Samaripas, David Jr. ( 2015 )


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    IN    THE    COURT    OF    CRIMINAL          APPEALS
    OF    TEXAS    AT    AUSTIN,TEXAS
    DAVID    SAMARIPAS,             JR.,
    Appellant
    v   .
    THE    STATE          OF    TEXAS
    Appellee
    FROM    THE    THBITEENTH             COURT    OF       APPEALS
    AT    CORPUS    CHR1STI-EDINBER&,                      TEXAS
    CAUSE    NO.    13-11-00442-CR
    APPELLANT'S          PETITION       FOR       DISCRETIONARY             REVIEU
    ORAL   ARGUMENT    REQUESTED
    DAVID    SAMARIPAS,JR.,            PRO   SE
    TDCJ-ID       #    1555601
    RAMSEY       UNIT
    1100    FM    6 55
    ROSHARON,          TX   77583
    D
    AUG 0 3 2015
    Ab@JAcos!a,Cferk
    IDENTIFICATION OF           THE   PARTIES
    Pursuant to TEX.R.APP.P.38.1 ( a) a complete list of all
    counsel and parties to the trial court's order is provided
    below so that members of    this Honorable Court may              at   once
    determine whether tbey are disqualified to serve or should
    recuse themselves from participating in the decision of this
    case .
    COUNSEL    FOR    THE    STATE
    DOUG HOWELL ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
    LISA   MCMINN STATE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
    APPELLANT    -    DEFENDANT
    DAVID    SAMARIPAS,          JR.
    COUNSEL FOR    APPELLANT ON            APPEAL
    RICHARD E.WETZEL
    1411 WEST AVENUE
    SUITE    100
    Austin,       Tx.    7 8 701
    TABLE   OF   CONTENTS
    PS
    STATEMENT     REGARDING     ORAL    ARGUMENT            i i i
    TABLE   OF   AUTHORTIES                                      iv
    STATEMENT     OF   THE   CASE                                 1
    STATEMENT     OF   PROCEDURAL      HISTORY                    1
    QUESTION     PRESENTED                                        2
    ARGUMENT                                                      2
    u
    CONCLUSION
    CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE,                                       5
    APPENDICES                                              5,    7
    n
    STATEMENT    REGARDING      ORAL    ARGUMENT
    The Appellant believes and respectfully surest to this
    court   that    the    important    issue    raised      in   this petition   is
    worthy of oral         argument.    The Appellant further be 1ieves»that
    presentation of         oral argument       in this case will assist          the
    Court in   understanding the effects               of the Thirteenth Court, of
    Appeals'   opinion.       Therefore,    the Appellant request oral
    argument   in    this    case.
    iii
    TABLE   OF   AUTHORITIES
    PG
    Z££ii£_ ££.§.££
    A];i:*iIIlI_X_STATE, 
    850 S.W.2d 471
    (Tex .Cr im .App .1991 )       2
    1ARAJAS_V_STATE_, 
    93 S.W.3d 36
    (Tex.         Crim.App.2000 )       2
    £M2ALEJ>_Y_STATE, 994 sw 2d 170 (Tex .Crint. App .1995 )          3
    STANDEFER V STATE,   
    59 S.W.3d 177
    (Tex.   Grim App 2001)    2
    iv
    NO.                 .;
    IN   THE     COURT       OF   CRIMINAL          APPEALS
    OF     TEXAS       AT   AUSTIN,          TEXAS
    DAVID    SAMARIPAS,               JR.,
    Appel lant
    THE    STATE      OF       TEXAS
    Appellee
    FROM      THE     THRITEENTH            COURT       OF    APPEALS
    AT   CORPUS        CHRISTI-EDINBERG,                  TEXAS
    CAUSE        NO.    13-11-00442-CR
    TO   THE   HONORABLE      COURT     OF    CRIMINAL             APPEALS:
    STATEMENT         OF        THE   CASE
    The Appellant was indicted and found guilty of engaging
    in organized criminal activity and the jury determined that
    he   had   used or    exhibited          a deadly             weapon during it's
    commission.     Two       enhancements were                   submitted      to    this   jury
    during the punishment phase and the jury found both
    enhancement     paragraphs          true,and Appellant                     was sentenced as      a
    habitual     offender       to    53 years         in        TDCJ-ID.
