Chon Hernandez v. the State of Texas

• Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
• Decided: March 1, 2023
• Docket: 07-22-00253-CR
• Status: Published

Opinion

In The Court of Appeals Seventh District of Texas at Amarillo

No. 07-22-00253-CR

CHON HERNANDEZ, APPELLANT

V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, APPELLEE

On Appeal from the 364th District Court Lubbock County, Texas Trial Court No. 2021-422,544, Honorable William R. Eichman II, Presiding

March 1, 2023 MEMORANDUM OPINION Before QUINN, C.J., and PARKER and YARBROUGH, JJ.

Appellant, Chon Hernandez, appeals his conviction for deadly conduct 1 and

sentence to five years confinement. Appellant’s brief was originally due December 8,

2022, but we granted Appellant’s appointed counsel two extensions to file a brief. By

letter of January 17, 2023, we admonished Appellant’s counsel that failure to file a brief

by February 8 would result in the appeal being abated and the cause remanded to the

1 See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 22.05(b). trial court for further proceedings. Appellant’s counsel has not filed a brief or had any

further communication with this Court to date.

We, therefore, abate the appeal and remand the cause to the trial court for further

proceedings. See TEX. R. APP. P. 38.8(b)(2), (3). Upon remand, the trial court shall

determine the following:

(1) whether Appellant still desires to prosecute the appeal;

(2) whether Appellant is indigent;

(3) why a timely appellate brief has not been filed on behalf of Appellant;

(4) whether Appellant’s counsel has abandoned the appeal;

(5) whether Appellant has been denied the effective assistance of counsel;

(6) whether new counsel should be appointed; and

(7) if appellant desires to continue the appeal, the date the Court may expect

Appellant’s brief to be filed.

The trial court is also directed to enter such orders necessary to address the

aforementioned questions. So too shall it include its findings on those matters in a

supplemental record and cause that record to be filed with this Court by March 31, 2023.

If it is determined that Appellant desires to proceed with the appeal, is indigent, and has

been denied the effective assistance of counsel, the trial court may appoint new counsel;

the name, address, email address, phone number, and state bar number of any newly

appointed counsel shall be included in the aforementioned findings.

Should counsel file a brief on or before March 15, 2023, he is directed to

immediately notify the trial court of the filing, in writing, whereupon the trial court shall not

be required to take any further action.

2 It is so ordered.

Per Curiam

Do not publish.