Jose Juan Cardenas v. State

403 S.W.3d 377, 2013 WL 1164365, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 2980
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 21, 2013
Docket01-11-01123-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by78 cases

This text of 403 S.W.3d 377 (Jose Juan Cardenas 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
Jose Juan Cardenas v. State, 403 S.W.3d 377, 2013 WL 1164365, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 2980 (Tex. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

OPINION ON REHEARING *

MICHAEL MASSENGALE, Justice.

Appellant Jose Juan Cardenas pleaded guilty to the first-degree felony offense of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 29.03 (West 2011). The trial court entered judgment on the guilty plea. On appeal, Cardenas contends that the evidence was insufficient to support the trial court’s judgment and to support the assessment of $294 in court costs. We affirm.

Background

Cardenas was indicted for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. The indictment alleged that Cardenas “did ... while in the course of committing theft of property owned by [the complainant], and with intent to obtain and maintain control of the property, intentionally and knowingly threaten [the complainant] and place [him] in fear of imminent bodily injury and death,” and that he “did then and there use and exhibit a deadly weapon, namely, A FIREARM.”

Prior to entering his guilty plea, Cardenas executed a two-page form document, the first page of which contains the following waiver of constitutional rights, agreement to stipulate, and judicial confession:

In open court and prior to entering my plea, I waive the right of trial by jury. I also waive the appearance, confrontation, and cross-examination of witnesses, and my right against self-incrimination. The charges against me allege that in Harris County, Texas, JOSE JUAN CARDENAS, hereinafter styled the Defendant, heretofore on or about JUNE 15, 2011, did then and there unlawfully, while in the course of committing theft of property owned by [the complainant] and with intent to obtain and maintain control of the property, intentionally and knowingly threaten and place in fear of imminent bodily injury and death, and the Defendant did then and there use and exhibit a deadly weapon, namely, A FIREARM.

The second page of the form includes the recital that “I understand the above allegations and I confess that they are true and that the acts alleged above were committed on June 15, 2011.” The form further states: “In open court I consent to the oral and written stipulation of evidence in this case-” The document bears Cardenas’s signature, sworn and subscribed before a deputy district clerk on September 20, 2011. This page was also signed by the defense attorney, who thereby confirmed that he represented Cardenas, and discussed with him the document and its consequences. The attorney further confirmed that he believed Cardenas knowingly and voluntarily executed the document after their discussion. The same document was signed by an assistant district attorney, indicating consent to and approval of Cardenas’s waiver of trial by jury and stipulation of evidence.

*380 After Cardenas, his attorney, and the district attorney executed the stipulation of evidence and judicial confession, the document was filed with the papers of the case, as evidenced by the file stamp of the district clerk, dated September 20. After these events took place, Cardenas appeared before the trial judge, who signed the same form, thereby confirming that she approved his waiver of constitutional rights, agreement to stipulate, and judicial confession, and that he entered a plea of guilty. The trial judge admonished Cardenas of the consequences of his plea and ascertained that he entered his plea knowingly and voluntarily after discussing the case with his attorney. In a separate sworn document also executed on September 20, Cardenas waived the right to have the court reporter record his plea, and he specifically acknowledged: “I have read the indictment and I committed each and every element alleged.”

The trial court ordered the preparation of a presentence investigation report. After a hearing, the court found Cardenas guilty and sentenced him to 25 years in prison, stating on the record that he would receive credit for 118 days already served. The final judgment assessed $294 in court costs and stated, “The Court ORDERS that upon release from confinement, Defendant proceed immediately to the Harris County District Clerk’s office. Once there, the Court ORDERS Defendant to pay, or make arrangements to pay, any remaining unpaid fines, court costs, and restitution as ordered by the Court.”

Represented by the Harris County Public Defender’s office, Cardenas brings this appeal.

Analysis

Cardenas raises two separate issues challenging the sufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment. First, he challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment of conviction. Second, he challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment’s award of costs.

I. Sufficiency of evidence to support conviction

In his first issue, Cardenas argues that the evidence in the record is insufficient to support his conviction because there is no statement by him, there is no evidence independent of his guilty plea, and the paper he signed “has no connection to the specific charges in this conviction.” He therefore argues that no evidence was produced to support the conviction. In response, the State argues that Cardenas entered a judicial confession that was sufficient to support the judgment of guilt.

In a review of the sufficiency of the evidence to support each element of a criminal offense, “we consider all of the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict to determine whether, based on that evidence and the reasonable inferences therefrom,” the factfinder was rationally justified in finding guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Merritt v. State, 868 S.W.3d 516, 525 (Tex.Crim.App.2012). Article 1.15 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure provides that in the event of a felony conviction based upon a guilty plea in lieu of a jury verdict, “it shall be necessary for the state to introduce evidence into the record showing the guilt of the defendant and ... in no event shall a person charged be convicted upon his plea without sufficient evidence to support the same.” Tex.Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 1.15 (West 2005). The “[e]vidence offered in support of a guilty plea may take many forms,” including a “written stipulation of what the evidence against him would be,” and such a stipulation “will suffice to sup *381 port the guilty plea so long as it embraces every constituent element of the charged offense.” Menefee v. State, 287 S.W.3d 9, 13 (Tex.Crim.App.2009). A defendant who pleads guilty need not concede the veracity of the evidence to which he stipulates, but if he does, the court will consider the stipulation to be a judicial confession. See id.; Stone v. State, 919 S.W.2d 424, 426 (Tex.Crim.App.1996).

A person commits robbery if, in the course of committing theft, and with intent to obtain or maintain control of property, he intentionally or knowingly places another in fear of imminent bodily injury or death. Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 29.02(a) (West 2011).

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Bluebook (online)
403 S.W.3d 377, 2013 WL 1164365, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 2980, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jose-juan-cardenas-v-state-texapp-2013.