    STATEMENT_0F_PR0CEDURAL_HISTORY
    Appellant appealed the decision, claiming that the
    evidence was insufficient, that the trial court abused it's
    discretion in limiting his voir dire examination, that the
    trial court erred           in instructing the jury on the law
    of parties, and that his sentenced was improperly
    enhanced. The court of appeals affirmed Appellant's
    -.conviction and sentence.          Appellant           filed    a petition
    for   discretionary       review,        asking the court            to consider
    whether the Court of Appeals erred in holding that he failed
    to preserve the voir dire error and whether his prior State
    jail felony conviction could be used for sentence
    enhancement.
    The Court reversed on             Appellant's voir dire                issue,      holding
    that Appellant preserved error for review, and remanded
    the   issue    to   the   Thirteenth       Court       of    Appeals    for
    consideration of          the merits       of   that        issue.   See Appendix-A
    This Court has        extended       the Appellant's             timeto file
    it's petition for discretionary review until July 31, 2015.
    This petition        is timely filed.            See Appendix -B
    QUESTION       PRESENTED
    DID THE COURT       OF    APPEALS       ERR IN FAILING          TO PERFORM
    A PROPER HARM ANALYSIS             ON THE QUESTION             ASKED BY      COUNSEL
    ARGUMENT
    "A   trial   court's      discretion       is    abused       only   when    a   proper
    question about a proper area of inquiry is prohibited. A
    question is proper if it seeks to discover a juror's views
    an issue applicable to the                 case." %±JL*1 as_v;S ta_t e, 9 
    3 S.W. 3d
    36 (Tex. Crim.          App.    2002)(en Banc).             "Commitment questions
    are    those that commit          a prospective juror to resolve,                       or
    refrain from resolving,             an    issue a certain way after
    learning a particular fact." Standef er_Vj. State, 
    59 S.W.3d 17
    7, 179 (Tex. Cr im .App .200 1)( quot ing A1 1rid£e_y^S tate , 850
    SW2d (Tex.      Crim.     App.    1991)(en banc)
    The inquiry for improper commitment questions has two
    Tsteps:(l) is the question a commitment question; and (2)
    does    the question            include       facts-    and   only   those      facts-that
    lead to a valid challenge for cause? If the answer to (1) is
    "yes" and the answer to (2)                     is "no",then the question is an
    improper commitment question,                     and the       trial court should not
    allow       the question.         Id.at       182-83.
    Upon holding a trial court erred                        in disallowing a proper
    question,          the court must evaluate for harm.                     Erroneously
    excluding a proper question during voir dire is subject to a
    harmless error analysis. Gonzales_y^State, 
    994 S.W.2d 170
    (Tex.       Crim.App.      1999)
    In    the    instant      case    at    bar,    the    question    was    a    proper
    question rather than an improper question as the court of
    appeals determined.               It should have been subjected to the
    correct harm analysis because the question merely asked for
    the    type of evidence the State needed to present in order to
    convince them that somebody committed an offense beyond a
    reasonable doubt,               which,    when phrased          a different          way
    elicited a proper answer,namely:                        FACTUAL
    The question under review was not case-specific and had
    no hypothetical.set of facts or solicited the prospective
    jurors to set hypothetical parameters for their decision
    making.       The prospective jurors were not predisposed to
    believe,       based on this question,                  that they had to consider
    any set of facts, and to speculate regarding what decision
    they would          make   in    that    situation.
