Earl Markeith Henderson v. State ( 2011 )


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  •                                  IN THE
    TENTH COURT OF APPEALS
    No. 10-10-00397-CR
    No. 10-10-00398-CR
    No. 10-10-00399-CR
    EARL MARKEITH HENDERSON,
    Appellant
    v.
    THE STATE OF TEXAS,
    Appellee
    From the 272nd District Court
    Brazos County, Texas
    Trial Court Nos. 07-06404-CRF-272,
    07-06405-CRF-272 and 08-02608-CRF-272
    MEMORANDUM OPINION
    Earl Henderson pled guilty to the offenses of Aggravated Assault on a Public
    Servant, Evading Arrest in a Motor Vehicle (enhanced), Assault on a Public Servant
    (two counts), and pled no contest to the offense of Aggravated Robbery. TEX. PEN.
    CODE ANN. §§ 22.02, 38.04, 29.03, 22.01 (West Supp. 2010). There was no agreement
    regarding punishment.     Henderson was sentenced by the trial court to concurrent
    sentences of forty years in prison for the aggravated assault, twenty years in prison for
    the aggravated robbery, and ten years in prison each for the evading arrest and the two
    assaults.
    Henderson’s appellate counsel has filed an Anders brief and a motion to
    withdraw as counsel.1 See Anders v. California, 
    386 U.S. 738
    , 
    87 S. Ct. 1396
    , 
    18 L. Ed. 2d 493
    (1967).    Counsel concludes that the appeals are frivolous.                Counsel informed
    Henderson of the right to file a pro se brief, but Henderson has not done so.
    Counsel’s brief evidences a professional evaluation of the record for error, and
    we conclude that counsel performed the duties required of appointed counsel. See
    
    Anders, 386 U.S. at 744
    ; High v. State, 
    573 S.W.2d 807
    , 812 (Tex. Crim. App. 1978); see also
    In re 
    Schulman, 252 S.W.3d at 407
    .
    In reviewing Anders appeals, we must, “after a full examination of all the
    proceedings, . . . decide whether the case is wholly frivolous.” Anders at 744; accord
    Stafford v. State, 
    813 S.W.2d 503
    , 509-11 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991); Coronado v. State, 
    996 S.W.2d 283
    , 285 (Tex. App.—Waco 1999, order) (per curiam), disp. on merits, 
    25 S.W.3d 806
    (Tex. App.—Waco 2000, pet. ref’d). An appeal is “wholly frivolous” or “without
    merit” when it “lacks any basis in law or fact.” McCoy v. Court of Appeals, 
    486 U.S. 429
    ,
    439 n.10, 
    108 S. Ct. 1895
    , 
    100 L. Ed. 2d 440
    (1988). Arguments are frivolous when they
    “cannot conceivably persuade the court.” 
    McCoy, 486 U.S. at 436
    . An appeal is not
    wholly frivolous when it is based on “arguable grounds.” 
    Stafford, 813 S.W.2d at 511
    .
    After a review of the briefs and the entire record in these appeals, we determine
    that these appeals are wholly frivolous.           See Bledsoe v. 
    State, 178 S.W.3d at 826-27
    .
    Accordingly, we affirm the trial court’s judgments.
    1 The aggravated assault and the evading charges are the basis of No. 10-10-00397-CR, the aggravated
    robbery is the basis of No. 10-10-00398-CR, and the two assaults are the basis of No. 10-10-00399-CR.
    These causes were considered by the trial court together and counsel for Henderson submitted one brief
    covering all three appeals; therefore, we will also address the appeals jointly.
    Henderson v. State                                                                             Page 2
    Should Henderson wish to seek further review of these cases by the Texas Court
    of Criminal Appeals, Henderson must either retain an attorney to file petitions for
    discretionary review or Henderson must file pro se petitions for discretionary review.
    Any petition for discretionary review must be filed within thirty days from the date of
    either this opinion or the last timely motion for rehearing that was overruled by this
    Court. See TEX. R. APP. P. 68.2. Any petition for discretionary review must be filed
    with this Court, after which it will be forwarded to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    along with the rest of the filings in this case. See TEX. R. APP. P. 68.3. Any petition for
    discretionary review should comply with the requirements of Rule 68.4 of the Texas
    Rules of Appellate Procedure. See TEX. R. APP. P. 68.4. See In re Schulman, 
    252 S.W.3d 403
    , 409 n.22 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008) (citing Glover v. State, No. 06-07-00060-CR, 2007
    Tex. App. LEXIS 9162 (Tex. App.—Texarkana, Nov. 20, 2007, pet. ref’d) (not designated
    for publication).
    Counsel’s request that he be allowed to withdraw from representation of
    Henderson is granted. Additionally, counsel must send Henderson a copy of our
    decision, remind Henderson of his right to file pro se petitions for discretionary review,
    and send this Court a letter certifying counsel’s compliance with Texas Rule of
    Appellate Procedure 48.4. TEX. R. APP. P. 48.4; see In re 
    Schulman, 252 S.W.3d at 409
    n.
    22.
    TOM GRAY
    Chief Justice
    Henderson v. State                                                                   Page 3
    Before Chief Justice Gray,
    Justice Davis, and
    Justice Scoggins
    Affirmed
    Opinion delivered and filed June 22, 2011
    Do not publish
    [CRPM]
    Henderson v. State                          Page 4