Bien v. State

530 S.W.3d 177
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 3, 2016
DocketNos. 11-14-00057-CR & 11-14-00058-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 530 S.W.3d 177 (Bien v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bien v. State, 530 S.W.3d 177 (Tex. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

OPINION

JIM R. WRIGHT, CHIEF JUSTICE

The jury -convicted Michael Joseph Bien of the offenses of criminal attempt—capital murder (Cause No. CR22319) and criminal solicitation to commit capital murder [180]*180(Cause No. CR22320) and assessed Appellant’s punishment for each offense at confinement for life. See Tex. Penal Code Ann. §§ 15.01, 15.03 (West 2011), § 19.03 (West Supp.2015). The trial court ordered that the sentences were to run concurrently. We affirm the judgment in Cause No. CR22320 and reverse the judgment in Cause No. CR22319.

Appellant presents two identical issues in each appeal. In his first issue, Appellant argues that the trial court erred when it authorized the jury to return multiple verdicts for the same offense. Appellant contends that his convictions violate the Double Jeopardy Clause of the United States Constitution and the Texas constitution. In his second issue, Appellant complains that the evidence is insufficient to support the convictions because the State failed to refute Appellant’s entrapment defense.

Appellant asks this court to decide this appeal under the Texas constitution rather than under the federal constitution. Appellant details the textual differences between the double jeopardy provisions of each constitution, but concedes that the result would be the same under either constitution. Further, we have previously said that the Texas constitution’s double jeopardy clause does not provide broader protection than the federal constitution. In re Morris, No. 11-05-00381-CR, 2006 WL 1431122, at *2 n. 1 (Tex.App.—Eastland May 25, 2006, pet. ref'd) (not designated for publication); Ex parte Beeman, 946 S.W.2d 616, 617 (Tex.App.—Fort Worth 1997, no pet.). Accordingly, our analysis is the same under both constitutions.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the Double Jeopardy Clause provides, in part, that no person shall be “subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.” U.S. Const, amend, V. “The Double Jeopardy Clause protects criminal defendants from three things: 1) a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal; 2) a second prosecution for the same offense after conviction; and 3) multiple punishments for the same offense.” Ex parte Milner, 394 S.W.3d 502, 506 (Tex.Crim.App.2013) (citing Brown v. Ohio, 432 U.S. 161, 165, 97 S.Ct. 2221, 53 L.Ed.2d 187 (1977)).

■ The double jeopardy protections are fundamental in nature. Gonzalez v. State, 8 S.W.3d 640, 643 (Tex.Crim.App.2000). Because they are fundamental in nature, a double jeopardy complaint may be raised for the first time on appeal when (1) the undisputed facts show that a double jeopardy violation is clearly apparent on the face of the record and (2) enforcement of the usual rules of procedural default would serve no legitimate state interests. Id Here, Appellant did not raise a double jeopardy issue either during trial or when he was sentenced. Thus, we must first decide whether Appellant can raise a double jeopardy argument for the first time on appeal or whether that right has been waived. See id

In this case, the record is fully developed. See Saenz v. State, 131 S.W.3d 43, 50 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 2003), aff'd, 166 S.W.3d 270 (Tex.Crim.App.2005). Appellant stood trial for both offenses before the same judge and jury. Therefore, the trial court either knew or should have known of a possible double jeopardy issue. See id. Additionally, we have received the complete record of the trial, and we can resolve Appellant’s jeopardy claims based on the record presented. There is no need for further proceedings to add new evidence to the record. See id Appellant has satisfied the first prong of the Gonzalez test. See Gonzalez, 8 S.W.3d at 643.

[181]*181In regard to the second prong of the Gonzalez test, enforcement of the usual rules of procedural default, in this case, would serve no legitimate state interests. The appropriate remedy for any double jeopardy violation is to affirm the conviction for the “most serious” offense and vacate any other conviction that is in violation of the double jeopardy clause. Ex parte Cavazos, 203 S.W.3d 333, 338-39 (Tex.Crim.App.2006). An effective double jeopardy challenge would not require a retrial or a remand to the trial court; therefore, there are no legitimate state interests that would be negatively impacted if Appellant is allowed to raise his double jeopardy claim for the first time on appeal. See Saenz, 131 S.W.3d at 50. Thus, Appellant has satisfied the second prong of the Gonzalez test, and we will review the merits of the double jeopardy issue. See Gonzalez, 8 S.W.3d at 643.

The first step in a double jeopardy challenge is to determine whether criminal solicitation to commit capital murder and attempted capital murder are the “same offense.” See Bigon v. State, 252 S.W.3d 360, 370 (Tex.Crim.App.2008). When multiple punishments arise out of one trial, we begin our analysis with the Blockburger test. Id.; see Blockburger v. United States, 284 U.S. 299, 52 S.Ct. 180, 76 L.Ed. 306 (1932). “Under the Block-burger test, two offenses are not the same if one requires proof of an element that the other does not.” Bigon, 252 S.W.3d at 370. To resolve a double jeopardy issue, we look at the elements alleged in the charging instrument. Id.

Appellant was charged under two indictments, and each indictment alleged a separate and distinct offense that took place on or about December 7, 2012. The allegations in the indictment for criminal solicitation to commit capital murder are:

• Michael Joseph Bien
• on or about the 7th day of December, 2012
• in Brown County
• with intent that capital murder, a capital felony, be committed
• did request, command, or attempt to induce
• Stephen Reynolds
• to engage in specific conduct
• to-wit: kill Koh Box
• for remuneration, and
• that under the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the defendant or Stephen Reynolds, as the defendant believed them to be, would have constituted capital murder.

The allegations in the indictment for attempted capital murder are:

• Michael Joseph Bien
• on or about the 7th day of December, 2012
• in Brown County
• with the specific intent to commit the offense of capital murder of Koh Box
• did do an act
• to-wit: employ Stephen Reynolds

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Bluebook (online)
530 S.W.3d 177, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bien-v-state-texapp-2016.