NO. 07-00-0235-CR
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SEVENTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS
AT AMARILLO
PANEL A
JANUARY 16, 2001
______________________________
KENNETH LEROY SIMMONS, APPELLANT
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS, APPELLEE
_________________________________
FROM THE 181ST DISTRICT COURT OF POTTER COUNTY;
NO. 32,807-B; HONORABLE MARVIN MARSHALL, JUDGE
_______________________________
Before BOYD, C.J., and REAVIS and JOHNSON, JJ.
ABATEMENT AND REMAND
Upon a plea of guilty, on May 8, 1995, appellant Kenneth Leroy Simmons was
granted deferred adjudication for burglary of a habitation and was placed on probation for
five years. Then, upon the State’s motion to proceed with an adjudication of guilt, the trial
court found that appellant violated the conditions of his probation and adjudicated him
guilty. The clerk’s record contains a blank order appointing counsel on appeal with a
handwritten notation signed by appellant that he “does not want to appeal.” Counsel for
appellant, however, filed a notice of appeal.
On July 24, 2000, counsel for appellant filed a motion to abate the appeal explaining
that she could not determine whether appellant wished to prosecute his appeal and that
she had forwarded a motion to dismiss to him for his signature. In the motion, counsel
stated that she anticipated filing the motion to dismiss in August 2000. The motion to
abate the appeal was overruled and this Court sua sponte granted the court reporter an
extension to file the reporter’s record. No motion to dismiss was filed and appellant’s brief
was due to be filed no later than October 26, 2000. By letter dated December 12, 2000,
this Court notified appellant’s counsel, Ms. Cynthia J. Barela, of the defect and directed
Ms. Barela to provide a satisfactory response to this Court by December 29, 2000, why the
brief has not been filed. Ms. Barela did not respond and the brief remains outstanding.
Therefore, we now abate this appeal, and remand the cause to the trial court for
further proceedings pursuant to Rule 38.8(b) (2) and (3) of the Texas Rules of Appellate
Procedure. Upon remand, the trial court shall immediately cause notice of a hearing to be
given and, thereafter, conduct a hearing to determine the following:
1. whether appellant desires to prosecute the appeal; and
2. whether appellant is indigent and entitled to appointed counsel.
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The trial court shall cause the hearing to be transcribed. Should it be determined
that appellant desires to continue the appeal and is indigent, then the trial court shall also
take such measures as may be necessary to assure appellant effective assistance of
counsel, which measures may include the appointment of new counsel. If new counsel is
appointed, the name, address, telephone number, and state bar number of said counsel
shall be included in the order appointing new counsel. Finally, the trial court shall execute
findings of fact, conclusions of law, and such orders as the court may enter regarding the
aforementioned issues, and cause its findings and conclusions to be included in a
supplemental clerk's record. A supplemental record of the hearing shall also be included
in the appellate record. Finally, the trial court shall file the supplemental clerk's record and
the supplemental reporter's record with the Clerk of this Court by Friday, February 23,
2001.
It is so ordered.
Per Curiam
Do not publish.
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