    Further,       this question us relevant to the issue of
    whether the prospective juror could fairly comprehend the
    term    reasonable          doubt,based           on    the       previous      answer          on
    reasonable doubt as                   being fuzzy.           In other words               , NOT
    CLEAR.    This    is       an    issue    that        goes    to    the      heart    of    a    guilt       or
    innocence    verdict,             in    the    instant        case      based       solely       upon       the
    facts    proven       at    trial.       Therefore           regarding         this       issue,       the
    trial    court    restricted             the     appellant's            questioning of.               the
    prospective       juror about             tier    ability          to   fairly       comprehend
    reasonable       doubt,          causing harm           because         appellant          did       not
    intelligently          exercise          his     challenge          for      cause    or    peren.ptory
    challenge.       In    addition,          Appellant           tried       several         times       to
    explore    the    prospective juror's understanding of                                     the       beyond
    a reasonable          doubt       standard        through          other      questions          and
    several    times       he       was    restricted        as       well.
    CONCLUSION
    WHEREFORE,PREMISES                CONSIDERED,              the   Appellant          pra>s       this
    Honorable Cou;.t            grant       discretionary              revitw of         the    Thirteenth
    Court    of Appeals'             decision        in    this       case,      reverse,       the
    decision    of    the       Thirteenth           Court       of    Appeals,         and    order       a
    proper harm analysis and/or any other relief this court
    deems    necessary.
    Respectfully            submitted.
    7-;^7r
    David ^ama/ripas, Jr.
    Pro se, TDCJ #15 5 5601
    Ramsey         Unit
    1100      FM    655
    Rosharon.Tx.77583
    CERTIFICATE        OF   SERVICE
    I David Samaripas,Jr.,            do   certify    that   a true and correct
    copy of the foregoing Petition for Discretionary Review was
    mailed via pre-paid       U.S.   postage         to the Assistant District
    Attorney Doug Howell.         Additiona1ly,a copy of the foregoing
    PDR was mailed     to the     State    Prosecuting Attorney,P.0.        Box
    12405,Austin, Tx.       78711,in accordance with the TRAP 68.11.
    Executed   on   this   date   : ^sAk:l£..
    Bipas,Jr.
    APPENDIX   -   A
    NUMBER 13-11-00442-CR
    COURT OF APPEALS
    THIRTEENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
    CORPUS CHRISTI - EDINBURG
    DAVID SAMARIPAS JR.,                                                                   Appellant,
    THE STATE OF TEXAS,                                                                    Appellee.
    On appeal from the 272nd District Court
    of Brazos County, Texas.
    MEMORANDUM OPINION ON REMAND1
    Before Justices Rodriguez, Benavides, and Perkes
    Memorandum Opinion on Remand by Justice Perkes
    This case is on remand from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. On original
    submission, we affirmed appellant David Samaripas Jr.'s conviction for engaging in
    1This case is before this Court on transfer from the Tenth Court of Appeals in Waco pursuant to a
    docket equalization order issued by the Supreme Court ofTexas. See Tex. Gov't Code Ann. § 73.001
    (West, Westlaw through 2013 3d C.S.).
    organized criminal activity. Samaripas v. State, 
    446 S.W.3d 1
    , 3 (Tex. App.—Corpus
    Christi 2013), rev'd, No. PD-135-13, 
    2014 WL 5247434
    , *5 (Tex. Crim. App. Oct. 15,
    2014).     On appeal, appellant asserted four separate issues:                    (1) the evidence is
    insufficient; (2) the trial court abused its discretion by limiting appellant's voir dire
    examination of a prospective juror2; (3) the trial court erred by instructing the jury on the
    law of parties; and (4) appellant's sentence was improperly enhanced. After we affirmed
    the trial court's judgment, appellant sought discretionary review.
    The Court of Criminal Appeals limited its consideration to appellant's voir dire and
    enhancement issues. The Court agreed with our disposition of appellant's enhancement
    issue, holding that appellant's sentence was properly enhanced. The Court, however,
    reversed on appellant's voir dire issue, holding that appellant preserved error for review,
    and remanded the issue to this Court for consideration of the merits of that issue.
