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for the defense for the defense - Voice For The Defense Online

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2001), and Ex parte Evans, 690 S.W.2d 274 (Tex.Crim.App. 1985),were incorrect. <strong>The</strong>re are considerable distinctions betweenparole attainment and parole eligibility. Parole attainment ishighly speculative, due to various factors associated with anindividual’s parole application. <strong>The</strong> question of parole eligibility,however, elicits a straight<strong>for</strong>ward answer because parole eligibilityis determined by <strong>the</strong> law in effect on <strong>the</strong> date of <strong>the</strong> offense.When a serious consequence is clear, counsel has a duty to givecorrect advice. Both failure to provide correct in<strong>for</strong>mation andproviding incorrect in<strong>for</strong>mation violate that duty.D sufficiently proved that his counsel was deficient. D’scounsel could have easily determined <strong>the</strong> parole-eligibility requirementsby reading <strong>the</strong> statute. Instead, counsel failed toin<strong>for</strong>m D of changes in <strong>the</strong> parole-eligibility statutes that doubled<strong>the</strong> time he must serve be<strong>for</strong>e becoming eligible <strong>for</strong> parole. <strong>The</strong>fact that <strong>the</strong> amendments took effect only 11 days be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong>offense is of no consequence. CCA also concluded, based onD’s 1997 affidavit, that D would not have pled guilty if he hadknown <strong>the</strong> actual time he would have to serve, and thus prejudiceis shown.D was entitled to a new trial on his Brady claim becauseundisclosed police reports contained favorable evidencematerial to D’s case and <strong>the</strong> State failed to disclose suchevidence. Ex parte Miles, Nos. 54687-S(B) & 54688-S(B)(Tex.Crim.App. Feb 15, 2012)Applicant inmate was convicted of murder and attemptedmurder. COA recommended that his subsequent application <strong>for</strong>habeas corpus relief be granted. CCA granted <strong>the</strong> applicationand held that <strong>the</strong> inmate’s actual innocence and Brady claimsmet <strong>the</strong> requirements of Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 11.07, § 4(c)because <strong>the</strong>y relied on <strong>the</strong> new evidence of two undisclosed policereports, a witness’ recantation of his in-court identificationof <strong>the</strong> inmate as <strong>the</strong> shooter, <strong>the</strong> identification of <strong>the</strong> source ofa previously unknown fingerprint, and a second witness’ affidavitstating that her trial testimony was incorrect—none ofwhich was available or ascertainable on or be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong> date <strong>the</strong>inmate filed his first applications. <strong>The</strong> two undisclosed policereports contained favorable evidence material to D’s case, and<strong>the</strong> State failed to disclose such evidence. <strong>The</strong> reports were exculpatoryand could have constituted impeachment evidencebecause <strong>the</strong>y identified o<strong>the</strong>r potential suspects <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> crime,and subsequent investigation of those allegations could haveled to o<strong>the</strong>r exculpatory evidence.A trial court has <strong>the</strong> authority to reopen a suppressionhearing, even mid-trial, to allow <strong>the</strong> State to presentadditional evidence in support of <strong>the</strong> trial court’s initial,interlocutory ruling to deny <strong>the</strong> motion. Black v. State,No. 1551-10 (Tex.Crim.App. Feb 15, 2012).D was convicted of possession with intent to deliver meth.<strong>The</strong> trial court had denied D’s motion to suppress. COA affirmed.CCA granted D’s PDR to decide whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> trial court erred inreopening <strong>the</strong> hearing on <strong>the</strong> motion to suppress. CCA affirmed.It was within <strong>the</strong> trial court’s discretion to reopen <strong>the</strong> suppressionhearing and to entertain new testimony. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore,COA did not err in going beyond <strong>the</strong> face of <strong>the</strong> warrant andrelying on <strong>the</strong> new testimony to establish probable cause to issueD’s arrest warrant.In cases in which <strong>the</strong> trial court is never asked, or is askedbut declines, to exercise its discretionary authority to reopen<strong>the</strong> suppression hearing, appellate review of its ruling on <strong>the</strong>motion to suppress is ordinarily limited to that evidence presentedat <strong>the</strong> pretrial hearing—<strong>the</strong> evidence that was be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong>court at <strong>the</strong> time of its decision. <strong>The</strong>re is an exception: If <strong>the</strong>parties consensually broach <strong>the</strong> suppression issue again be<strong>for</strong>e<strong>the</strong> fact-finder at trial, <strong>the</strong> reviewing court should also consider<strong>the</strong> evidence adduced be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong> fact-finder at trial in gauging<strong>the</strong> propriety of <strong>the</strong> trial court’s ruling on <strong>the</strong> motion to suppress.<strong>The</strong> corollary rule is that if <strong>the</strong> trial court should exerciseits authority to reopen <strong>the</strong> suppression hearing, <strong>the</strong> reviewingcourt should also consider whatever additional evidence maybe spread on <strong>the</strong> record bearing on <strong>the</strong> propriety of <strong>the</strong> trialcourt’s ruling on <strong>the</strong> motion to suppress.In <strong>the</strong> Tex. Health & Safety Code, “prescription <strong>for</strong>m”refers to a pre-printed <strong>for</strong>m designed to have prescriptionin<strong>for</strong>mation written on it; <strong>the</strong> legislature intended<strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>re to be a legal distinction between prescription<strong>for</strong>ms and completed prescriptions. Avery v. State, No.0864-11 (Tex.Crim.App. Feb 29, 2012)Be<strong>for</strong>e attempting to fill a prescription <strong>for</strong> Lortab, D scribbledout “2.5” and made it look like “7.5.” D was convicted ofattempting to obtain a controlled substance through <strong>the</strong> useof a fraudulent prescription <strong>for</strong>m, in violation of Tex. Health& Safety Code § 481.129(a)(5)(B). COA acquitted D becauseit found no evidence that she used a fraudulent prescription<strong>for</strong>m. CCA affirmed COA’s judgment but disagreed with COA’sreasoning and interpretation of <strong>the</strong> record.<strong>The</strong> fact that subsections of Section 481.129 overlap somewhatdoes not change <strong>the</strong> State’s burden of proving <strong>the</strong> statutorymanner and means that it actually charged. While subsection(A) is broad enough to encompass most fraudulent attempts toobtain controlled substances, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r subsections allow <strong>the</strong>State to draft a more specific charge <strong>for</strong> a better jury instructionand to provide more notice to <strong>the</strong> defendant. An appellatecourt’s belief that a defendant’s actions more closely resemblean uncharged offense than <strong>the</strong> offense actually charged is not alegitimate basis <strong>for</strong> acquittal. Sufficiency of evidence is reviewedby comparing <strong>the</strong> evidence adduced at trial to <strong>the</strong> elements of<strong>the</strong> offense actually charged. Because D fraudulently alteredin<strong>for</strong>mation that was handwritten on a legitimate prescription<strong>for</strong>m, <strong>the</strong> evidence did not support a conviction <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> offensecharged.

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