Harrison v. State

179 S.W.3d 629, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 10008, 2005 WL 3216729
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 30, 2005
Docket09-05-025 CR
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 179 S.W.3d 629 (Harrison v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harrison v. State, 179 S.W.3d 629, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 10008, 2005 WL 3216729 (Tex. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

OPINION

DAVID GAULTNEY, Justice.

This is an appeal of a court order compelling continued inpatient mental health treatment under article 46.03 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. See Tex.Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 46.03. 1 In Millet *631 Harrison’s last appeal, this Court held the record of the last hearing did not support the trial court’s finding of the inappropriateness of outpatient treatment. See Harrison v. State, 148 S.W.3d 678, 689 (Tex. App.-Beaumont 2004, no pet.). On remand, the trial court held a new hearing and admitted testimony from a court-appointed expert, who concluded continued inpatient mental health treatment was required. In this appeal, Harrison argues the trial court could not consider this evidence, and if the evidence is ignored the record contains insufficient evidence to support the trial court’s order. We conclude the trial court did not err in considering the evidence. We therefore affirm the trial court’s order.

In October 1994 a jury found Millet Harrison not guilty by reason of insanity for the murder of his mother. Harrison, 148 S.W.3d at 679, 685. He was ordered transferred to a state hospital for inpatient treatment. Id. at 679. In the ensuing years, the trial court granted the State’s applications for renewal of extended court-ordered inpatient mental health services. See Harrison v. State, No. 09-98-134 CR, 1999 WL 160825, at *1 (Tex. App.-Beaumont Mar.24, 1999, no pet.) (not designated for publication). Harrison has previously appealed from the trial court’s inpatient commitment orders of February 1998, May 1999, and December 2003. Id; see also Harrison, 148 S.W.3d at 679; Harrison v. State, No. 07-99-0259-CR, 1999 WL 994378, at *1 (Tex.App.-Amarillo Nov.2, 1999, no pet.) (not designated for publication).

In the 2003 commitment hearing, two expert witnesses testified that outpatient, rather than inpatient, treatment was appropriate for Harrison. See Harrison, 148 S.W.3d at 688. However, the trial court found the .proposed outpatient services were not appropriate and ordered extended inpatient mental health services. Harrison, 148 S.W.3d at 679, 689. Harrison appealed the December 2003 order and this Court reversed and remanded the case to the trial court. Id. at 689. In the 2004 opinion, this Court concluded on that record as follows:

[T]he trial court’s [December 2003] finding that out-patient supervision is not appropriate is not supported by the record. Therefore, we reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Id. at 689 (footnote omitted).

On remand, in an effort to follow this Court’s opinion, the trial judge appointed Dr. Dan Roberts, a psychologist, to assist him in formulating an appropriate regimen of treatment. The trial court’s order stated in part as follows:

In an Opinion delivered on October 27, 2004, the Ninth District Court of Appeals concluded that the trial court’s finding that out-patient supervision was not appropriate [was] not supported by the record, and thus reversed this court’s judgment and remanded for further proceedings consistent with their Opinion. Pursuant to Article 46.03, section 4(d)(4) [as referenced by the appellate court in [its opinion]], it is within the trial court’s discretion to determine the appropriate regimen of medical, psy *632 chiatric, or psychological care or treatment, which could include psychoactive medications. This court has appointed Dan Roberts, Ph.D ... to conduct an evaluation of Millet Harrison for this purpose.

Based on his interview with Harrison and a review of Harrison’s medical and trial records, however, Dr. Roberts reported, and then testified in the 2005 hearing, that he cannot recommend an appropriate outpatient treatment plan, and that continued inpatient treatment is required. In contrast, Dr. Self and Dr. Gripon, experts called by Harrison, again recommended outpatient treatment with the use of inject-able antipsychotic medication. Based on Dr. Roberts’ report and his testimony at the hearing, the trial court ordered Harrison to remain an inpatient at Rusk State Hospital.

Harrison raises four issues on appeal. In issues one and two, he argues Dr. Roberts’ report and testimony were not admissible and trial counsel was ineffective in failing to object to their admission. We look to Strickland v. Washington for the “ineffective assistance of counsel” standard. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). 2 To establish ineffective assistance, appellant must show by a preponderance of the evidence that his counsel’s representation fell below the standard of prevailing professional norms, and that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s deficiency, the result of the trial would have been different. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687, 104 S.Ct. 2052; see also Salinas v. State, 163 S.W.3d 734, 740 (Tex.Crim.App.2005)(citing Strickland, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674). Appellate review of counsel’s representation is highly deferential, and a reviewing court indulges a strong presumption that counsel’s conduct fell within reasonable representation. Salinas, 163 S.W.3d at 740 (citing Mallett v. State, 65 S.W.3d 59, 63 (Tex.Crim.App.2001)).

Prior to Dr. Roberts’ testimony, Harrison’s trial counsel objected that, in view of this Court’s prior opinion, the trial court should not consider evidence concerning inpatient treatment, and that the evidence at the hearing should “only deal with outpatient treatment.” The trial judge overruled Harrison’s objection. When Dr. Roberts testified he did not believe outpatient treatment was appropriate, trial counsel did not reassert the objection. We do not believe on this record that further objection was necessary to inform the trial court of Harrison’s position, nor do we see the failure to repeat the objection under the circumstances as inadequate assistance of counsel.

Harrison contends the purpose of the 2005 hearing was to determine a proper regimen for outpatient services. He asserts the trial court, in accepting Dr. Roberts’ report and conclusions, exceeded the proper scope of the hearing. Harrison further argues Dr. Roberts’ report and testimony represented a new opinion (but not new evidence) that the trial court used as a basis for making what Harrison characterizes as “the very same ruling that was reversed by this Appellate Court.” In brief, he maintains Dr. Roberts’ opinion was irrelevant and in conflict with this Court’s 2004 holding.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
179 S.W.3d 629, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 10008, 2005 WL 3216729, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harrison-v-state-texapp-2005.