Ex Parte Austin

746 S.W.2d 226, 1988 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 41, 1988 WL 13048
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 24, 1988
Docket69930
StatusPublished
Cited by63 cases

This text of 746 S.W.2d 226 (Ex Parte Austin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ex Parte Austin, 746 S.W.2d 226, 1988 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 41, 1988 WL 13048 (Tex. 1988).

Opinions

OPINION

ONION, Presiding Judge.

This is a post-conviction application for writ of habeas corpus brought under the provisions of Article 11.07, V.A.C.C.P.

Applicant was indicted on June 10, 1985 for the attempted murder of “Richard Reason with a handgun, a deadly weapon.” On May 9, 1986, applicant waived trial by jury and entered a plea of guilty before the court to the indictment. The court assessed the punishment at 10 years’ confinement in the Department of Corrections. In the judgment the court made an affirmative finding as to the use of a handgun, a deadly weapon, during the commission of the offense. The judgment also reflects “* REVIEWED FOR SHOCK PROBATION AFTER 120 DAYS 1 The docket sheet contains a similar entry.

Applicant alleges the above described plea of guilty was entered as a part of a plea bargain agreement with the State and [227]*227approved by the court that he was to be granted shock probation pursuant to Article 42.12, § 3e, V.A.C.C.P. He further contends that the plea bargain agreement which induced his plea of guilty could not be fulfilled due to the affirmative finding of the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of the offense by the trial court and entered in the judgment;2 that the trial court, prosecutor, defense counsel and applicant were unaware at the time that the plea bargain could not be carried out. He relies upon Santobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 92 S.Ct. 495, 30 L.Ed.2d 427 (1971), as authority entitling him to relief.

In accordance with Article 11.07, supra, the habeas application was first filed in the convicting court. At the time of filing of the original habeas application in the trial court the 180 days in which the trial court retained jurisdiction to grant shock probation had not expired. No action was taken on the original application and an amended application was filed after the 180 day period had expired. Several months later the trial court adopted the State’s proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law that applicant’s guilty plea was made with the assurances that he would be released on shock probation, and that in attempting to fulfill this plea bargain it was discovered that applicant was not legally eligible for shock probation, and that since the plea was based on a promise which could not be fulfilled, the guilty plea was involuntary and that the applicant is entitled to have his plea withdrawn.

It is now axiomatic that when a defendant enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere pursuant to a plea bargain agreement, the State is bound to carry out its side of the plea bargain or the plea itself is involuntary. DeRusse v. State, 579 S.W. 2d 224 (Tex.Cr.App.1979); Ex parte Rogers, 629 S.W.2d 741 (Tex.Cr.App.1982); Ex parte Garcia, 682 S.W.2d 581 (Tex.Cr.App. 1985); Ex parte Perkins, 706 S.W.2d 320 (Tex.Cr.App.1986). If the prosecution does not live up to its part of the plea bargain and such bargain was used as an inducement for the guilty plea, doubt is raised as to whether a guilty plea under such circumstance is truly voluntary. Bass ¶. State, 576 S.W.2d 400 (Tex.Cr.App.1979); Rogers, supra, at 742; Ex parte Pruitt, 689 S.W.2d 905 (Tex.Cr.App.1985). Further, when the court loses jurisdiction so as to bar enforcement of a plea bargain agreement, doubt is also raised as to whether a guilty plea under such circumstances can be regarded as truly voluntary. Rogers, supra, at 742. And where the provisions of the plea agreement or bargain later become unenforceable, the plea is involuntary. Ex parte Huerta, 692 S.W.2d 681 (Tex.Cr.App.1985). This is true even though the State or the court never did have the authority to ensure compliance with the plea bargain. Cf. Ex parte Chandler, 684 S.W.2d 700 (Tex.Cr.App.1985). The appropriate relief for failure to keep a plea bargain is either specific enforcement of the agreement or withdrawal of the plea, depending upon the circumstances of each case. Joiner v. State, 578 S.W.2d 739 (Tex.Cr.App.1979); Shannon v. State, 708 S.W.2d 850 (Tex.Cr.App.1986); Ex parte Perkins, supra.

In the instant case the trial court lost jurisdiction to grant shock probation after the 180 days as provided in Article 42.12, § 3e, V.A.C.C.P. See Houlihan v. State, 579 S.W.2d 213 (Tex.Cr.App.1979); Ex parte Rogers, supra, at 742. For this reason alone the applicant would be entitled to relief in light of the plea bargain regardless of whether the trial court had authority to grant shock probation or not in view of the affirmative finding of a deadly weapon. Applicant, however, does not claim the plea bargain was broken by the loss of jurisdiction, but contends the plea bargain was not carried out because the prosecutor and the court decided that shock probation could not legally be granted in light of the said affirmative finding. It is to this matter we turn our attention.

In 1985 the Legislature reorganized the statutes regulating probation, parole and executive clemency, etc., by amending Article 42.12, V.A.C.C.P., and by adding Article 42.18, V.A.C.C.P., and by repealing Article [228]*22842.13, V.A.C.C.P. (Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 427, p. 2895, effective Sept. 1, 1985).

Under this reorganization we find that § 3e(a) of said Article 42.12 provides:

“Sec. 3e. (a) For the purposes of this section, the jurisdiction of a court in which a sentence requiring confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections is imposed for conviction (of a felony) shall continue for 180 days from the date the execution of the sentence actually begins. After the expiration of 60 days but prior to the expiration of 180 days from the date the execution of the sentence actually begins, the judge of the court that imposed such sentence may on his own motion or on written motion of the defendant, suspend further execution of the sentence imposed and place the defendant on probation under the terms and conditions of this article, if in the opinion of the judge the defendant would not benefit from further incarceration in a penitentiary. Probation may be granted under this section only if:
“(1) the defendant is otherwise eligible for probation under this article; and
“(2) the defendant had never before been incarcerated in a penitentiary serving a sentence for a felony; and

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

HATTER, SANITHA LASHAY v. the State of Texas
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2025
Jenkins v. State
493 S.W.3d 583 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2016)
McDonald, Richard
493 S.W.3d 76 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2016)
in the Matter of R.A.
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2015
Bruce Lynn Christensen v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2014
Riojas, Ex Parte Oscar Eduardo
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2012
State v. Posey
330 S.W.3d 311 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2011)
State of Texas v. Posey, Cody Joe
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2011
Wilson, Ex Parte Robert
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2010
Ramos, Ricardo Jr.
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2010
State v. Dunbar
297 S.W.3d 777 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2009)
State of Texas v. Wendy R. Dunbar
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2009
State v. Posey
300 S.W.3d 23 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2009)
State v. Cody Joe Posey
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2009
Reisch, Paul
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2009
Damon Earl Lewis v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004
Neal Fredrick Rudnick v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003
Griffith, London v. State
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2002
Griffith v. State
81 S.W.3d 510 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2002)
State v. Fabian Ramirez
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2001

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
746 S.W.2d 226, 1988 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 41, 1988 WL 13048, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ex-parte-austin-texcrimapp-1988.