Emajin Trevon Jackson v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided July 22, 2016·No. 05-15-00415-CR·Published

Opinion

Affirmed; and Affirmed as Modified and Opinion Filed July 22, 2016.

In The

Court of Appeals

Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-15-00414-CR

No. 05-15-00415-CR

EMAJIN TREVON JACKSON, Appellant V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the Criminal District Court No. 6 Dallas County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. F-1458177-X and F-1458178-X

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Before Justices Lang, Brown, and Whitehill Opinion by Justice Lang

Emajin Trevon Jackson appeals the trial court’s judgments convicting him of aggravated

robbery while using or exhibiting a deadly weapon, and evading arrest or detention while using a motor vehicle while in flight. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 29.03(a)(2), (b) (West 2011) (aggravated robbery); TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 38.04(a), (b)(2) (West Supp. 2015) (evading arrest or detention). In both cases, the jury found Jackson guilty and that he used or exhibited a deadly weapon. The trial court assessed his punishment at ten years of imprisonment in the aggravated robbery case and two years of imprisonment in the evading arrest or detention case.

Jackson raises five issues on appeal, arguing: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for aggravated robbery; (2) he suffered egregious harm when the trial court included alternative theories of guilt in the jury charge that were not supported by the evidence;

(3) the trial court assumed an inappropriate role; (4) he received ineffective assistance of trial counsel; and (5) the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction for evading arrest or detention.

We conclude the evidence is sufficient to support Jackson’s convictions. Also, we conclude the jury charge was not erroneous and Jackson has not shown that the trial court assumed an inappropriate role or his trial counsel was ineffective. Finally, we modify the judgment convicting Jackson of evading arrest or detention to reflect that the jury found that he used or exhibited a deadly weapon during the commission of the offense. The trial court’s judgment convicting Jackson of aggravated robbery while using or exhibiting a deadly weapon is affirmed. The trial court’s judgment convicting Jackson of evading arrest or detention while using a motor vehicle while in flight is affirmed as modified.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL CONTEXT At approximately 1:00 a.m., after returning from Houston, Sheila Etonga was alone in her apartment complex parking lot. She was removing her suitcase and backpack from the trunk of her car when a young man, later determined to be Jackson, came toward her. Jackson asked to use her cell phone and Etonga said, “No.” Jackson told Etonga that he had been locked out of the house and his girlfriend would not let him back in so he needed to call someone to pick him up. Etonga asked Jackson for the number he wanted to call, intending to place the call for him once she was in her apartment, but Jackson said that he did not have a number. Then, Jackson asked Etonga to “give him a ride,” but Etonga refused. Jackson asked Etonga “why” and, at some point during their conversation, Etonga saw that Jackson’s “eyes got a little scary” and that he was holding a knife toward her. Then, Jackson demanded Etonga’s money or wallet.

Etonga told Jackson that she would give him what he wanted and pleaded with him not to hurt her. She got her wallet from her backpack and gave it to Jackson, continuing to beg him not

to hurt her. Jackson replied, “I won’t hurt you.” Next, Jackson demanded her keys, which Etonga gave him. As Jackson was getting into Etonga’s car, he turned back and also demanded Etonga’s cell phone and Etonga complied. Then, Jackson drove away in Etonga’s car. Etonga waved down a different car that was just entering the apartment complex and asked the driver to call 9-1-1 because she had just been robbed.

Officer Rick McDaniel responded to the 9-1-1 call. Etonga was breathing heavy, crying, and “trembling real bad” and it took Officer McDaniel about two minutes to calm her. Etonga described the man as a black male around twenty years old with a “low haircut.” Also, Etonga provided Officer McDaniel with a description of her car, including the license plate number, color, make, and model. This information was broadcast over the radio and within five minutes Officers Cody Witt and Alyssa Wadas observed a vehicle matching the description of Etonga’s car driving on the road.

After confirming the license plate number and that the registered owner of the vehicle was Etonga, Officers Witt and Wadas followed the vehicle and called for additional officers. Then, the vehicle stopped, so Officers Witt and Wadas activated their emergency lights, signaling the vehicle to remain stopped. Officers Witt and Wadas got out of their vehicle, withdrew their service weapons, and instructed Jackson to put his hands outside the window and get out of the vehicle. Jackson attempted to get out through the driver-side door, but it would not open, so he leaned over to the passenger side. As he did so, the reverse lights came on and the vehicle backed into the police car. Then, Jackson put his hands out of the passenger side door. However, instead of getting out of the vehicle as instructed by the police, he suddenly jumped back into the driver’s seat and drove away.

Jackson drove erratically from side-to-side, hitting multiple curbs and “disregarding traffic control devices such as stop signs.” Eventually, the vehicle crashed. Jackson got out of

the car and began running on foot, carrying a wallet, which he threw to the ground. Jackson jumped over a fence and Officer Darrell Stevens pursued him, yelling “Dallas [P]olice. Stop.” Eventually, Jackson was arrested and when the police searched him, they found a pocket knife with a three and one-half inch blade, and Etonga’s cell phone in his pocket. The police also recovered Etonga’s wallet. Detective Laura Robeson interviewed Jackson. During the interview, Jackson told Detective Robeson that he bought the car for $300 from someone she understood to be a random person he encountered.

Jackson was indicted for the offenses of aggravated robbery while using or exhibiting a deadly weapon, and evading arrest or detention while using a motor vehicle while in flight. Before trial, Jackson told the trial court that he did not want a jury trial. Defense counsel advised the trial court that his client had rejected two different plea bargain offers made by the State, was not communicating with him, and the State was not willing to waive its right to a jury trial. Jackson expressed frustration with his attorney because he wanted a plea bargain for community supervision or five years of imprisonment. The trial court explained the plea bargain process to Jackson and admonished that if Jackson had a trial, he could elect whether he wanted the jury or the trial court to assess his punishment. If the jury assessed his punishment, he would be eligible for community supervision, but if the trial court assessed his punishment, he was not. At the conclusion of the pretrial hearing, the trial court postponed the trial, so that defense counsel could further explain Jackson’s options to him.

Before the commencement of the continued trial, Jackson’s counsel advised the trial court that Jackson elected to have the trial court assess his punishment in both cases. Jackson confirmed that he was giving up his right to seek community supervision. A jury found Jackson guilty of both offenses and that he used or exhibited a deadly weapon in both offenses. The trial

court assessed Jackson’s punishment at ten years of imprisonment in the aggravated robbery case and two years of imprisonment in the evading arrest or detention case.

II. SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE In issues one and five, Jackson argues the evidence is insufficient to support his convictions for: (1) aggravated robbery while using or exhibiting a deadly weapon; and (2) evading arrest or detention while using a motor vehicle while in flight.

A. Standard of Review

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