    Samaripas, 
    2014 WL 5247434
    , at *5.
    I. Jury Voir Dire3
    By this remaining issue, appellant argues that "the trial court abused its discretion
    by improperly limiting [appellant's] voir dire examination of a prospective juror." Appellant
    contends that the trial courtdisallowed a properquestion, and by refusing to allow counsel
    to ask the question, his counsel was denied the opportunity to formulate a challenge for
    cause and to intelligently use peremptory challenges.
    2With respect to appellant's first issue, we opined that appellant failed to preserve his appellate
    complaint for review on appeal.
    3Afull recitation ofthe facts is available in ourearlieropinion. See Samaripas v. State, 
    446 S.W.3d 1
    , 3 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2013), rev'd, No. PD-135-13, 
    2014 WL 5247434
    , *5 (Tex. Crim. App. Oct.
    15 2014) On remand we are only providing the facts necessary for the disposition of the remanded issue.
    2
    During voir dire, appellant's counsel advanced the following question: "What type
    of evidence would you expect to hear? What type of evidence do you expect the State
    ofTexas to bring you, Ms. O'Neal, in an effort to prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt
    that someone committed an offense?" The State objected on the ground that the question
    was an improper commitment question, and the trial court sustained the objection.
    Defense counsel continued with voir dire as follows:
    DEFENSE:             [Directed to venireperson] In that class three years
    ago, you probably learned there's no definition
    provided by the court to "beyond a reasonable doubt";
    is that right?
    VENIREPERSON: Right. We had a long discussion about it.
    DEFENSE:            And did that make sense to you?
    VENIREPERSON:         It can be fuzzy.
    DEFENSE:             Itcan be fuzzy. In order to convince somebody beyond
    a   reasonable      doubt—I'll   come   back   to   you,
    [venireperson]. What type of evidence would you
    expect the State of Texas to bring to you in order to
    convince you that somebody committed an offense
    beyond a reasonable doubt?
    The State objected, and the trial court called the parties to the bench.
    COURT:               I think he is entitled to say what is your understanding
    of reasonable doubt, as long as he doesn't give them a
    definition they have to adhere to.
    STATE:               But if he's saying what [evidence] do you need for you
    to get to guilty?
    The trial court sustained the State's objection. Appellant's counsel rephrased.
    DEFENSE:             What type of evidence would you expect to hear?
    What type of evidence do you expect the State of
    Texas to bring you, [venireperson], in an effort to prove
    to you beyond a reasonable doubt that someone
    committed an offense?
    Again, the State objected, and the trial court called the parties to the bench.
    STATE:                Same question: "What do you expect?"
    COURT:                You're going to bind them to a certain level of evidence.
    DEFENSE:              Just asking them what do they expect the State of
    Texas to bring them evidence wise.
    COURT:                I don't have a problem with that question. Ask it that
    way. Sustained.
    STATE:                Butto prove somebody guilty at that pointintime, that's
    why.
    COURT:                I can't let them get committed to a certain proof in order
    to find somebody.
    DEFENSE:              I'm understanding that.
    • COURT:                I sustain the objection.
    [End of bench conference.]
    DEFENSE:              In a criminal case, [venireperson], what type of
    evidence would you expect to hear period?
    VENIREPERSON:         Factual.
    DEFENSE:              Factual evidence.     What type of factual evidence,
    [venireperson]?
    VENIREPERSON: Good. Well, maybe some eyewitnesses.
    DEFENSE:              Eyewitnesses. Okay, what else? Now, we're talking
    about engaging in organized criminal activity deadly
    conduct charge. What are you expecting?
    VENIREPERSON: Physical evidence.
    DEFENSE:              Physical evidence. Number 23, what type ofevidence
    would you expect?
    VENIREPERSON:    Gun.
    DEFENSE:        A gun. Okay.
    VENIREPERSON:    If that was the case.
