Garcia, Ex Parte Rolando

• Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
• Decided: March 20, 2013
• Docket: AP-76,990
• Status: Published

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS NO. AP-76,990

EX PARTE ROLANDO GARCIA, Applicant

ON APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS CAUSE NO. 1344312-A IN THE 174TH DISTRICT COURT FROM HARRIS COUNTY

Per curiam.

OPINION

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 11.07 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, the

clerk of the trial court transmitted to this Court this application for a writ of habeas corpus. Ex parte

Young, 418 S.W.2d 824, 826 (Tex. Crim. App. 1967). Applicant pleaded guilty to the third degree

felony offense of possession of marijuana in a quantity of more than five pounds and less than fifty

pounds, and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. He did not appeal his conviction.

Applicant contends that his plea was involuntary because he is actually innocent of the

offense to which he pleaded guilty. The parties have entered agreed findings of fact, which the trial

court has adopted. Apparently, after Applicant had entered his guilty plea, the laboratory testing of

the substance involved in this case were completed, and it was determined that the State could only 2

have proved that Applicant possessed a misdemeanor quantity of marijuana. The parties agree that

Applicant would not have pleaded guilty in exchange for a three-year sentence had he known that

the State could only have proved that he possessed a misdemeanor quantity of marijuana.

Relief is granted. The judgment in Cause No. 1344312 in the 174th District Court of Harris

County is set aside, and Applicant is remanded to the custody of the Sheriff of Harris County to

answer the charges as set out in the indictment. The trial court shall issue any necessary bench

warrant within 10 days after the mandate of this Court issues.

Copies of this opinion shall be sent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice–Correctional

Institutions Division and Pardons and Paroles Division.

Delivered: March 20, 2013 Do not publish