Richard Lee Pollard v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided March 13, 2015·No. 03-14-00545-CR·Published

Opinion

ACCEPTED

03-14-00545-CR

4499342

THIRD COURT OF APPEALS

AUSTIN, TEXAS

3/13/2015 4:36:50 PM

JEFFREY D. KYLE

CLERK

NO. 03-14-00545-CR

FILED IN

3rd COURT OF APPEALS

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR THE THIRD DISTRICT OF TEXAS 3/13/2015 4:36:50 PM AUSTIN JEFFREY D. KYLE Clerk

RICHARD LEE POLLARD,

Appellant

v.

THE STATE OF TEXAS

Appellee

Appeal in Cause No. CR6692 in the 424thJudicial District Court of Llano County, Texas

BRIEF FOR APPELLEE

-------------------------

OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY 33RD and 424th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS Wiley B. McAfee, District Attorney P. O. Box 725, Llano, Texas 78643 Telephone Telecopier (325) 247-5755 (325) 247-5274

By: R. Blake Ewing

Assistant District Attorney State Bar No. 24076376 asstda2@burnetcountytexas.org ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE

March 13, 2015

ORAL ARGUMENT WAIVED

IDENTITY OF THE PARTIES

Trial Court

Honorable Dan Mills (now former) 424th Judicial District Burnet County Courthouse Annex (North) 1701 East Polk St., Suite 74 Burnet, TX 78611

Trial Counsel for Appellee

Anthony J. Dodson Assistant District Attorney P. O. Box 725 Llano, Texas 78643 (325) 247-5755 State Bar No. 05927200

Robert Blake Ewing Assistant District Attorney 1701 E. Polk St., Suite 24 Burnet, Texas 78611 (512) 756-5449 State Bar No. 24076376

Appellate Counsel for Appellee

Robert Blake Ewing Assistant District Attorney 1701 E. Polk St., Suite 24 Burnet, Texas 78611 (512) 756-5449 State Bar No. 24076376

ii

Trial Counsel for Appellant

Richard D. Davis P.O. Box 398 Burnet, TX 78611 (512) 756-5117 State Bar No. 05537100 rdd@austin.twcbc.com

Barton Joseph Vana Attorney at Law P.O. Box 398 Burnet, TX 78611 (512) 756-5117 State Bar No. 24084441

Appellate Counsel for Appellant

Richard D. Davis P.O. Box 398 Burnet, TX 78611 (512) 756-5117 State Bar No. 05537100 rdd@austin.twcbc.com

Appellant

Richard Lee Pollard TDCJ #01934170 SID #02166353 Wallace Pack Unit 2400 Wallace Pack Rd. Navasota, TX 77868

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Identity of the Parties........................................................................................ ii

Table of Authorities.......................................................................................... v

Statement of the Case........................................................................................ 2

Statement on Oral Argument............................................................................. 3

Reply to Issues Presented.................................................................................. 3

Statement of the Facts....................................................................................... 3

Summary of the Argument and Argument -

Reply to Issue No. 1................................................................................ 4 The State agrees that no reversible error exists in the record of this cause and that the appeal herein is frivolous.

Prayer for Relief................................................................................................ 5

Certificate of Word Count................................................................................. 6

Certificate of Service......................................................................................... 6

iv

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

Cases

Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S. Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2nd 492 (1967)….…4

High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807 (Tex. Crim. App. 1978)………….………………..4

Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75, 109 S. Ct. 346, 102 L.Ed.2d 300 1988) ……………4

Constitutions

None cited

Statutes/Rules

TEX. R. APP. PROC. 38.1(d) ……………………………………………………..2

v

NO. 03-14-00545-CR

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE THIRD DISTRICT OF TEXAS AUSTIN

RICHARD LEE POLLARD,

Appellant

v.

THE STATE OF TEXAS

Appellee

Appeal in Cause No. CR6692 in the 424th Judicial District Court of Llano County, Texas

BRIEF FOR APPELLEE

TO THE HONORABLE JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEALS:

COMES NOW the State of Texas, hereinafter called Appellee, and submits

this brief pursuant to the provisions of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure in

support of the State’s request to affirm the judgment of the trial court.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Appellant has adequately described the Statement of the Case, although the

undersigned will provide a separate statement of the case supported by record

references to assist the Court. TEX. R. APP. PROC. 38.1(d).

Appellant was indicted for the offense of Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or

More on August 13, 2013. C.R. 6. The State gave notice of its intent to seek an

enhanced penalty range on Jan 2, 2014 and amended its notice on April 23, 2014.

C.R. 16-17, 37-38. The State moved to amend and interlineate the indictment on

April 23, 2014. C.R. 39-40. The trial court granted the State’s motion over

Appellant’s objection. R.R., Vol. 3, pp. 4-6.

Appellant proceeded to trial on June 16, 2014 and entered a plea of not

guilty. R.R., Vol. 4, pp. 1, 18. After hearing evidence, the jury returned a verdict

finding Appellant guilty of the offense of Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or More as

charged in the indictment. C.R. 64. Appellant timely filed his election to have the

jury assess punishment. C.R. 59. Upon conclusion of the punishment phase of

trial the jury returned its verdict assessing punishment at confinement in the

Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a term of

life. C.R. 71. Notice of Appeal was timely filed. C.R. 80.

STATEMENT ON ORAL ARGUMENT

The undersigned waives oral argument. The undersigned does not believe

that Oral Argument will be beneficial for this case for the reason that the issues are

straightforward and devoid of any novel or complex questions. Should the Court

believe that oral argument will assist the Court in any way, the undersigned will

accommodate the Court.

REPLY TO ISSUE PRESENTED

Reply To Issue One: The State agrees that no reversible error exists in the record of this cause and that the appeal herein is frivolous.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

Appellant’s statement of the facts is adequate, and the undersigned believes

that Appellant’s statement is supported by the record with only one discrepancy.

Appellant notes that the State introduced at the punishment phase of trial evidence

of Appellant’s prior convictions, and states that one of those convictions was for

“intoxication manslaughter.” APPELLANT’S BRIEF 3. The conviction

referenced by Appellant was, in fact, for involuntary manslaughter under the law

as it existed in 1981. R.R., Vol. 7, STATE’S EXHIBIT 15.

In all other respects, the undersigned believes that Appellant has accurately

stated the facts of the case.

SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT AND ARGUMENT ON REPLY TO ISSUE NO. 1

(1) The State agrees that no reversible error exists in the record

of this cause and that the appeal herein is frivolous.

Appellant seeks to appeal his conviction and sentence. Appellant’s appellate

counsel describes various arguable grounds for appeal and explains why such

grounds do not support a finding of reversible error. The State of Texas has fully

reviewed the record and agrees that there was no reversible error committed in the

trial proceedings and that the appeal thereof is frivolous. See Anders v. California,

386 U.S. 738, 87 S. Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2nd 492 (1967); Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75,

109 S. Ct. 346, 102 L.Ed.2d 300 (1988); and High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807 (Tex.

Crim. App. 1978).

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Appellee prays the Court deny

Appellant’s appeal and affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Respectfully submitted,

OFFICE OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY 33RD and 424th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS Wiley B. McAfee, District Attorney P. O. Box 725 Llano, Texas 78643 Telephone Telecopier (325) 247-5755 (325) 247-5274

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Related

Anders v. California
386 U.S. 738 (Supreme Court, 1967)
Penson v. Ohio
488 U.S. 75 (Supreme Court, 1988)
High v. State
573 S.W.2d 807 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1978)