also Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75, 81-82

(1988) (explaining that Anders briefs serve purpose of “assisting the court in determining both
that counsel in fact conducted the required detailed review of the case and that the appeal is . . .

frivolous”).

               Goodwyn’s counsel has represented to the Court that he provided copies of the

motion and brief to Goodwyn; advised Goodwyn of his right to examine the appellate record, file

a pro se response, and pursue discretionary review following the resolution of the appeal in this

Court; and provided Goodwyn with a form motion for pro se access to the appellate record. See

Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313, 319-20 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). This Court granted Goodwyn’s

motion for pro se access to the appellate record, and Goodwyn has filed a pro se brief. The State

has declined to file an appellee’s brief.

               We have independently reviewed the record and Goodwyn’s pro se brief and have

found nothing that might arguably support the appeal. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744; Garner,

300 S.W.3d at 766. We agree with counsel that the appeal is frivolous and without merit. We

grant counsel’s motion to withdraw and affirm the trial court’s judgment of conviction.

                                              __________________________________________
                                              Chari L. Kelly, Justice

Before Chief Justice Byrne, Justices Kelly and Theofanis

Affirmed

Filed: March 22, 2024

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