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Flowers v. State

Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas
Nov 16, 2017
NO. 01-16-00740-CR (Tex. App. Nov. 16, 2017)

Opinion

NO. 01-16-00740-CR

11-16-2017

JOURDAN FLOWERS, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee


On Appeal from the 185th District Court Harris County, Texas
Trial Court Case No. 1503097

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Appellant, Jourdan Flowers, without an agreed punishment recommendation from the State, pleaded guilty to the felony offense of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. The trial court found appellant guilty, assessed punishment at confinement for eight years, and certified that appellant had the right to appeal. Appellant timely filed a notice of appeal.

See TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 29.03(a)(2), (b) (Vernon 2011).

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.).

Counsel has informed the Court that he delivered a copy of the brief and motion to withdraw to appellant and informed him of his right to examine the appellate record and file a response to counsel's Anders brief. See Kelly v. State, 436 S.W.3d 313, 319 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014); In re Schulman, 252 S.W.3d 403, 408 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). Appellant has not filed a response to his counsel's Anders brief.

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 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 155 (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 Douglas M. Durham 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). We dismiss any 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 Ex Parte Wilson, 956 S.W.2d 25, 27 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997).

PER CURIAM Panel consists of Justices Jennings, Bland, and Brown.
Do not publish. TEX. R. APP. P. 47.2(b).


Summaries of

Flowers v. State

Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas
Nov 16, 2017
NO. 01-16-00740-CR (Tex. App. Nov. 16, 2017)
Case details for

Flowers v. State

Case Details

Full title:JOURDAN FLOWERS, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee

Court:Court of Appeals For The First District of Texas

Date published: Nov 16, 2017

Citations

NO. 01-16-00740-CR (Tex. App. Nov. 16, 2017)