Patrick Delane Johnson v. the State of Texas

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided August 17, 2022·No. 12-21-00215-CR·Published

Opinion

NOS. 12-21-00215-CR

12-21-00216-CR

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT

TYLER, TEXAS

PATRICK DELANE JOHNSON, § APPEALS FROM THE 114TH APPELLANT

V. § JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

THE STATE OF TEXAS, APPELLEE § SMITH COUNTY, TEXAS

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Patrick Delane Johnson appeals his convictions for aggravated kidnapping and continuous violence against the family. In three issues, Appellant argues that the evidence is insufficient to support the trial court’s judgment, the trial court erred in failing sua sponte to submit a charge on the lesser included offense of unlawful restraint, and the assessment of court costs is improper. We modify and affirm as modified.

BACKGROUND

Appellant was charged by separate indictments with the aggravated kidnapping of Shannen Marvels and continuous violence against the family and pleaded “not guilty” to each charge. The matter proceeded to a jury trial, following which the jury found Appellant “guilty” of both offenses. The matter proceeded to a jury trial on punishment. Ultimately, the jury assessed Appellant’s punishment at imprisonment for life for aggravated kidnapping and imprisonment for ten years for continuous violence against the family. The trial court sentenced Appellant accordingly, and this appeal followed.

EVIDENTIARY SUFFICIENCY

In his first issue, Appellant argues that there is insufficient evidence to support the trial court’s judgment for aggravated kidnapping. Specifically, Appellant contends that there is no evidence that “he acted with the specific intent of abduction.” Standard of Review and Governing Law The Jackson v. Virginia 1 legal sufficiency standard is the only standard that a reviewing court should apply in determining whether the evidence is sufficient to support each element of a criminal offense that the state is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. See Brooks v. State, 323 S.W.3d 893, 895 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). Legal sufficiency is the constitutional minimum required by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to sustain a criminal conviction. See Jackson, 443 U.S. at 315–16, 99 S. Ct. at 2786–87; see also Escobedo v. State, 6 S.W.3d 1, 6 (Tex. App.–San Antonio 1999, pet. ref’d). The standard for reviewing a legal sufficiency challenge is whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. See Jackson, 443 U.S. at 320, 99 S. Ct. at 2789; see also Johnson v. State, 871 S.W.2d 183, 186 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993). The evidence is examined in the light most favorable to the verdict. See Jackson, 443 U.S. at 320, 99 S. Ct. at 2789; Johnson, 871 S.W.2d at 186. A jury is free to believe all or any part of a witness’s testimony or disbelieve all or any part of that testimony. See Lee v. State, 176 S.W.3d 452, 458 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.] 2004), aff’d, 206 S.W.3d 620 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006). A successful legal sufficiency challenge will result in rendition of an acquittal by the reviewing court. See Tibbs v. Florida, 457 U.S. 31, 41–42, 102 S. Ct. 2211, 2217–18, 72 L. Ed. 2d 652 (1982).

Circumstantial evidence is as probative as direct evidence in establishing guilt, and circumstantial evidence alone can be sufficient to establish guilt. Rodriguez v. State, 521 S.W.3d 822, 827 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.] 2017, no pet.) (citing Sorrells v. State, 343 S.W.3d 152, 155 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011)). Each fact need not point directly and independently to the guilt of the appellant, provided that the cumulative force of all the incriminating circumstances is sufficient to support the conviction. See Hooper v. State, 214 S.W.3d 9, 13 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). Juries are permitted to draw multiple reasonable inferences so long as each inference is supported by the evidence presented at trial. Id. at 15. Juries are not permitted

1

443 U.S. 307, 315–16, 99 S. Ct. 2781, 2786–87, 61 L. Ed. 2d 560 (1979).

to reach conclusions based on mere speculation or factually unsupported inferences or presumptions. Id. An inference is a conclusion reached by considering other facts and deducing a logical consequence from them, while speculation is mere theorizing or guessing about the possible meaning of facts and evidence presented. Id. at 16.

The sufficiency of the evidence is measured against the offense as defined by a hypothetically correct jury charge. See Malik v. State, 953 S.W.2d 234, 240 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997). Such a charge would include one that “accurately sets out the law, is authorized by the indictment, does not unnecessarily increase the State’s burden of proof or unnecessarily restrict the State’s theories of liability, and adequately describes the particular offense for which the defendant is tried.” Id.

To support Appellant’s conviction for aggravated kidnapping as charged, the State was required to prove that he, with the intent either (1) to terrorize or (2) inflict bodily injury, intentionally or knowingly abducted Marvels. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 20.04(a)(4), (5) (West 2019). As applied to this case, “abduct” means to restrain a person with intent to prevent her liberation by secreting or holding her in a place where she is not likely to be found. See id. § 20.01(2) (West Supp. 2021). Moreover, for the purposes of our review, “restrain” means to restrict a person’s movements without consent by confining the person. See id. § 20.01(1). Restraint is “without consent” if it is accomplished by force, intimidation, or deception. Id. § 20.01(1)(A).

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Related

Jackson v. Virginia
443 U.S. 307 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Tibbs v. Florida
457 U.S. 31 (Supreme Court, 1982)
Ngo v. State
175 S.W.3d 738 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Anderson v. State
125 S.W.3d 729 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2003)
Lee v. State
206 S.W.3d 620 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2006)
Hooper v. State
214 S.W.3d 9 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Lee v. State
176 S.W.3d 452 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Johnson v. State
871 S.W.2d 183 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1993)
Malik v. State
953 S.W.2d 234 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1997)
Price v. State
35 S.W.3d 136 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Royster v. State
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Barrios v. State
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Kenny v. State
292 S.W.3d 89 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2008)
Escobedo v. State
6 S.W.3d 1 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
Brooks v. State
323 S.W.3d 893 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2010)
Oursbourn v. State
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Almanza v. State
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Brimage v. State
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Schweinle v. State
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