/5T6/75 ORIGINAL
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NOV 30 2015
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Abel Acosta, Clerk
FILED li>
)QURT OF CRIMING LAPPEALS
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Abel Acosta Clerk
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S.W.3d 131, 136 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). An actual conflict of interest exists when
trial counsel must make a choice between advancing his client's interest in a fair
trial or advancing other interests to his client's detriment. Id. The appellant must
identify specific instances in the record that indicate a choice that counsel made
between possible alternative courses of action, such as eliciting evidence that is
helpful to one interest and harmful to the other. Perez v. State, 352 S.W.3d 751,
755 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2011, no pet.).
Coleman complains that trial counsel (1) referenced her prior working
relationship with the Montgomery County prosecutor, and (2) while cross-
examining a witness regarding Coleman's Harris County offense, counsel made
herself a witness by asking questions based on facts she learned while she was the
chief prosecutor in Harris County. He contends the trial court should have
conducted a hearing to insure that Coleman was aware of the conflict and waived
his right to conflict-free counsel. However, the instances of which Coleman
complains do not indicate that Coleman's defense counsel actually acted on any
conflict of interest by making a choice that advanced the State's interest over
Coleman's interest and to his detriment. See Odelugo, 443 S.W.3d at 136; see also
Perez, 352 S.W.3d at 755. Absent such evidence, Coleman has failed to satisfy his
burden of proving an actual conflict that adversely affected defense counsel's
performance at trial. See Odelugo, 443 S.W.3d at 136. Thus, the trial court was not
required to conduct a hearing on waiver. See Perez, 352 S.W.3d at 756 (A trial
court is not required to hold a hearing unless the court knows or should reasonably
know of an actual, not a potential, conflict.).
Coleman also complains that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance
by (1) failing to strike a juror who expressed the belief that a person is a party to an
offense if he was present but not a participant in the offense; (2) failing to seek a
directed verdict on aggravated robbery; and (3) failing to present mitigating
evidence during punishment. To establish ineffective assistance, Coleman must
satisfy the following test:
First, the defendant must show that counsel's performance was
deficient. This requires showing that counsel made errors so serious
that counsel was not functioning as the "counsel" guaranteed the
defendant by the Sixth Amendment. Second, the defendant must show
that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This requires
showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the
defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable.
Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687 (1984); see Perez v. State, 310
S.W.3d 890, 892-93 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010). "Any allegation of ineffectiveness
must be firmly founded in the record, and the record must affirmatively
demonstrate the alleged ineffectiveness." Thompson v. State, 9 S.W.3d 808, 813
(Tex. Crim. App. 1999). "Appellate review of defense counsel's representation is
highly deferential and presumes that counsel's actions fell within the wide range of
reasonable and professional assistance." Bone v. State, 77 S.W.3d 828, 833 (Tex.
Crim. App. 2002). "Under normal circumstances, the record on direct appeal will
not be sufficient to show that counsel's representation was so deficient and so
lacking in tactical or strategic decisionmaking as to overcome the presumption that
counsel's conduct was reasonable and professional." Id.
The record does not indicate that Coleman alleged ineffective assistance in
his motion for new trial. The record is silent as to trial counsel's tactical and
strategic decision-making. See Estrada v. State, 313 S.W.3d 274, 311 (Tex. Crim.
App. 2010). Moreover, Coleman cannot demonstrate that, but for counsel's alleged
errors, the outcome of his trial would have been different. See Graves v. State, 310
S.W.3d 924, 929 (Tex. App.—Beaumont 2010, pet. ref d). Nor is this a case in
which trial counsel's ineffectiveness is apparent from the record. See Freeman v.
10
State, 125 S.W.3d 505, 507 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003). Under these circumstances,
Coleman cannot defeat the strong presumption that counsel's decisions during trial
fell within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. See Thompson, 9
S.W.3d at 814. We overrule issue three.
Voir Dire
In issue four, Coleman challenges the exclusion of his family members from
a portion of voir dire. Coleman filed a motion for abatement with this Court on
grounds that an evidentiary hearing was required for the trial court to address this
issue. This Court denied the motion to abate. On appeal, Coleman re-urges his
perceived need for an evidentiary hearing.
A defendant may file a motion for new trial no later than thirty days after the
date when the trial court imposes sentence in open court. Tex. R. App. P. 21.4(a).
Within thirty days after the date when sentence is imposed but before the trial court
overrules any preceding motion for new trial, a defendant may, without leave of
court, file an amended motion for new trial. Tex. R. App. P. 21.4(b). The trial court
sentenced Coleman on August 24, 2014. Coleman filed his original motion for new
trial on September 4. On November 12, more than thirty days after sentence was
pronounced, Coleman filed an amended motion for new trial, in which he alleged
for the first time that his family had been excluded from a portion of the voir dire
11
proceedings. The record does not indicate that Coleman received leave of court to
file the untimely motion.
"Even where the original motion for new trial is timely, an untimely
amended motion for new trial is a nullity and cannot form the basis for points of
error on appeal."Rangel v. State, 972 S.W.2d 827, 838 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi
1998, pet. ref d). Accordingly, issue four is overruled. See id. Having overruled
Coleman's four issues, we affirm the trial court's judgment.
AFFIRMED.
STEVE McKEITHEN
Chief Justice
Submitted on October 14, 2015
Opinion Delivered October 28, 2015
Do Not Publish
Before McKeithen, C.J., Kreger and Horton, JJ.
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