    DEFENSE:        What else? What other type of evidence could we
    have, factual physical evidence? A gun. What else
    might you expect?
    VENIREPERSON:   Eyewitness.
    VENIREPERSON:   Expert testimony.
    DEFENSE:        Expert testimony. On what?
    STATE:          Judge, I'm sorry. We're going back to the same thing.
    Essentially saying here's what we need to prove to get
    to beyond a reasonable doubt.
    DEFENSE:        That's not my question, Judge.
    COURT:          Come up here again.
    [Bench conference]
    STATE:          I keep objecting because he's trying the same exact
    [sic].' He's saying what kind of evidence, factual
    evidence—
    COURT:          Make clear to them in your question that your question
    is predicated that they're many different kinds of
    evidence some of it which you can hear, some of which
    you cannot hear. In other words, what you're doing
    now, again, is binding them to hear certain evidence
    before they can say guilty.
    DEFENSE:        I respectfully disagree, your Honor,   'm just asking
    them their expectations for trial.
    COURT:          Well, phrase it clearly that these may or may not be
    necessary to find reasonable doubt, please.
    DEFENSE:        Yes, sir.
    COURT:                 Then you can ask it.
    [End of bench conference.]
    DEFENSE:              Understanding that these items of evidence that we're
    talking about here may or may not create reasonable
    doubt, may or may not convince you beyond a
    reasonable doubt—okay, we talked about physical
    evidence; we talked about guns; we talked about—we
    were at expert testimony. Who said that?
    II. Standard of Review and Applicable Law
    A trial court has broad discretion over the voir dire process, including setting
    reasonable limits and determining the propriety ofa particular question. Barajas v. State,
    
    93 S.W.3d 36
    , 38 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002) (en banc). "A trial court's discretion is abused
    only when a proper question about a proper area of inquiry is prohibited. Aquestion is
    proper if it seeks to discover a juror's views on an issue applicable to the case." 
    Id. (citations omitted).
    Commitment questions that "bind or commit a prospective juror to a verdict based
    on a hypothetical set of facts" exceed the proper area of inquiry, and a trial court does not
    abuse its discretion in disallowing the questions. See Standeferv. State, 
    59 S.W.3d 177
    ,
    179 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001) (quoting Allridge v. State, 
    850 S.W.2d 471
    , 480 (Tex. Crim.
    App. 1991) (en banc)). "Commitment questions are those that commit a prospective juror
    to resolve, or refrain from resolving, an issue a certain way after learning a particular fact."
    
    Id. "Although commitment
    questions are generally phrased to elicit a 'yes' or 'no' answer,
    an open-ended question can be a commitment question if the question asks the
    prospective juror to set the hypothetical parameters for his decision-making." 
    Id. at 180
    (citing 
    Allridge, 850 S.W.2d at 480
    ).
    But, not all commitment questions are improper. "[F]or a commitment question to
    be proper, one of the possible answers to that question must give rise to a valid challenge
    for cause."4      
    Id. at 182.
      For instance, "[w]hen the law requires a certain type of
    commitment from jurors, the attorneys may ask the prospective jurors whether they can
    follow the law in that regard." 
    Id. at 181.
    "Even if a question meets this challenge for
    cause requirement, however, the question may nevertheless be improper if [the question]
    includes facts in addition to those necessary to establish a challenge for cause."
    
    Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 182
    (emphasis in original).
    The inquiry for improper commitment questions has two steps: (1) is the question
    a commitment question; and (2) does the question include facts—and only those facts—
    that lead to a valid challenge for cause? If the answer to (1) is "yes" and the answer to
    (2) is "no," then the question is an improper commitment question, and the trial court
    should not allow the question. 
    Id. at 182-83.
