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Ward v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourteenth District, Houston
Apr 10, 2003
Nos. 14-02-00820-CR, 14-02-00821-CR (Tex. App. Apr. 10, 2003)

Opinion

Nos. 14-02-00820-CR, 14-02-00821-CR.

Opinion Filed April 10, 2003. DO NOT PUBLISH, Tex.R.App.P. 47.2(b).

Appeal from the 184th District Court, Harris County, Texas, Trial Court Cause Nos. 916,073 and 916,074. Affirmed.

Before Chief Justice BRISTER and Justices FOWLER and EDELMAN.


MEMORANDUM OPINION


After a jury trial, appellant was convicted of the offenses of deadly conduct and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. On August 2, 2002, the trial court sentenced appellant to confinement for sixty years in each case in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, with the sentences to run concurrently. Appellant filed a pro se notice of appeal. Appellant's appointed counsel filed a brief in which she concludes the appeal is wholly frivolous and without merit. The brief meets the requirements of Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396 (1967), by presenting a professional evaluation of the record demonstrating why there are no arguable grounds to be advanced. See High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807 (Tex.Crim.App. 1978). A copy of counsel's brief was delivered to appellant. Appellant was advised of the right to examine the appellate record and file a pro se response. See Stafford v. State, 813 S.W.2d 503, 510 (Tex.Crim.App. 1991). On March 24, 2003, appellant filed a pro se response to counsel's Anders brief, in which he raised one issue complaining that the trial court erred in overruling his objection to the State's motion to consolidate these cases. The record before this Court contains no timely filed motion to sever, however. See Graham v. State 19 S.W.3d 851, 854 n. 2 (Tex.Crim.App. 1990) (noting defendant has right to severance after timely motion). The record also contains no objection to consolidation, although there is a notation that defendant's objection was overruled. Appellant's issue cannot be sustained, however, because any severance error in this case was not claimed or shown to be harmful under Cain v. State, 947 S.W.2d 262, 264 (Tex.Crim.App. 1997). See Llamas v. State, 12 S.W.3d 469, 470 (Tex.Crim.App. 2000) (discussing concerns, such as risks of consecutive sentences or conviction based on commission of other crimes, reviewing court should examine when conducting harm analysis of severance error). We conclude the error did not have a substantial or injurious affect on the jury verdict. See Llamas, 12 S.W.3d at 471 n. 2; TEX. R. APP. P. 44.2(b). We have carefully reviewed the record and counsel's brief and agree the appeal is wholly frivolous and without merit. Further, we find no reversible error in the record. Further discussion of the brief and appellant's response would add nothing to the jurisprudence of the state. Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

In Llamas, the Court of Criminal Appeals disavowed the language in Warmowski v. State, 853 S.W.2d 575 (Tex.Crim.App. 1993) indicating severance error is not subject to a harm analysis. 12 S.W.3d at at 470.


Summaries of

Ward v. State

Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourteenth District, Houston
Apr 10, 2003
Nos. 14-02-00820-CR, 14-02-00821-CR (Tex. App. Apr. 10, 2003)
Case details for

Ward v. State

Case Details

Full title:GERALD WAYNE WARD, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

Court:Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourteenth District, Houston

Date published: Apr 10, 2003

Citations

Nos. 14-02-00820-CR, 14-02-00821-CR (Tex. App. Apr. 10, 2003)