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.

–2– (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.

–3– 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.

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