Peterson, Deborah A. v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided August 14, 2013·No. 05-12-00728-CR·Published

Opinion

AFFIRM as MODIFIED; and Opinion Filed August 14, 2013.

S In The

Court of Appeals

Fifth District of Texas at Dallas

No. 05-12-00728-CR

DEBORAH A. PETERSON, Appellant V.

THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

On Appeal from the 86th Judicial District Court Kaufman County, Texas

Trial Court Cause No. 30352-86

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Before Justices FitzGerald, Francis, and Lewis Opinion by Justice Lewis

A jury found appellant Deborah Peterson guilty of possession of methamphetamine with

intent to deliver in an amount of four grams or more but less than 200 grams, within 1000 feet of a drug free zone. The jury assessed appellant’s punishment at seventy years’ confinement and a fine of $20,000. Appellant raises sixteen issues on appeal. We modify the judgment to delete the order for the sentences to run consecutively. As modified, we affirm the trial court’s judgment. Because all dispositive issues are settled in law, we issue this memorandum opinion. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(a), 47.4.

Kaufman County narcotics investigators received information from a confidential informant (“CI”) that appellant was selling drugs from a house that she rented in Terrell, Texas. After obtaining a “no-knock search warrant” for appellant’s residence, a SWAT team entered the home, searched and found illegal drugs, and arrested appellant.

Appellant filed several pre-trial motions including motions to suppress evidence found during the search as well as suppression of her statements which led to the location of the illegal drugs. These motions to suppress were denied. During the punishment phase, the State introduced penitentiary packets for drug possession from Hunt County from December 2008, and Van Zandt County from January 2009 for which appellant was sentenced to concurrent sentences of confinement. The State further introduced records for two other drug possession offenses, including a deferred adjudication order, conditions of community supervision, motion for adjudication, a capias, and a plea of true. Appellant was found guilty and sentenced to seventy years’ confinement and a fine of $20,000. Consecutive sentence order Appellant’s first ten issues contend the trial court erred by ordering her sentences to run consecutively pursuant to Texas Health and Safety Code, section 481.134 because all of her prior convictions were for offenses listed under section 481.134 and not convictions “under any other criminal statute.” See Williams v. State, 253 S.W.3d 673, 678 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). The State concedes this issue.

We have the authority to modify an incorrect judgment when we have the necessary data and information to do so. TEX. R. APP. P. 43.2(b); Bigley v. State, 865 S.W.2d 26, 27–28 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993). “Punishment that is increased for a conviction for an offense listed under this section may not run concurrently with punishment for a conviction under any other criminal statute.” TEX. HEALTH & SAFETY CODE ANN. § 481.134 (West 2010). Here, the record shows the jury decided the guilt of appellant under section 481.134 and appellant’s prior felony convictions were also offenses listed under section 481.134 and not “under any other criminal statute.” Id.

(emphasis added). We sustain appellant’s first ten issues. 1 We modify the trial court’s judgment to delete the order for the sentences to run consecutively. Drug-free zone enhancement Appellant’s eleventh and twelfth issues argue that the evidence was insufficient. 2 Appellant argues the evidence was insufficient to establish that she committed the offense in a drug-free zone and because the evidence was insufficient, the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury that the maximum fine was $10,000. Specifically, appellant argues the “school” option in a drug-free zone finding was unavailable because members of the “general public could not enroll their children” in the relevant school.

When reviewing the legal sufficiency of the evidence, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict and determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found the elements of the drug-free zone enhancement beyond a reasonable doubt. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 318–19 (1979); Brooks v. State, 323 S.W.3d 893, 912 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). It is the responsibility of the jury to fairly resolve conflicts in the testimony, to weigh the evidence, and to draw reasonable inferences from basic facts to ultimate facts. Jackson, 443 U.S. at 319; Hooper v. State, 214 S.W.3d 9, 13 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007).

We measure the sufficiency of the evidence to support the drug-free zone finding by the elements of the enhancement as defined by a hypothetically correct jury charge. Young v. State, 14 S.W.3d 748, 750 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000). A hypothetically correct jury charge is “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 was tried.” Malik v. State, 953 S.W.2d

1 Because we have concluded the cumulation order shall be deleted, we do not address appellant’s issues regarding pronouncement of the order or her right to be present when the order was entered.

2 Appellant does not, however, challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to support possession with intent to deliver.

234, 240 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997). “[I]f the penal offense sets out various statutory alternatives for the distinct elements of the crime, the jury charge may contain only those alternative elements that are actually alleged in the indictment.” Cada v. State, 334 S.W.3d 766, 773 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011). Thus, a hypothetically correct jury charge must include allegations that are statutory alternatives for an element of the offense and material variances. See id.

The State alleged “the defendant committed the above offense within 1,000 feet of, the premises owned or rented or leased by a school, institution of higher learning, or playground, or a public or private youth center.” The statute under which appellant was charged states, “The minimum term of confinement or imprisonment for an offense otherwise punishable” under section 481.112(d) is increased by five years and the maximum fine for the offense is doubled if it is shown on the trial of the offense “that the offense was committed in, on, or within 1,000 feet of the premises of a school, the premises of a public or private youth center, or a playground.” TEX. HEALTH & SAFETY CODE ANN. § 481.134(c)(1) (West Supp. 2012).

The trial court’s charge to the jury gave the following instructions which track the definitions provided in the statute:

"Premises" means real property and all buildings and appurtenances pertaining to the real property.

"School" means a private or public elementary or secondary school.

"Playground" means any outdoor facility that is not on the premises of a school and that is intended for recreation, is open to the public, and contains three or more play stations intended for the recreation of children, such as slides, swing sets, and teeterboards.

"Youth center" means any recreational facility or gymnasium that is intended primarily for use by persons who are 17 years of age or younger and regularly provides athletic, civic, or cultural activities.

The indictment alleges that defendant committed the offense alleged in the indictment within 1000 feet of the premises of a school, or playground, or a public or private youth center.

Do you, the Jury, find beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the offense of possession of a controlled substance, with intent to deliver, within 1000 feet of the premises of a school, or playground, or a public or private youth center.

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