Johnny Ray Muldrow v. State

FILED JN RECEIVED IN The Court of Appeals The Court of Appeals Sixth District Sixth District COURT OF APPEALS APR 2 4 2015 FOR THE SIXTH DISTRICT OF TEXAS APR 2 4 201$ TEXARKANA, TEXAS Texarkana,Texas , Texarkana, Texas Debra Autrey, Clerk NO. 06-14-001 D3-CR Debra K. Autrey, Clerk FROM THE 6TH DISTRICT COURT EX PARTE - Johnny Muldrou LAMAR COUNTY, TEXAS TRIAL CAUSE ND. 255^9 PETITION FOR ORDER TD THE HONORABLE JUDGE OF SAID COURT: COMES NOW, JOHNNY MULDROU, Petitioner in the above styled and numbered cause, and respectfully asks this Court tD issue an order requiring Petitioner' s court-appointed appellate counsel to provide copies of the folloying documents; pursuant to Tex.R.App.Proc. Rule 48.4: 1. State's Response Brief in the above-numbered cause 2. This Court's ruling and opinion in the above-numbered cause Counsel appointed to represent Petitioner in the above-numbered cause is: Charles E. Perry, Attorney State Bar No. 15799700 1101 Main Street P.O. Box 720 Commerce, TX 75429 In support thereof, Petitioner would show the Court the following: 1. Petitioner was never contacted by his court-appointed appellate counsel until he inquired of his trial attorney if a notice of appeal had been filed, and if so, if an appellate attorney had been appointed to represent T"-.petitioner. Trial counsel confirmed the notice of appeal was filed and provided Petitioner with the contact information of the appellate counsel who was appointed to represent him in a letter postmarked January 2, 2015 and sent via Certified Mail #7013 3020 0002 2482 0727. 2. Petitioner sent a letter to appellate counsel on February 9, 2015 (see Exhibit A) inquiring about his appellate case and the status thereof. Petitioner also requested that copies of the following documents be mailed to him: a. Appellate Brief b. State's Response Brief c. Reply Brief (if one was filed) d. Trial Transcripts (Reporter's Record and Clerk's Record) 3. Appellate counsel responded in a letter mistakenly dated July 16, 2015 and postmarked February 17, 2015 (see Exhibit B) informing Petitioner that he had already filed the Appellate Brief and that this Court had already ruled on petitioner's appeal affirming the conviction; however, counsel neglected to provide.copies of any of the requested documents. 4. Petitioner once again contacted appellate counsel in a letter dated March 16, 2015 (see Exhibit C) in which he instructed counsel to file a motion for a rehearing, and once again requested the documents listed above, with the addition of the request of the Petition for Discretionary Review if one had been filed. 5. Petitioner received a copy of the Appellate Brief that counsel had submitted to this Court on March 24, 2015,(see Exhibit D). There was no accompanying letter, and the postmark on the envelope was^blocked out .by stamps. None of the other requested documents were included, and Petitioner has received no further communication from appellate counsel. 6. Per Rule 48.4 of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure: "In criminal cases, the attorney representing the defendant on appeal shall, within (5) days after the opinion is handed down, send his client a copy of the judgement and opinion, along with notification of the defendant's right to file a pro se petition for discretionary review under Rule 68. This notification shall be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, to the defendant at his last known address. The attorney shall also send the court of appeals a letter-certifying his compliance with this rule and attaching a copy of the return receipt within the time for filing a motion for rehearing. The court of appeals shall file this letter in its record of the appeal." 7. Per the initial letter Petitioner received from appellate counsel in February 2015 (Exhibit B), counsel did not contact petitioner because Petitioner had been transferred before he was appointed and therefore did not know what unit Petitioner was located at (within Texas Department of Criminal Justice). B. Petitioner submits to this Court that counsel made no effort whatsoever to contact him. Counsel could easily have simply looked up Petitioner's location and contact information on TDCJ's website or simply call them via telephone. 9. Petitioner also submits that counsel's lack of effort to contact Petitioner to discuss his case adversely affected the competency of the Appellate Brief that was filed, as Petitioner fails to see any argument at all, or even the citings of cases being applied to Petitioner's case. It is no wander why Petitioner's appeal was rejected and his conviction affirmed. 10. Petitioner also submits that under the STANDARDS FOR APPELLATE CONDUCT -_ LAWYER'S DUTIES TO CLIENTS located in the Tex.R.App.Proc., items 5 and 8 state: 5. Counsel will explain the appellate process to their clients. Counsel will advise clients of the range of potential outcomes, likely costs, timetables, effect of the judgement pending.appeal, and the availability of alternative dispute resolution. 