Hampton, Nigel Mohammed

• Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
• Decided: June 5, 2019
• Docket: WR-89,885-01
• Status: Published

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS NO. WR-89,885-01

EX PARTE NIGEL MOHAMMED HAMPTON, Applicant

ON APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS CAUSE NO. 1354259-A IN THE 180TH DISTRICT COURT FROM HARRIS COUNTY

Per curiam.

ORDER

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 entered an open plea of guilty to

aggravated robbery, and was sentenced to twenty-five years’ imprisonment. The First Court of

Appeals affirmed his conviction. Hampton v. State, 435 S.W.3d 303 (Tex. App. — Houston [1st

Dist.] 2014) (pet. ref’d).

Applicant contends, among other things,1 that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance

1 This Court has reviewed Applicant’s other claims, including his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel pertaining to his original attorney, and finds them to be without merit. 2

because counsel failed to present available evidence in mitigation of punishment, and was

unprepared to address the State’s introduction of extraneous unadjudicated offenses during the

punishment hearing.

Applicant has alleged facts that, if true, might entitle him to relief. Strickland v. Washington,

466 U.S. 668 (1984); Ex parte Patterson, 993 S.W.2d 114, 115 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999). In these

circumstances, additional facts are needed. As we held in Ex parte Rodriguez, 334 S.W.2d 294, 294

(Tex. Crim. App. 1960), the trial court is the appropriate forum for findings of fact. The trial court

shall order trial counsel Wilford Anderson to respond to Applicant’s claims of ineffective assistance

of counsel. The trial court may use any means set out in TEX . CODE CRIM . PROC. art. 11.07, § 3(d).

In the appropriate case, the trial court may rely on its personal recollection. Id.

If the trial court elects to hold a hearing, it shall determine whether Applicant is indigent.

If Applicant is indigent and wishes to be represented by counsel, the trial court shall appoint an

attorney to represent Applicant at the hearing. TEX . CODE CRIM . PROC. art. 26.04.

The trial court shall first supplement the habeas record with copies of the PSI report and with

a transcript of the punishment hearing in this case. The trial court shall then make findings of fact

and conclusions of law as to whether the performance of Applicant’s trial counsel was deficient and,

if so, whether counsel’s deficient performance prejudiced Applicant. The trial court shall also make

any other findings of fact and conclusions of law that it deems relevant and appropriate to the

disposition of Applicant’s claim for habeas corpus relief.

This application will be held in abeyance until the trial court has resolved the fact issues. The

issues shall be resolved within 90 days of this order. A supplemental transcript containing all

affidavits and interrogatories or the transcription of the court reporter’s notes from any hearing or 3

deposition, along with the trial court’s supplemental findings of fact and conclusions of law, shall

be forwarded to this Court within 120 days of the date of this order. Any extensions of time must

be requested by the trial court and shall be obtained from this Court.

Filed: June 5, 2019 Do not publish