    Upon holding a trial court erred in disallowing a proper question, we must evaluate
    for harm. "There may be instances when a judge's limitation on voir dire is so substantial
    as to warrant labeling the error as constitutional error subject to a Rule 44.2(a) [of the
    Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure] harm analysis." Easley v. State, 
    424 S.W.3d 535
    ,
    541 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). But when an attorney is not "foreclosed from explaining the
    concept of beyond a reasonable doubt and exploring the venire members' understanding
    and beliefs of reasonable doubt by other methods" or questions, the error is not
    4Texas Code ofCriminal Procedure article 35.16 lists the challenges for cause. See Tex. Code
    Crim Proc Ann. art. 35.16(a) (West, Westlaw through 2013 3d C.S.) (providing that "[a] challenge for
    cause is an objection made to a particular juror, alleging some fact which renders the juror incapable or
    unfit to serve on the jury").
    7
    constitutional, and we review for harm under Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 44.2(b).
    
    Easley, 424 S.W.3d at 541
    . Under that standard, we disregard any "error, defect,
    irregularity, orvariance that does not affect substantial rights ...." Tex. R. App. P. 44.2(b);
    
    Easley, 424 S.W.3d at 541
    -42. "A substantial right is affected when the error has a
    substantial and injurious effect or influence in determining the jury's verdict." Rich v.
    State, 
    160 S.W.3d 575
    , 577 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (quotation omitted). In assessing
    harm, we review:
    everything in the record, including any testimony or physical evidence
    admitted for the jury's consideration, the nature of the evidence supporting
    the verdict, the character of the alleged error and how it mightbe considered
    in connection with other evidence in the case, the jury instructions, the
    State's theory and any defensive theories, closing arguments, voir dire, and
    whether the State emphasized the error.
    
    Id. at 577-78;
    see 
    Easley, 424 S.W.3d at 542
    .
    III. Discussion
    A. Exclusion of Voir Dire Question
    Appellant asserts the trial court abused its discretion by limiting appellant's voir
    dire examination of a prospective juror. Defense counsel asked: "What type ofevidence
    would you expect to hear? What type of evidence do you expect the State ofTexas to
    bring you, Ms. O'Neal, in an effort to prove to you beyond a reasonable doubt that
    someone committed an offense?"
    In context, defense counsel's question was a commitment question because it
    solicited the prospective jurors to set hypothetical parameters for their decision-making.
    See 
    Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 180
    . In other words, the question committed a prospective
    juror to a verdict based on a hypothetical set of facts. Unlike typical commitment
    8
    questions, which are generally closed-ended questions, the type of open-ended
    commitment question in this case begins with the answer—yes or no (i.e., conviction or
    acquittal)—and asks the prospective jurors to setthe parameters to reaching that answer.
    See 
    id. Most specifically,
    defense counsel was addressing the State's burden of proof to
    convict, and the question invited the prospective jurors to detail hypothetical prerequisites
    to reaching that result, despite the fact that the State may not, and need not, present such
    evidentiary parameters to satisfy its burden. See 
    id. For example,
    a conviction may be
    based on the testimony of a single eyewitness, in which case the State need not present
    DNA evidence, a weapon, or expert testimony. See, e.g., Aguilar v. State, 
    468 S.W.2d 75
    , 77 (Tex. Crim. App. 1971). Recognizing that, the trial court requested defense
    counsel to rephrase the question to avoid binding the prospective jurors to a type of
    evidence as a prerequisite for conviction.
    Having determined that defense counsel's question was a commitment question,
    we now turn to whether the question included facts that would lead to a valid challenge
    for cause. See Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 35.16 (West, Westlaw through 2013 3d
    C.S.). The principle of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is crucial, and it is a proper area
    of inquiry. But defense counsel's commitment question explored more than whether the
    prospective jurors understood the burden or whether they could follow the law. As a
    parameters-setting commitment question, it was not designed to uncover a valid
    challenge for cause. See 
    Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 182
    (holding that commitment question
    is improper unless one of the possible answers gives rise to avalid challenge for cause).
