/ 377-/5
NO.
ORIGINAL
IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
OF TEXAS
RECEIVED IN
FELIX FLORES, Appellant COURT OF criminal APPEALS
OCT 22 2015
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS
PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW
No. 2013-CR-10149 § No. 04-15-00172-CR
§
DISTRICT COURT § COURT OF APPEALS
§
§ FOURTH SUPREME
290™ JUDICIAL DISTRICT § JUDICIAL DISTRICT
FILED IN FELIX FLORES
COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
TDCJ NO. 1990293
OCT 22 2015 Garza West
4250 Highway 202
Abel Acosta, Clerk
Beeville, Texas 78102
Appellant Pro Se
Table of Contents
Page
Index of Authorities
Statement Regarding Oral Argument
Statement of the Case
Statement of Procedural History
Grounds for Review
Ground No. 1
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED
IN ITS RULING THAT THE TRIAL
COURT DID NOT ERR IN ADVISING
JURORS THEY HAD A RIGHT TO
DISAGREE WITH THE LAW
Ground No. 2
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED
IN ITS RULING THAT THE APPELLANT
WAIVED ERROR ON STRIKING JUROR 25
Argument
Ground No. 1
Ground No. 2
Certificate of Service
Court of Appeals Opinion
i.
Index of Authorities
Page
Page
Cases
Anderson v. State, 633 S.W.2d 851, 853
(Tex. Crim. App. 1982)
Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 24,
87 S. Ct. 824 (1967)
Franklin v. State, 986 S.W.2d 349
(Tex. App.—Texarkana 1999)
Franklin v. State, 12 S.W.3d 437, 479
(Tex. Crim. App. 2000)(Franklin I) ..
Franklin v. State, 23 S.W.3d 81, 83
(Tex. App.—Texarkana 2000)
Franklin v. State, 138 S.W.3d 351
(Tex. Crim. App. 2004)(Franklin II).
Feldman v. State, 70 S.W.3d 738, 744
(Tex. Crim. App. 2002)
Howard v. State, 941 S.W.2d 102, 108
(Tex. Crim. App. 1996)
Howard v. State, 333 S.W.3d 137, 139-140
(Tex. Crim. App. 2011)
Threadgill v. State, 146 S.W.3d 654, 667
(Tex. Crim. App. 2004)
n.
Statutes and Constitutions
TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 35.16(b)(3) & (c)(2)
TEX. CONST, art. 1, § 10
TEX. CONST, art. 1, § 15
TEX. R. APP. PROC. 44.2(a)
in.
IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
OF TEXAS
FELIX FLORES, Appellant
V.
THE STATE OF TEXAS
PETITION FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW
TO THE HONORABLE JUDGES
OF THE TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS.
Statement Regarding Oral Argument
Oral argument is waived.
Statement of the Case
A Bexar County Grand jury indicted appellant Felix Flores on three
counts of aggravated robbery and a repeater enhancement in Cause No.
2013-CR-10149 (CR 5-6). An initial trial began June 23, 2014, but it
resulted in a mistrial on June 24, 2014 (CR 19, paragraph 1).
The second trial began on February 17, 2015, and appellant elected to
1
be punished by the trial judge in the event of conviction (RR, Vol. II, page 5;
CR 11) Appellant pleaded not guilty to the three counts (RR, Vol. Ill, page
10, line 13). Jurors returned a finding of guilt on all three counts (RR, Vol.
IV, Page 127; CR 63-68). At judge-alone sentencing on March 24, 2015
(RR, Vol. IV, page 1), District Judge Melisa Skinner sentenced appellant to
25 years confinement (RR, Vol. V, page 22; judgments at CR 63-68).
Defendant appealed through court-appointed counsel. The Court of Appeals
for the Fourth Supreme Judicial District affirmed the conviction on October
7, 2015. There was no motion for rehearing.
Grounds for Review
Ground No. 1
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED
IN ITS RULING THAT THE TRIAL
COURT DID NOT ERR IN ADVISING
JURORS THEY HAD A RIGHT TO
DISAGREE WITH THE LAW.
