Ortega, Ismael

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 12, 2015
DocketPD-0267-15
StatusPublished

This text of Ortega, Ismael (Ortega, Ismael) 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
Ortega, Ismael, (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

PD-0267-15

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF AUSTIN, TEXAS

March 12, 2015 ISMAEL ORTEGA § Appellant § § NO. VS. § § THE STATE OF TEXAS, § Appellee §

ON PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW FROM THE DECISION OF THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE EIGHTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AT EL PASO, TEXAS IN CAUSE NO. 08-13-00233-CR AFFIRMING APPELLANT'S CONVICTION AND SENTENCE IN CAUSE NO. 1297279 HONORABLE MIKE MITCHELL, PRESIDING FROM COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. TWO OF TARRANT COUNTY

APPELLANT'S PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW

Richard A. Henderson State Bar No. 09427100 RICHARD A. HENDERSON, P.C. 100 Throckmorton Street, Suite 540 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817-332-9602 - Telephone 817-335-3940 - Facsimile rich ardrahenderson. corn

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT, ISMAEL ORTEGA SUBJECT INDEX TABLEOF AUTHORITIES.....................................................................................ii STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT...............................................1 STATEMENT OF THE CASE ................................................................................. 1 STATEMENT OF PROCEDURAL HISTORY.......................................................1 GROUNDSFOR REVIEW ......................................................................................1 REASONSFOR REVIEW .......................................................................................2 GROUNDONE.................................................................................................2 GROUNDTWO................................................................................................4 CONCLUSIONAND PRAYER...............................................................................7 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE ........................................................................8 CERTIFICATEOF SERVICE..................................................................................8 APPENDICES...........................................................................................................9 Appendix "A" (Opinion of the Court of Appeals Eighth District of Texas, El Paso,Texas) TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

CASES

Arnold v. State, 742 S.W.2d 10, 13 (Tex.Crim.App. 1987)................................................................ 4

Garcia v. State, 528 S.W.2d 6049 605 (Tex.Crim.App. 1975) ........................................................... 3

Guzman v. State, 955 S.W.2d 85, 89 (Tex.Crim.App. 1997)................................................................ 5 Montanez v. State, 195 S.W.3d 101 (Tex.Crim.App. 2006).................................................................... 5

Richardson v. State, 622 S.W.2d 852, 856 (Tex.Crim.App. 1981) (op. on reh'g) .....................................3

Shaw v. State, 243 S.W.3d 647, 657 (Tex.Crim.App. 2007)............................................................3

CODES, RULES TexasPenal Code § 2.03 ...........................................................................................2

Texas Penal Code § 2.03(c).......................................................................................3 Texas Rule of Evidence 404(b).................................................................................1

11 STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT

Petitioner believes that oral argument would aid the court in deciding the

critical issues presented.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Appellant pleaded not guilty to a jury to driving while intoxicated

misdemeanor repetition to a jury. Appellant was found guilty and sentenced to

ninety (90) days in jail.

STATEMENT OF PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The Court of Appeals issued its Opinion affirming the conviction on

February 11, 2015. No Motion for Rehearing was filed. This Petition for

Discretionary Review is timely if filed on or before March 13, 2015.

GROUNDS FOR REVIEW

GROUND ONE: When involuntary intoxication is raised by the evidence, is it fundamental charge error to deny a defense instruction of involuntary intoxication?

GROUND TWO: Is it an abuse of discretion to deny a mistrial when evidence of a prior DWI is introduced in violation of Texas Rule of Evidence 404(b).

1 REASONS FOR REVIEW

Reason for Review Ground One:

Appellant and his wife were found asleep in their car on the side of the road.

Appellant was arrested for DWI. At trial, Appellant testified that his brother had

left a gasoline can in the trunk of the car and that Appellant believed that was what

caused both him and his wife to fall asleep. Appellant did not give a blood or

breath specimen. Appellant's called an expert who offered testimony that being

overcome by gasoline fumes can mimic alcohol intoxication. The trial court

admitted the expert evidence but refused a defense requested instruction on the

grounds of involuntary intoxication. The Appellate court ruled that because intent

is not an element of driving while intoxicated that it made no difference if the

gasoline left in the trunk of the car caused involuntary intoxication.

Texas Penal Code Section 2.03 allows for a jury instruction where the

existence of the defense has been raised through evidence. To wit:

§2.03. DEFENSE.

(a) A defense to prosecution for an offense in this code is so labeled by the phrase: "It is a defense to prosecution"

(b) The prosecuting attorney is not required to negate the existence of a defense in the accusation charging commission of the offense.

2 (c) The issue of the existence of a defense is not submitted to the jury unless evidence is admitted supporting the defense.

(d) If the issue of the existence of a defense is submitted to the jury, the court shall charge that a reasonable doubt on the issue requires that the defendant be acquitted.

(e) Aground of defense in a penal law that is not plainly labeled in accordance with this chapter has the procedural and evidentiary consequences of a defense.

In Texas Penal Code § 2.03(c), the Legislature mandated that "[t]he issue of

the existence of a defense is not submitted to the jury unless evidence is admitted

supporting the defense. For the purposes of § 2.03(c), a defense is supported (or

"raised") if there is evidence in the record making a prima facie case for the

defense. Richardson v. State, 622 S.W.2d 852, 856 (Tex.Crim.App. 1981) (op. on

reh'g); Garcia v. State, 528 S.W.2d 604, 605 (Tex.Crim.App. 1975). A prima facie

case is that "minimum quantum of evidence necessary to support a rational

inference that [an] allegation of fact is true." Shaw v. State, 243 S.W.3d 647, 657

(Tex.Crim.App. 2007). If a defense is supported by the evidence, then the

defendant is entitled to an instruction on that defense, even if the evidence

supporting the defense is weak or contradicted, and even if the trial court is of the

opinion that the evidence is not credible. Id. If a defense is supported by the

91 evidence, then the defendant is entitled to an instruction on that defense, even if the

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Related

Young v. State
137 S.W.3d 65 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2004)
Montanez v. State
195 S.W.3d 101 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2006)
Arnold v. State
742 S.W.2d 10 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1987)
Garcia v. State
528 S.W.2d 604 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1975)
Hawkins v. State
135 S.W.3d 72 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2004)
Mosley v. State
983 S.W.2d 249 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1998)
Ocon v. State
284 S.W.3d 880 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2009)
Nelson v. State
149 S.W.3d 206 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2004)
Richardson v. State
622 S.W.2d 852 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1981)
Mendenhall v. State
77 S.W.3d 815 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2002)
Brown v. State
290 S.W.3d 247 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2009)
Shaw v. State
243 S.W.3d 647 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Torres v. State
585 S.W.2d 746 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1979)
Guzman v. State
955 S.W.2d 85 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1997)
Aliff v. State
955 S.W.2d 891 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1997)
Kirsch, Scott Alan
357 S.W.3d 645 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2012)
Kimball Douglas Hailey II v. State
413 S.W.3d 457 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2012)
Whatley v. State
445 S.W.3d 159 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2014)

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