Jimmy Albert Johnson v. State

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 21, 2015
Docket05-14-00204-CR
StatusPublished

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Bluebook
Jimmy Albert Johnson v. State, (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

AFFIRM; and Opinion Filed January 21, 2015.

Court of Appeals S In The

Fifth District of Texas at Dallas No. 05-14-00204-CR

JIMMY ALBERT JOHNSON, Appellant V. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 59th Judicial District Court Grayson County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. 044441

OPINION Before Chief Justice Wright, Justice Bridges, and Justice Fillmore Opinion by Justice Fillmore Jimmy Albert Johnson appeals the trial court’s denial of his motion to dismiss for

violation of his right to a speedy trial. We affirm the trial court’s judgment.

Procedural History

Johnson was arrested on May 8, 1997 1 and charged with aggravated sexual assault of

M.W., the fourteen-year-old daughter of Johnson’s girlfriend. M.W. was pregnant and had

reported Johnson was the father of the child. Jason Butscher was appointed to represent

Johnson. Johnson posted a $5,000 bond on May 23, 1997 and was released from jail. On June 4,

1 The record is not clear as to the date of Johnson’s arrest. Johnson relies on an order of the justice of the peace court setting conditions of bail to argue he was arrested on November 15, 1996. The State relies on the trial court’s docket sheet to contend Johnson was arrested on May 16, 1997. However, the trial court’s judgment gives Johnson credit for an incarceration period beginning May 8, 1997. Although we have relied on the May 8, 1997 date in this opinion, we note the analysis would not change if Johnson was arrested on November 15, 1996. 1997, Johnson was indicted for aggravated sexual assault of a child. The trial court subsequently

placed the case on the July 31, 1997 “first setting” docket.

Jack McGowen was appointed to represent Johnson on July 7, 1997. 2 The State

forwarded “all discoverable material in the County Attorney’s file” to McGowen on July 14,

1997. At the first setting on July 31, 1997, Johnson pleaded not guilty to the charge and the case

was reset for announcements on August 28, 1997. Both Johnson and McGowen signed the

“Notice of Agreed Setting.”

On August 28, 1997, the case was reset for announcements on September 18, 1997.

McGowen, but not Johnson, signed the “Notice of Agreed Setting.” A handwritten note on the

notice states “need plea offer.” On September 18, 1997, the case was reset for announcements

on October 23, 1997. Again, McGowen, but not Johnson, signed the “Notice of Agreed Setting.”

A-American Bail Bond Company, the surety on Johnson’s bail bond, filed a motion on

September 29, 1997 seeking to be released from the bond because Johnson had failed to pay the

bond fee, failed to keep A-American apprised of his whereabouts, and otherwise failed to abide

by the bonding agreement. A-American represented that Johnson’s last known address was in

Houston, Texas and requested a warrant be issued for Johnson’s arrest. The trial court issued the

capias on October 1, 1997, and Johnson was arrested on January 30, 1998.

The trial court signed a scheduling order on February 9, 1998, setting the case for a

pretrial hearing on March 5, 1998 and for trial on April 6, 1998. On February 20, 1998, Johnson

posted a $5,000 bond and was released from jail. The record does not reflect why the case was

not tried on April 6, 1998 but, on June 3, 1998, the trial court signed a scheduling order setting

the case for a pretrial hearing on July 2, 1998 and for trial on August 3, 1998.

2 Johnson testified during the punishment phase that he was told Butscher had accepted employment with the FBI and could no longer represent him.

–2– City Hall Bail Bonds, the surety on Johnson’s second bail bond, filed an affidavit to

surrender principal on June 10, 1998. The affidavit stated Johnson had failed to make contact on

an agreed date to pay the bond or on any date for the requested “call in time” and had failed to

respond to City Hall’s attempts to contact him. City Hall represented that Johnson’s last known

address was in Houston and requested a warrant be issued for his arrest. The trial court issued a

capias that day, and Johnson was arrested on April 26, 2001. On May 5, 2001, Johnson again

posted a $5,000 bond and was released from jail. The trial court signed a scheduling order on

June 6, 2001 setting the case for a pretrial hearing on July 12, 2001 and for trial on August 27,

2001.

On July 25, 2001, Johnson wrote a letter to the trial court complaining about McGowen

and requesting new counsel. McGowen filed a motion to withdraw from the representation on

August 15, 2001. On August 27, 2001, the trial court granted McGowen’s motion, appointed

Butscher to again represent Johnson, and set the case for trial on October 1, 2001. Although the

record does not reflect why the case was not tried on October 1, 2001, on December 12, 2001,

the case was set for trial on February 25, 2002.

Butscher filed a number of motions and an election of punishment prior to the trial

setting. However, Johnson did not appear for trial on February 25, 2002. On May 14, 2002,

Liberty Bail Bonds, the surety on Johnson’s third bail bond, filed a motion to be released from

the bond because Johnson had failed to keep Liberty apprised of his whereabouts and had failed

to otherwise abide by the bonding agreement. Liberty represented that Johnson’s last known

address was in North Carolina and requested that a warrant be issued for his arrest. On May 14,

2002, the trial court issued a capias for Johnson’s arrest. In a June 7, 2002 scheduling order, the

trial court set the case for trial on July 29, 2002.

–3– The case was next set on the July 13, 2006 plea docket. However, the notice of the

setting mailed to Johnson in North Carolina was returned as undelivered by the postal service

because there was “no such number/street.” Johnson did not appear at the July 13, 2006 plea

docket. On July 21, 2006, the trial court issued a capias for Johnson’s arrest. Johnson was

arrested on February 15, 2012 and, on February 21, 2012, Mike Dunn was appointed to represent

him.

The State filed a motion for high bond, citing to Johnson’s repeated failures to appear in

court. On March 8, 2012, the trial court granted the motion and set Johnson’s bond at $150,000.

The trial court also appointed Joe Neal Smith to represent Johnson. The case was set for

arraignment on March 22, 2012. At the arraignment, both Johnson and his counsel signed a

“Notice of Agreed Setting” placing the case on the April 26, 2012 plea docket. 3 On April 26,

2012, both Johnson and his counsel signed another “Notice of Agreed Setting” resetting the case

for the May 24, 2012 plea docket.

Johnson wrote a letter to the trial court on July 3, 2012 requesting that he be allowed to

fire Smith. A note on the letter states “Def. has an atty. Should be filed through atty.” On

August 22, 2012, Johnson filed a pro se motion for speedy trial. On October 3, 2012, Johnson

wrote to Smith stating that Smith was fired and that Johnson no longer wanted Smith to represent

M.W.’s child, A.W., died in an automobile accident in 2000. The State obtained A.W.’s

toothbrush and clothes from M.W. and, on November 13, 2012, submitted the items, along with

DNA samples from Johnson, to a lab for testing. The lab was unable to obtain a DNA sample

for A.W. from the items and, on March 20, 2013, the State obtained a subpoena to exhume

A.W.’s body to obtain samples of her DNA. A.W.’s body was exhumed on March 21, 2013.

3 Johnson disputes that he actually agreed to reset the case.

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