(RR, Vol. II, pages 15-18):
Ground No. 2
THE COURT OF APPEALS ERRED
IN ITS RULING THAT THE APPELLANT
WAIVED ERROR ON STRIKING JUROR 25
(RR, Vol. IV, pages 89-90)
Argument
Ground No. 1
• Direct, concise argument with supporting authorities amplifying
the reasons for granting review, here failure to follow precedent. Give
reasons under TRAP 66.3 departed from precedent. CA conflicts with
applicable decisions of CCA.
Ground No. 2
• Appellant did not waive his proper challenge against Juror No. 25.
Prayer for Relief
Appellant prays for court-appointed counsel to assist in the
preparation of a proper brief is the court grants this petition for discretionary
review. Appellant prays for the Court to reverse and remand appellant's
case for a new trial.
Respectfully submitted,
FELIX FLORES
TDCJ NO. 1990293
Byrd Unit
21FM247
Huntsville, Texas 77320
Appellant Pro Se
Certificate ofService
I hereby certify that on the below referenced date that I sent
the above petition for discretionary relief to appellee:
3
Appellate Division
Bexar County District Attorney's Office
Paul Elizondo Tower, Seventh Floor
101 W. Nueva Street
San Antonio, Texas 78205
and to the State Prosecuting Attorney:
Ms. Lina M. McMinn
State Prosecuting Attorney
P.O. Box 13046
Austin, Texas 78711-3046
FELIX FLORES
jfourtl) Court of appeals;
H>an Antonio, (Eexas;
MEMORANDUM OPINION
No. 04-15-00172-CR
Felix FLORES,
Appellant
v.
The STATE of Texas,
Appellee
From the 290th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas
Trial Court No. 2013CR10149
Honorable Melisa Skinner, Judge Presiding
Opinion by: Sandee Bryan Marion, Chief Justice
Sitting: Sandee Bryan Marion, Chief Justice
Karen Angelini, Justice
Jason Pulliam, Justice
Delivered and Filed: October 7, 2015
AFFIRMED
A jury found appellant guilty on three counts of aggravated robbery, and the trial court
assessed punishment at twenty-five years' confinement. In two issues, appellant asserts the trial
court erred by telling the jurors they could disagree with the law and the trial court prevented
defense counsel from developing a challenge for cause. We affirm.
DISAGREEING WITH THE LAW
Aprospective juror who has a bias or prejudice against any phase ofthe law upon which a
party is entitled to rely is properly challengeable for cause. Threadgill v. State, 146 S.W.3d 654,
04-15-00172-CR
667 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004). The test is whether the bias or prejudice would substantially impair
the prospective juror's abilityto carry out his oath and instructions in accordance with the law. Id.
Before a prospective juror can be excused for cause on this basis, however, the law must be
explained to him and he must be asked whether he can follow that law regardless of his personal
views. Id.
On appeal, appellant asserts he was denied his rightto jurors who were not biased against
the law because the trial court told the jury venire the law could be ignored. Appellant complains
about the following remarks made by the trial court:
And let me say this too, at the outset you have the absolute rightto disagree
with the law. That's one of the many, many, many great things about this country.
It makes our country great that you can say you know what I know that's the law
here but I don't agree. You can say I know that's the concept in the Constitution
and I don't agree. You have the right to that as citizens of this country and by way
of the Constitution.
So you're going to be asked a bunch of questions and you have the right to
disagree with the law, right. So let's start with that. And a lotoftimes people walk
in and say or they think well, I can't say I'm not going to follow the law. Or I can't
say I don't agree with the law, it's the law yes, but you can. By nature of your
citizenship you certainly can.
[portion of trial court's comments omitted]
That's the reason, by the way also that there's 65 of you because you can
disagree with the law that applies in this case.
We disagree with appellant's characterization ofthe trial court's comments. Omitted from
the complained-ofcomments above were the following comments:
So anything that I saythat you disagree with, if I askyou if you disagree let
me know. There's not going to be a problem with that. Anything the attorneys say,
let them know. That's why you're here. That's why you take the oath in the
morning with the Judge you talked to at the very beginning in the morning. You
take an oath to answer the questions truthfully.
