Elio Garza v. State
13-15-00257-CR
| Tex. App. | Oct 26, 2015Background
- Appellant Elio Garza was indicted for burglary of a habitation and placed on six years' deferred adjudication with a $1,000 fine.
- The State filed a motion to adjudicate and revoke probation after alleged probation violations including a December 19, 2014 conviction for possession of marijuana, failure to report to probation officer for several months, curfew violation, and failure to perform community service.
- At the adjudication hearing Garza pled "not true" to the motion; State presented probation officer testimony and fingerprint evidence linking Garza to the new offense.
- Garza testified he was coerced, claimed threats by third parties (and alleged police involvement), said immigration officials lost his papers so he did not know where/when to report, and admitted pleading guilty to the marijuana charge because he felt he had to.
- The trial court found the charged violations true, adjudicated Garza guilty of burglary of a habitation, and sentenced him to ten years' confinement.
- Appointed counsel filed an Anders brief concluding no non-frivolous, reversible issues exist on appeal and requesting permission to withdraw while advising Garza of his right to file a pro se brief.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether any reversible error exists in the adjudication/revocation and sentence | State argued evidence (probation records, fingerprint match, new conviction, failure to report/community service/curfew violations) supports revocation and adjudication | Garza argued coercion, police misconduct, lost immigration papers prevented reporting, and inability to comply or pay while incarcerated | Trial court found violations true and adjudicated; appellate counsel concludes no reasonably arguable grounds for reversal (Anders brief) |
Key Cases Cited
- Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (U.S. 1967) (procedures for attorney withdrawal when appeal is frivolous)
- Gagnon v. Scarpelli, 411 U.S. 778 (U.S. 1973) (due process requirements for probation revocation hearings)
- In re Schulman, 252 S.W.3d 403 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008) (procedures for appellate counsel evaluating frivolous appeals)
- Rickels v. State, 202 S.W.3d 759 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006) (standard of review for community supervision revocation)
- Sanchez v. State, 603 S.W.2d 869 (Tex. Crim. App. 1980) (single violation can support revocation)
- Jones v. State, 571 S.W.2d 191 (Tex. Crim. App. 1978) (appellant must successfully challenge all findings supporting revocation)
- Williams v. State, 976 S.W.2d 871 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 1998) (appellate practice on Anders-type briefs)