    Because the commitment question did not target a challenge for cause, defense counsel's
    voir dire question was improper. See 
    Standefer, 59 S.W.3d at 182
    . We conclude that
    9
    the trial court did not abuse its discretion insustaining the State's objection and requesting
    defense counsel to rephrase the question. See 
    id. B. Harmless
    Error
    Even assuming the question was not a commitment question or could give rise to
    a challenge for cause, any error in restricting the question was harmless. Although the
    trial court required defense counsel to rephrase the question, appellant was not
    foreclosed from explaining the State's burden or exploring the prospective jurors'
    understanding of and beliefs relating to it through other questions. Accordingly, we review
    for non-constitutional error, see 
    Easley, 424 S.W.3d at 541
    ^2, and we disregard any
    error in excluding the question unless it had a substantial and injurious effect or influence
    on the jury's verdict.   See Tex. R. App. P. 44.2(b); 
    Rich, 160 S.W.3d at 577
    (defining
    "substantial rights").
    The evidence showing appellant perpetrated the drive-by shooting with the intent
    to establish, maintain, or participate in a criminal street gang was substantial. See, e.g.,
    Hart v. State, 
    89 S.W.3d 61
    , 63-64 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002) (en banc) (defining the offense
    of engaging in organized criminal activity). Officers testified that appellant belonged to a
    gang. One detective read a statement from appellant in which he referred to the gang as
    "us" and that gang's rival as "them." Earlier on the night of the shooting, a member of
    appellant's gang shot four members of the rival gang. Later that night, a black car was
    involved in shooting another member of the rival gang. Amember of that rival gang had
    shot someone in appellant's gang a few days earlier, and the rival member lived at the
    house where the drive-by shooting occurred. About one month earlier, the rival member
    shot appellant. As a result of the shooting, appellant needed a colostomy bag. Police
    10
    found the gun used to shoot at the rival member's residence in appellant's colostomy bag,
    which had been thrown from the front passenger seat of the vehicle, which is where
    appellant sat. Awitness testified that a black carwas involved in the drive-by shooting.
    Overall, the testimony and physical evidence against appellant was strong.
    Although prevented from asking the question in the manner defense counsel
    preferred, the trial court did not prevent appellant's defense counsel from exploring the
    prospective jurors' understanding of the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard through
    other questions. The jury charge explained the State's burden, and there is no evidence
    any juror misunderstood the State's burden. The State did not emphasize the foreclosed
    hypotheticals. In sum, upon considering the entire record, we conclude any error in
    precluding defense counsel's question was harmless. See 
    Rich, 160 S.W.3d at 577
    ; see
    also Tex. R. App. P. 44.2(b); 
    Easley, 424 S.W.3d at 542
    .
    We overrule appellant's sole issue on remand.
    IV. Conclusion
    We affirm the trial court's judgment.
    GREGORY T. PERKES
    Justice
    Do Not Publish
    Tex. R. App. P. 47.2 (b)
    Delivered and filed the
    30th day of April, 2015.
    11
    APPENDIX   -   B
    OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM COURT OFCRIMINAL APPEALS OFTEXAS
    OFFltffce^t!JSifW^LST^
    STATE OF TEXAS                 111$
    PENALTY FOR
    PRIVATE USE                     Sg
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    Sfl^Jili 0001401623MAY 28 2015
    5/26/2015                                                      QOA Case No- 13-11-00442-CR
    SAMARIPAS, DAVID JR. Tr. Ct. No. 07-06200-CRF-272                     PD-0626-15
    On this day, this Court has granted the Appellant's Pro Se motion for an extension
    of time in which to file the Petition-for Discretionary Review. The time to file the
    petition has been extended to Friday; July 31, 2015. NO FURTHER EXTENSIONS
    WILL BE ENTERTAINED. NOTE: Petition For Discretionary Review must be filed
    with The Court of Criminal Appeals.                                 /\
    -")VAJ;i^\~\^)iz>                             Abe| Acosta>C|erk
    DAVID SAMARIPAS JR
    TDC# 1555601
    RAMSEY UNIT
    1100 FM 655 RD.
    ROSHARON, TX 77583
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