Also, this paragraph as well as comments made by the trial court both before and after the
complained-of comments provided the necessary context for the court's comments about ignoring
04-15-00172-CR
the law. After a few brief introductory remarks and before the complained-of comments, the trial
court asked how many of the venire members had previously been present for jury selection in a
criminal case. The court then stated:
When I say this is jury selection, it really isn't jury selection. It really is a
process of deselection and what I mean by that is we have 12 people that we need
to selectasjurors on a felony case and this is a felony court. An aggravated robbery
is a felony offense so we need 12jurors. Each side gets to eliminate 10 people for
whatever reason. They're called peremptory strikes. They get to make 10 strikes
a side.
The court then asked, "So why in the world would we have 65 people crammed into this
very hot courtroom right now?" The trial court answered its own question by acknowledging that
"there are certain cases that arejust notthe rightcase[] ... for specific jurors." By way of example,
the trial court said if someone left their house one morning for jury duty and discovered their car
had been burglarized, finding out the case they were to siton involved burglary of a vehicle might
not bethe right case for that juror on that day. The court then made the complained-of comments.
After these comments, the trial court asked the venire a series of questions about various
concepts in the law. For example, the court asked whether there was anyone who would not hold
the State to its burden of beyond a reasonable doubt; whether anyone would consider the
indictment evidence of guilt despite being instructed not to; whether anyone would not afford the
defendant the presumption of innocence despite being instructed to do so; and whether anyone
would hold the defendant's not testifying in his own behalf against him despite being instructed
not to.1
It is clear from the entirety of the trial court's comments that the court was not telling the
venire members they could disagree with the law ifthey were selected asone of the twelve jurors.
1We also note that, after the jury was selected, all evidence was presented, and the charge was read tothe jury, the
trial court instructed the jurors that they must follow the law.
04-15-00172-CR
Instead, the clear meaning of the court's comments was to inform the potentialjurors that—as part
of the process of selecting a jury—they had the right to disagree withthe law, with what thejudge
said, or with whatthe lawyers said, and—ifthey disagreed—they should voicetheir disagreement
because they took an oath to answer questions honestly. Encouraging the venire members to
answer honestly provided both the State and defense counsel with the opportunity to further
question a particular venire member and, if necessary, challenge the potential juror for cause or
exercise a peremptory strike. For these reasons, we conclude appellant's first issue lacks merit.
CHALLENGE FOR CAUSE
In his second and final issue, appellant asserts the trial court prevented defense counsel
from striking a specific juror for cause.
After the State rested its case and just as defense counsel was about to call his second
witness, one ofthe jurors asked to speak with the trial court. The trial court excused the jury panel
and asked, with counsel present, what the juror needed to say. The juror responded, "Ijustrealized
that I used to be a former neighbor of the defendant." The following colloquy between the trial
court and the juror occurred:
Trial court: Of the defendant's? Is that going to effect [sic] you in any way?
Juror: It should not.
Trial court: I just wanted to make sure that that wouldn't be an issue.
All right, sir. Thank you very much for letting us know. As long as it's not an issue
with you and it will not effect [sic] how you judge this case, then it's not an issue
with us.
Juror: Okay.
Trial court: So everything is fine then? You're going to be able tojudge this case
based only on evidence that you hear from the witness stand?
Juror: (Nods affirmatively)
Trial court: That has to be a yes or no.
-4-
04-15-00172-CR
Juror: Yes.
Trial court: Okay. Thank you very much. If you will go ahead and step outside,
please.
Just keep him out in the hallway for a few minutes because I need to know what is
going on.
The trial court then asked about the location of defense counsel's next witness, and counsel
said the witness was present and her testimony would take about five minutes. The trial then
continued. On appeal, appellate counsel contends "seconds later" defense counsel objected to the
juror continuing. The record, however, does not supportthis argument.
