06.01.2015 Views

M - Voice For The Defense Online

M - Voice For The Defense Online

M - Voice For The Defense Online

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

VOICE for the defense<br />

offense of the defendant for which defendant was brought into court, except that proof of said<br />

probation period shall be known to the Court should the defendant again be brought before the<br />

Court for any criminal offense.<br />

6. Defendant Has Been Rehabilitated.<br />

RODNEY GLENN GRAY would show the court that he has reformed, rehabilitated, and changed his life since<br />

committing the offenses that are the subject of the above-mentioned orders. In partial proof thereof, RODNEY GLENN<br />

GRAY attaches hereto Exhibits “C” through “U,” and includes them herein as though recited herein verbatim.<br />

7. “Judicial Clemency” is an Established Concept of Texas Jurisprudence in Accordance With Cuellar v. State.<br />

A. First Type of Discharge.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re are two types of discharge from probation. <strong>The</strong> first type of discharge from probation is that which is required<br />

after a person who has been placed on probation has completed his entire term of probation and satisfactorily fulfilled all<br />

the conditions of probation. In this situation, the judge shall discharge the probationer. This is the case in Cause No. 12,044,<br />

above. In some cases, such as in Cause No. 12,043, above, the court may terminate Defendant’s probation early. In this<br />

first and most common type of discharge from probation, Defendant essentially “graduates” from probation. In this type of<br />

discharge, the Defendant has been convicted of a felony, even though he never went to prison, and even though for some<br />

purposes the conviction may not be “final.”<br />

B. Second Type of Discharge.<br />

<strong>The</strong> second, less common type of discharge is one giving rise to the concept of Judicial Clemency, recognized by<br />

the Court of Criminal Appeals, Cuellar v. State, 70 S.W.3d 815 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002). This type of discharge is not a matter<br />

of right, but is a matter of “Judicial Clemency” within the trial court’s sole discretion. According to this theory, when a trial<br />

judge believes that a person on community supervision is completely rehabilitated and is ready to re-take his place as a<br />

law-abiding member of society, the trial judge may set aside the verdict or permit the defendant to withdraw his plea, and<br />

shall dismiss the accusation, complaint, information or indictment against the defendant, who shall thereafter be released<br />

from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense or crime of which he has been convicted or to which he has<br />

pled guilty. If a judge chooses to exercise his discretion to grant Judicial Clemency, the defendant is free to walk away from<br />

the courtroom released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the conviction. Although a person who successfully<br />

completes all the terms and conditions of community supervision must be discharged from community supervision, whether<br />

to dismiss the indictment and set aside the conviction is wholly within the discretion of the trial court.<br />

:: motion of the month<br />

8. Defendant Requests Judicial Clemency.<br />

Since being released from probation, RODNEY GLENN GRAY has had difficulty overcoming the record of conviction<br />

reported in such sources as “backgroundchecks.com,” a true and correct copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “V.”<br />

Additionally, although RODNEY GLENN GRAY has obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A & M University at<br />

Kingsville in the subject of Kinesiology Education, he has had difficulty in obtaining a job as a result of his criminal record.<br />

Specifically, and without limitation, RODNEY GLENN GRAY has obtained a job as a teacher, but was fired because of his<br />

criminal record; has obtained a job at Academy, but was fired after two weeks because of his criminal record; has applied<br />

for jobs with the Houston, Katy, Klein, and Alief Independent School Districts, but was turned down because of his record;<br />

and has applied for, but been unable to secure, jobs with at least 50 employers. <strong>The</strong> grant of Judicial Clemency from the<br />

court would enable RODNEY GLENN GRAY to obtain and maintain employment.<br />

M<br />

29 |

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!