Oscar Benitez Pena v. State

Opinion issued May 6, 2004












In The

Court of Appeals

For The

First District of Texas

____________


NOS. 01-04-00198-CR

          01-04-00199-CR

____________


OSCAR BENITEZ PENA, Appellant


V.


THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee





On Appeal from the 182nd District Court

Harris County, Texas

Trial Court Cause Nos. 933803 and 933804





MEMORANDUM OPINION

               We lack jurisdiction to hear these appeals. The trial court sentenced appellant, Oscar Benitez Pena, in these cases on August 1, 2003. Pena did not file a motion for new trial, and therefore the deadline for filing notice of appeal was Monday, September 1, 2003, because the thirtieth day after sentencing fell on a weekend. Tex. R. App. P. 4.1(a), 26.2(a)(1).

               Pena mailed his notice of appeal in cause number 933804 on January 6, 2004, more than four months after the deadline, according to the postmark on the envelope in which he mailed it. See Tex. R. App. P. 9.2(b). He mailed his notice of appeal in cause number 933803 a month later on February 9, 2004. Both notices of appeal were therefore untimely.

               An untimely notice of appeal fails to vest the appellate court with jurisdiction to hear the case. Slaton v. State, 981 S.W.2d 208, 209-10 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998); Olivo v. State, 918 S.W.2d 519, 522 (Tex. Crim. App. 1996).

               We therefore dismiss the appeals for lack of jurisdiction.

               All pending motions are denied as moot.

               It is so ORDERED.

PER CURIAM

Panel consists of Chief Justice Radack, and Justices Alcala and Bland.

Do not publish. Tex. R. App. P. 47.2(b).