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Alarcon v. State

Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas
Jan 14, 2016
NO. 01-14-00760-CR (Tex. App. Jan. 14, 2016)

Opinion

NO. 01-14-00760-CR

01-14-2016

ISMAEL AGUILAR ALARCON, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee


On Appeal from the 185th District Court Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 1225411

MEMORANDUM OPINION

A jury found appellant, Ismael Aguilar Alarcon, guilty of the felony offense of sexual assault of a child. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 22.011(a)(2) (West 2011). The trial court imposed punishment and sentenced him to twenty years' imprisonment. See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 12.33 (West 2011). Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal.

Appellant's appointed counsel on appeal has filed a motion to withdraw, along with a brief stating that the record presents no reversible error and the appeal is without merit and is frivolous. See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S. Ct. 1396 (1967).

Counsel's brief meets the Anders requirements by presenting a professional evaluation of the record and supplying us with references to the record and legal authority. 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 1400; see also High v. State, 573 S.W.2d 807, 812 (Tex. Crim. App. 1978). Counsel indicates that he has thoroughly reviewed the record and is unable to advance any grounds of error that warrant reversal. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 1400; Mitchell v. State, 193 S.W.3d 153, 155 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, no pet.).

Appellant filed a response, presenting his own statement of facts and arguing, among other things, an unreasonable search, coerced testimony, ineffective assistance, and cruel and unusual punishment.

We have independently reviewed the entire record in this appeal, and we conclude that no reversible error exists in the record, there are no arguable grounds for review, and the appeal is frivolous. See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744, 87 S. Ct. at 1400 (emphasizing that reviewing court—and not counsel—determines, after full examination of proceedings, whether appeal is wholly frivolous); Garner v. State, 300 S.W.3d 763, 767 (Tex. Crim. App. 2009) (reviewing court must determine whether arguable grounds for review exist); Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W.3d 824, 826-27 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (same); Mitchell, 193 S.W.3d at 156 (reviewing court determines whether arguable grounds exist by reviewing entire record). We note that an appellant may challenge a holding that there are no arguable grounds for appeal by filing a petition for discretionary review in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. See Bledsoe, 178 S.W.3d at 827 & n.6.

We affirm the judgment of the trial court and grant counsel's motion to withdraw. Attorney David L. Garza must immediately send appellant the required notice and file a copy of the notice with the Clerk of this Court. See TEX. R. APP. P. 6.5(c).

Appointed counsel still has a duty to inform appellant of the result of this appeal and that he may, on his own, pursue discretionary review in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. See Ex Parte Wilson, 956 S.W.2d 25, 27 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997). --------

PER CURIAM Panel consists of Justices Higley, Huddle, and Lloyd. Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).


Summaries of

Alarcon v. State

Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas
Jan 14, 2016
NO. 01-14-00760-CR (Tex. App. Jan. 14, 2016)
Case details for

Alarcon v. State

Case Details

Full title:ISMAEL AGUILAR ALARCON, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

Court:Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas

Date published: Jan 14, 2016

Citations

NO. 01-14-00760-CR (Tex. App. Jan. 14, 2016)