Martinez-Hernandez, Kassandra

Texas Supreme Court·Decided February 19, 2015·No. PD-0187-15·Published

Opinion

PD-0187-15 Oral argument requested February 19, 2015

PD-____-14

IN THE TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

KASSANDRA MARTINEZ-HERNANDEZ APPELLANT

vs.

THE STATE OF TEXAS

APPELLEE

FROM THE FIFTH COURT OF APPEALS CAUSE NO. 05-14-00426-CR

APPEAL FROM CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT NO. 2 OF DALLAS COUNTY, CAUSE NO. F13-56452-I, THE HONORABLE DONALD C. ADAMS, PRESIDING

APPELLANT’S PETITION FOR

DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

BRUCE ANTON SORRELS, UDASHEN & ANTON State Bar No. 01274700 2311 Cedar Springs, Suite 250 ba@sualaw.com Dallas, Texas 75201 214-468-8100 (office)

BRETT ORDIWAY 214-468-8104 (fax)

State Bar No. 24079086 bordiway@sualaw.com Counsel for Appellant

Ground for Review

Whether, by holding that an error in the punishment charge was not harmful solely because of the nature of the underlying crime, the court of appeals impermissibly speculated as to the jury’s thinking.

Table of Contents

Ground for Review ...................................................................................... 2 Index of Authorities .................................................................................... 4 Identity of Parties and Counsel ................................................................. 6 Statement Regarding Oral Argument ....................................................... 7 Statement of the Case and Procedural History ........................................ 8 Argument .................................................................................................. 10

By holding that an error in the punishment charge was harmless solely because of the nature of the underlying crime, the court of appeals impermissibly speculated as to the jury’s thinking. .............. 10

I. The court of appeals’s holding ..................................................... 10

II. Courts of appeals are repeatedly reprimanded for speculating as to juries’ reasoning ....................................................................... 12

III. The Dallas Court of Appeals’s holding is explicitly reliant upon that rightfully disapproved reasoning ............................................. 15

Prayer ........................................................................................................ 17 Certificate of Service ................................................................................ 19 Certificate of Compliance ......................................................................... 19 Appendix ................................................................................................... 20

Index of Authorities

Cases

Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157 (1984) ....................................... 7, 9, 10 Alvarado v. State, 775 S.W.2d 851, 856-57 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 1989, pet. ref’d.) ..................................................................................... 15 Dewberry v. State, 4 S.W.3d 735, 740 (1999)........................................... 12 Ellison v. State, 86 S.W.3d 226, 228 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002) ................. 10 Ellison v. State, 97 S.W.3d 698, 701 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2003, no pet.) .................................................................................................. 11, 14 Ellison v. State, 51 S.W.3d 393, 397 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2001, pet.

granted) ................................................................................................. 14 Garrett v. State, 749 S.W.2d 784 (Tex. Crim. App. 1986) ....................... 13 Hedicke v. State, 779 S.W.2d 837, 843 (Tex. Crim. App. 1989) .............. 16 Jackson v. State, 680 S.W.2d 809, 814 (Tex. Crim. App. 1984) ............. 16 Kelly v. State, 640 S.W.2d 605, 612 (Tex. Crim. App. 1982) .................. 13 Lamb v. State, No. 14-09-01007-CR, 2011 WL 531968, at *6 (Tex.

App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2011, pet. ref’d) ....................................... 13 Martinez-Hernandez v. State, No. 05-14-00426-CR, 2015 WL 275239 (Tex. App.—Dallas Jan. 21, 2015) .............................................. 9, 10, 11 Meraz v. State, 785 S.W.2d 146, 154 (Tex. Crim. App. 1990)................. 12 Monroe v. State, 864 S.W.2d 140, 146 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 1993, pet ref’d) ....................................................................................................... 15 Moss v. State, 574 S.W.2d 542, 545 (Tex. Crim. App. 1978)................... 13 Ross v. State, 180 S.W.3d 172, 177 (Tex. App.—Tyler 2005, pet. ref’d) . 13 Schaired v. State, 786 S.W.2d 497, 498 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.]

