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Williams v. State

Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas
Nov 21, 2017
NO. 01-16-00960-CR (Tex. App. Nov. 21, 2017)

Opinion

NO. 01-16-00960-CR

11-21-2017

ADRIAN WILLIAMS, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee


On Appeal from the 263rd District Court Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 1475112

MEMORANDUM OPINION

After appellant, Adrian Williams, pleaded guilty without an agreed punishment recommendation to the offense of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, the trial court sentenced appellant to fifteen years' imprisonment. This sentence is within the applicable range. The trial court certified that this was not a plea-bargain case, and that appellant had the right of appeal. See TEX. R. APP. P. 25.2(a)(2). Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal.

See TEX. PENAL CODE § 29.03(b) (offense of aggravated robbery is first-degree felony); 12.32 (first-degree felony punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 99 years or life).

Appellant's appointed counsel on appeal has filed a motion to withdraw, along with an Anders brief stating that the record presents no reversible error and that, therefore, 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 this Court with references to the record and legal authority. See id. 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 that he 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's counsel has informed us that he mailed a copy of the motion to withdraw and Anders brief to appellant and informed him of his right to file a response and to access the record. See In re Schulman, 252 S.W.3d 403, 408 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). Appellant did not file a pro se Anders response or a request for the record.

We have independently reviewed the entire record in this appeal, and we conclude that no reversible error exists in the record, that there are no arguable grounds for review, and that therefore 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, 826-28 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (reviewing court is not to address merits of each claim raised in Anders brief or pro se response after determining there are no arguable grounds for review); Mitchell, 193 S.W.3d at 155. 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.

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the trial court and grant counsel's motion to withdraw. See TEX. R. APP. P. 43.2(a). Attorney Allen C. Isbell must immediately send the required notice and file a copy of that notice with the Clerk of this Court. See TEX. R. APP. P. 6.5(c). We dismiss any other pending motions as moot.

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 Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W.3d 824, 826-27 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).

PER CURIAM Panel consists of Chief Justice Radack and Justices Higley and Bland. Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).


Summaries of

Williams v. State

Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas
Nov 21, 2017
NO. 01-16-00960-CR (Tex. App. Nov. 21, 2017)
Case details for

Williams v. State

Case Details

Full title:ADRIAN WILLIAMS, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

Court:Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas

Date published: Nov 21, 2017

Citations

NO. 01-16-00960-CR (Tex. App. Nov. 21, 2017)