Urias, Javier

• Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
• Decided: March 31, 2021
• Docket: WR-82,009-03
• Status: Published

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS NO. WR-82,009-03

EX PARTE JAVIER URIAS, Applicant

ON APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS CAUSE NO. 20090D03338-243-3 IN THE 243RD DISTRICT COURT FROM EL PASO COUNTY

Per curiam.

ORDER

Applicant was convicted of injury to a child and sentenced to forty-five years’ imprisonment.

The Eighth Court of Appeals affirmed his conviction. Urias v. State, No. 08-12-00090-CR (Tex.

App.—El Paso Mar. 26, 2014)(not designated for publication). Applicant filed this application for

a writ of habeas corpus in the county of conviction, and the district clerk forwarded it to this Court.

See TEX . CODE CRIM . PROC. art. 11.07.

Applicant contends that trial counsel was ineffective for, among other things, failing to

investigate and present evidence to challenge the science of shaken baby syndrome. Applicant has

alleged facts that, if true, might entitle him to relief. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984).

Accordingly, the record should be developed. The trial court is the appropriate forum for findings 2

of fact. TEX . CODE CRIM . PROC. art. 11.07, § 3(d). The trial court shall order trial counsel to

respond to Applicant’s claim. In developing the record, the trial court may use any means set out

in Article 11.07, § 3(d). If the trial court elects to hold a hearing, it shall determine whether

Applicant is indigent. If Applicant is indigent and wants to be represented by counsel, the trial court

shall appoint counsel to represent him at the hearing. See TEX . CODE CRIM . PROC . art. 26.04. If

counsel is appointed or retained, the trial court shall immediately notify this Court of counsel’s

name.

The trial court shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law as to whether trial counsel’s

performance was deficient and Applicant was prejudiced. The trial court may make any other

findings and conclusions that it deems appropriate in response to Applicant’s claim.

The trial court shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law within ninety days from

the date of this order. The district clerk shall then immediately forward to this Court the trial court’s

findings and conclusions and the record developed on remand, including, among other things,

affidavits, motions, objections, proposed findings and conclusions, orders, and transcripts from

hearings and depositions. See TEX . R. APP . P. 73.4(b)(4). Any extensions of time must be requested

by the trial court and obtained from this Court.

Filed: March 31, 2021

Do not publish