8. Counsel will keep clients INFORMED and INVOLVED IN DECISIONS and will PROMPTLY RESPOND to inquiries. Appellate counsel's complete lack of effort violates these duties as well as nearly all of the other duties listed; WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Petitioner asks this Court to grant this motion and order appellate counsel, Charles E. Perry, to provide hard- copies of all documents that Petitioner has requested, including copies of the Reporter's Record and Clerk's Record, pursuant to Rule 48.4 of the Tex. R.App.Proc. so that Petitioner may proceed with his Petition for Discretionary Review and habeas corpus. Respectfully submitted, Johnny Muldraw - Petitioner Pro Se Representation TDCJ #1 93431 B Mark U. Stiles Unit 3060 FM 3514 Beaumont, TX 77705 Executed this \ ) day of April, 2015. Qjwles £' ferry t AlTbrney \\o[ mo}a 5rreer- Q&mmtrc-etT)C ir^'^oo J2&&OA0£M L_P-& (.SI Trial fee (4&'3&f'W- J^JlV^oj ==Lj>i^-_O.Qij:f:Lei jour K^lu,ftfifrff- IE? MQtA kljL JweA<$Lrike_^.AiLLe^ .. ... 3T mu.vr ^(X^i TVyg-r-ITr q^ r/i^cfr/igJz tV>>^T" ^inur Jo.ck «.t-Z?/?cnii'53-/o/ia.l »im o 4tN^> V/i "TV^rr mol< k&L/f--/tar Pr*^ £tfre/\iQev '.-*•.' QP :;:r.:.j.^ v'-- i,:j •;•.•;•.,.•'-•.':. ...V-, _i\.-n '!;v>.~-.J\ti.\i:i:v>\ c^<.-:.;;;:;•; "^CHARLES E.PERRY. Texas * ' -' '•' ^* Jli>*!\ '-"'lM Main'st'r ^'J CJ,;''-":"i *5;'; '•™-'-*-* '-;.- ^^886-0774 Montana -1' v"' ;*1p;b:BoxraO,l-1"A"'': ''•'-"* i:' •i:;Ll;'',1'A';,'^:''^^I-LTFax: 903-886-2043 Commerce, TX 75429 Cell: 940-613-8439 Email: elyww@aol.com ' .-',-•'• -• ^'w.';'.:lo;;* July 16, 2015 Johnny Muldrow #1934313- Stiles Unit 3060 FM 3514 Beaumont, Texas 77705 State of Texas v. Johnny Muldrow Dear Johnny: I have not contacted you since Idid not knowwhat unit you were in and you were transferred before i was appointed to do your appeal. Your appeal has been completed and your case was affirmed. The primary ground of appeal wasthesufficiency of the evidence and the appellate court in Texarkana found that the evidence was sufficient. I know you are upset and I do not blame you, but your co- defendant testimony was difficult to overcome. I based your appeal on the lack of an affirmative link between you and the contraband found in the suitcase in the rear of the vehicle. All the briefing was difficult to overcome what happened at trial and the testimony of you friend and co-defendant. Being mad at me.and my efforts on your behalf is something that will not help the situation you are now in. I hope your situation is not difficult but you should not have to serve long when the time you. spent in the county jail and the time you have already served is considered. Thanks for writing and telling me Where you are. • '-> .•••!• . .'Aij J. .' iS 7&s3SE:0 •il'/H//i»i>iiji|i»in|i-|.i/iHi..i|,|/|,.M.,i,/j,|,i,|„,/i, tf AN • ^NA\ -V-' \ \ V\ • •'V .V\ Charles E. Perry, Attorney 1101 Main Street P.O. Box 720 Commerce, TX 75^29 March 16, 2015' RE: State of Texas v. Johnny Muldrow Dear Mr. Perry: I am somewhat confused by your statements in the letter that I received from you stating that yau did pat know where I was located and also that you do not think that I will have tn serve that much time. First of all, not knowing where I was located ia riot an excuse, as you could have, and should have as my attornay, chscked with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to find out where I was located. You obviously mede no effort (to do ao, and yet you moved forward with filing my appellate brief without any consultation with me et all. Furthermore, you failed to inform ma that my anpaai wbs rajsctsd and tha conviction affirmed. The Court is also required by law to aend me natiflcetion of their decision directly as well, and this also was not done. How could you zealously argue the 'issues in my appeal without even bothering to consult with me? Second of all, I was sentenced to 50 years! Unless this has changed without my knowledge, please explain your statement, "you should not have to. serve long when the time you spent in county and the time you have already served is considered." Has my sentence changed, or you simply not aware of how long my sentence is? At this time, I am hereby instructing you to file a motion for a rehearing. I am also instructing you to send me hard-copies of the following: o Appellate Brief £that you filed) • State's Response • Reply Brief (if you did not file a Reply Brief, please explain why not, as I em entitled to have one filed and it is your job to do so in yaur representation of me) • Court'a Opinion *> Petition for Discretionary Review (if you did not file a PDR, please explain why not, as this ia part of the appellate process and I am entitled to one) In my previous letter I also requested that ynu send me hard-copies of my trial transcripts and the Clerk's Record,,also of which I am entitled to and are considered to be my property, and which I have yat to receive, Thsse are required in order for me to proceed on my post-conviction pleadings, i.e. Write of Haheas Corpus for both Art. 11.D7 and 2fi U.S.C. § 225^. Please sand the requested documentation to me at the address listed below and please update mB on the status of the requested motion far a rehearing. Johnny Muldrow TDCJ #1934313 Mark U. Stiles Unit 3060 FM 3514 BW^TC Beaumont, TX 77705 op ^ ^d^> Charles Perry Lawyer hoi Main St. Commerce, Tx 75429 ?::;;• '•-£**•- Stiles mt jPOLO fm 3511- p) A - > ^ Vm:-\vA V A '