ALEJANDRO MEDINA LOPEZ v. THE STATE OF TEXAS--Appeal from 206th District Court of Hidalgo County
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NUMBER 13-08-00072-CR COURT OF APPEALS THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS CORPUS CHRISTI - EDINBURG ALEJANDRO MEDINA LOPEZ, Appellant, v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee. On appeal from the 206th District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas. MEMORANDUM OPINION Before Chief Justice Valdez and Justices Yañez and Benavides Memorandum Opinion by Justice Yañez A jury convicted appellant, Alejandro Medina Lopez, of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit sexual assault1 and aggravated sexual assault.2 The jury sentenced him to twelve years imprisonment for the burglary-of-a-habitation offense and thirty years 1 See T EX . P EN AL C OD E A N N . § 30.02(a)(1), (d) (Vernon 2003). 2 See id. § 22.021 (Vernon Supp. 2008). imprisonment for the aggravated sexual assault offense, to be served concurrently.3 Appellant s appellate counsel, concluding that the appeal contains no errors for the appellate court s consideration and review, filed an Anders4 brief, in which he reviewed the merits, or lack thereof, of the appeal. We affirm. I. DISCUSSION Pursuant to Anders v. California,5 appellant s court-appointed appellate counsel has filed a brief with this Court, stating that his review of the record yielded no grounds or error upon which an appeal can be predicated. Although counsel s brief does not advance any arguable grounds of error, it does present a professional evaluation of the record demonstrating why there are no arguable grounds to be advanced on appeal.6 In compliance with High v. State,7 appellant s counsel has carefully discussed why, under controlling authority, there are no errors in the trial court s judgment. Counsel has informed this Court that he has: (1) examined the record and found no arguable grounds to advance on appeal, (2) served a copy of the brief and counsel s motion to withdraw on appellant, and (3) informed appellant of his right to review the record and to file a pro se 3 See id. § 12.32 (Vernon 2003) (providing punishm ent range for first-degree felony). 4 See Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 744 (1967). 5 See id. 6 See In re Schulman, 252 S.W .3d 403, 407 n.9 (Tex. Crim . App. 2008) ( In Texas, an Anders brief need not specifically advance arguable points of error if counsel finds none, but it m ust provide record references to the facts and procedural history and set out pertinent legal authorities. ) (citing Hawkins v. State, 112 S.W .3d 340, 343-44 (Tex. App. Corpus Christi 2003, no pet.)); Stafford v. State, 813 S.W .2d 503, 510 n.3 (Tex. Crim . App. 1991). 7 High v. State, 573 S.W .2d 807, 813 (Tex. Crim . App. [Panel Op.] 1978). 2 response.8 More than an adequate period of time has passed, and appellant has not filed a pro se response.9 II. INDEPENDENT REVIEW Upon receiving an Anders brief, we must conduct a full examination of all the proceedings to determine whether the case is wholly frivolous.10 We have reviewed the entire record and counsel's brief and have found nothing that would arguably support an appeal.11 Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the trial court. III. MOTION TO WITHDRAW In accordance with Anders, appellant s attorney has asked this Court for permission to withdraw as counsel for appellant.12 We grant counsel s motion to withdraw. Within five days of the date of this Court s opinion, counsel is ordered to send a copy of the opinion and judgment to appellant and to advise appellant of his right to file a petition for 8 See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744; Stafford, 813 S.W .2d at 510 n.3; see also In re Schulman, 252 S.W .3d at 409 n.23. The Texas Court of Crim inal Appeals has held that the pro se response need not com ply with the rules of appellate procedure in order to be considered. Rather, the response should identify for the court those issues which the indigent appellant believes the court should consider in deciding whether the case presents any m eritorious issues. In re Schulman, 252 S.W .3d at 409 n.23 (quoting W ilson v. State, 955 S.W .2d 693, 696-97 (Tex. App. W aco 1997, no pet.)). 9 See In re Schulman, 252 S.W .3d at 409. 10 Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75, 80 (1988). 11 See Bledsoe v. State, 178 S.W .3d 824, 826-28 (Tex. Crim . App. 2005) ( Due to the nature of Anders briefs, by indicating in the opinion that it considered the issues raised in the briefs and reviewed the record for reversible error but found none, the court of appeals m et the requirem ent of Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 47.1. ); Stafford, 813 S.W .2d at 509. 12 See Anders, 386 U.S. at 744; see also In re Schulman, 252 S.W .3d at 408 n.17 (citing Jeffery v. State, 903 S.W .2d 776, 779-80 (Tex. App. D allas 1995, no pet.) (noting that [i]f an attorney believes the appeal is frivolous, he m ust withdraw from representing the appellant. To withdraw from representation, the appointed attorney m ust file a m otion to withdraw accom panied by a brief showing the appellate court that the appeal is frivolous. ) (citations om itted)). 3 discretionary review.13 LINDA REYNA YAà EZ, Justice Do not publish. TEX . R. APP. P. 47.2(b). Memorandum Opinion delivered and filed this the 20th day of August, 2009. 13 See T EX . R. A PP . P. 48.4; see also In re Schulman, 252 S.W .3d at 412 n.35; Ex parte Owens, 206 S.W .3d 670, 673 (Tex. Crim . App. 2006). No substitute counsel will be appointed. Should appellant wish to seek further review of this case by the Texas Court of Crim inal Appeals, he m ust either retain an attorney to file a petition for discretionary review or file a pro se petition for discretionary review. Any petition for discretionary review m ust be filed within thirty days from the date of either this opinion or the last tim ely m otion for rehearing that was overruled by this Court. See T EX . R. A PP . P. 68.2. Any petition for discretionary review m ust be filed with this Court, after which it will be forwarded to the Texas Court of Crim inal Appeals. See T EX . R. A PP . P. 68.3; 68.7. Any petition for discretionary review should com ply with the requirem ents of Rule 68.4 of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure. See T EX . R. A PP . P. 68.4. 4
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