1990, no pet.) ......................................................................................... 13 State v. Terrazas, 4 S.W.3d 720, 728 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999) ................ 16 Tompkins v. State, 774 S.W.2d 195, 202 (Tex. Crim. App. 1987) .......... 12 Williams v. State, 235 S.W.3d 742, 750 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007) ............ 12

Statutes

TEX. PEN. CODE § 19.02 .............................................................................. 8 TEX. PEN. CODE § 19.04 .............................................................................. 8

Rules TEX. R. EVID. 606(b) .................................................................................. 12

Treatises

43B George E. Dix & John M. Schmolesky, Texas Practice: Criminal Practice And Procedure § 56:4 (3d ed.) ................................................ 16

Identity of Parties and Counsel For Appellant Kassandra Martinez-Hernandez:

JAMES JAMISON Trial counsel of record

529 W. 12th Street Dallas, Texas 75208

BRUCE ANTON BRETT ORDIWAY Appellate counsel of record SORRELS, UDASHEN & ANTON 2311 Cedar Springs Suite 250 Dallas, Texas 75201

For Appellee the State of Texas:

JUSTIN MCCANTS DREW TAYLOR Trial counsel of record

DALLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard Dallas, Texas 75207

PATRICIA POPPOFF NOBLE Appellate counsel of record DALLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Statement Regarding Oral Argument The Dallas Court of Appeals improperly conducted the test for ju-

ry charge error set out in this Court’s opinion in Almanza v. State, 686 S.W.2d 157 (1984). In light of how often the courts of this state apply the “Almanza factors,” the Dallas Court of Appeals’s error has the po- tential for far-ranging impact. Appellant believes that oral argument will be helpful to this Court in understanding just how so.

Statement of the Case and Procedural History Though Appellant gave her cousins a ride to work, they refused to contribute to her gas costs. (RR5: 102, 132, 140-41). As they argued at the gas station, Appellant became frustrated and drove away. (SX81). In so doing, though, she drove over one of her cousins, killing her and her unborn child. (RR5: 91-94, 100, 105-06, 127, 155). Appellant insisted she did so accidentally, and that, at the time, she was unaware she had hit anyone at all. (SX81).

Appellant was nonetheless indicted for murder. (CR: 15); see TEX.

PEN. CODE § 19.02. After rejecting plea-bargain offers of 40 years’ im- prisonment, then 20 years’, then 15 years’, and finally 10-12 years’, Ap- pellant’s jury trial commenced on March 25, 2014. (RR1: 6; RR2: 7; RR3: 6-7). The following day, the jury found her guilty of the lesser-included offense of manslaughter. (RR6: 97; CR: 46); see TEX. PEN. CODE § 19.04. After a one-day sentencing hearing on March 27, 2014, the jury sen- tenced Appellant to the maximum 20-years’ imprisonment and fined her $10,000. (RR7: 92; CR: 57). Appellant filed a notice of appeal that day. (CR: 64).

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Related

Williams v. State
235 S.W.3d 742 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Ross v. State
180 S.W.3d 172 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Moss v. State
574 S.W.2d 542 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1978)
Ellison v. State
51 S.W.3d 393 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2001)
Huizar v. State
12 S.W.3d 479 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Meraz v. State
785 S.W.2d 146 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1990)
Allen v. State
47 S.W.3d 47 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2001)
Hedicke v. State
779 S.W.2d 837 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1989)
Ellison v. State
97 S.W.3d 698 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)
Dewberry v. State
4 S.W.3d 735 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1999)
State v. Terrazas
4 S.W.3d 720 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1999)
Ellison v. State
86 S.W.3d 226 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2002)
Almanza v. State
686 S.W.2d 157 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1985)
Schaired v. State
786 S.W.2d 497 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1990)
Tompkins v. State
774 S.W.2d 195 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1987)
Monroe v. State
864 S.W.2d 140 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1993)
Jackson v. State
680 S.W.2d 809 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1984)
Alvarado v. State
775 S.W.2d 851 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1989)
Garrett v. State
749 S.W.2d 784 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1988)
Kelly v. State
640 S.W.2d 605 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1982)