Rather than "seconds" passing between the trial court allowing the juror to remain on the
panel and defense counsel objecting, the record actually reveals that during this time span (1)
defense counsel briefly questioned his second witness; (2) the defense rested and closed; (3) the
trial court released the jurors for lunch; (4) defense counsel moved for a directed verdict which,
after the State responded, the trial court denied; (5) the court, the State, and defense counsel
discussed whether to sequester the jury overnight; and (6) the trial court explained to the jurors
that if deliberations began immediately, there was a possibility they could be sequestered, they
could decide when they wanted to begin deliberations, and they were excused to discuss their
options. While the jury was out discussing when to begin deliberations, defense counsel stated to
the court and the State:
[Defense counsel]: Apparently the jurorthat indicated that he knew someone inthe
family. He had had analtercation with them, that's where he knows him from.
Trial court: Well, he's indicated he can still be fair in this case. He has indicated
that he can still be fair and that it wasn't going to effect [sic] his judgment, so.
Defense counsel: We'd object to him continuing as a juror, Judge, just based on
that information.
Trial court: All right. What says the State?
04-15-00172-CR
Prosecutor: Your Honor, I believe the defense had ample opportunity to bring this
up during voir dire and it wasn't brought up, so.
The trial court then stated "We're proceeding," and defense counsel stated "Note our
objection, Judge."
On appeal, appellant contends this case is similar to Franklin v. State, 138 S.W.3d 351,
354 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004) (?Franklin IF), in which the Court of Criminal Appeals held the
improper limitation on defense counsel's ability to question a juror violated the defendant's
constitutional right of a trial by an impartial jury. In that case, during voir dire, defense counsel
asked the venire members if they knew any of the participants in the trial, and none of the jurors
indicated that they knew the participants. During trial, when the State called its first witness—the
victim—to the stand, one of thejurors notified the judge that she knew the victim. Thejuror told
the judge she had not recognized the victim's name during voir dire but recognized the victim
when she saw her at trial. The trial court asked the juror if she could listen to the evidence in the
case and base her judgment only on what she heard from the stand, and the juror responded that
she could. Defense counsel moved for a mistrial, stating that if he had known about the
relationship between the juror and the victim, he would have exercised a peremptory challenge.
Defense counsel also requested to ask the juror additional questions about her relationship with
the victim. When the trial court refused to allow additional questioning, defense counsel objected
that his client's due process rights were being violated. Defense counsel argued the judge was
preventing him from developing any testimony regarding potential biases. Nevertheless, the trial
court overruled defense counsel's objections and denied the motion for mistrial. Id. at 352.
Unlike in Franklin, in this case, defense counsel did not ask during voir dire if any venire
member knew the defendant. See Webb v. State, 232 S.W.3d 109, 113 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007)
(noting that "it is incumbent upon counsel to specifically ask questions which will determine
04-15-00172-CR
whether they have a right to challenge the venire member"). Later, during trial, when the juror
said he knew appellant, defense counsel did not immediately object. State v. Morales, 253 S.W.3d
686,697 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008) ("Even so, the Sixth Amendment rightto an impartial jury isjust
that—a right. We have heldthat the right to trial by impartial jury, like any other right, is subject
to waiver (or even forfeiture) by the defendant in the interest of overall trial strategy. Indeed, the
Legislature has expressly made a defendant's right to challenge a prospective juror for cause on
the basis of an actual bias subjectto waiver."). When counsel later raised an objection, he did not
ask to question the juror or offer the questions he would have asked. See Franklin v. State, 12
S.W.3d 473, 477 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000) ^Franklin 7") (defense counsel specifically requested
that he be able to ask "questions concerning the nature of the relationship with [the victim], how
long it had lasted, whether or not she could set aside any of her relationship with [the victim] in
sitting in judgment in this particular case, orwhether she would tend to give more credence orless
credence to [the victim]'s testimony and truthfulness due tothat relationship." Trial court's refusal
to allow counsel's request to ask these questions amounted to a direct order not to ask the
questions; therefore, defendant properly preserved the issue for review).
On this record, we conclude appellant did not preserve his complaint for our review on
appeal.
CONCLUSION
We overrule appellant's issues on appeal and affirm the trial court'sjudgment.
Sandee Bryan Marion, Chief Justice
Do not publish
Flores, Felix
Combined Opinion