PD-0762-15
PD-0762-15 COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
Transmitted 6/23/2015 1:39:45 PM
Accepted 6/24/2015 11:43:00 AM
ABEL ACOSTA
CLERK
NO. PI).
NTHE
COURT OF CRIMNAL APPEALS OF TEXAS
STEPHEN SELLERS
Appellant
v.
STATE OF TEXAS
Annellee
APPELLANT'S PETITION
FOR DISCRETIONARY REVIEW
Petition from the 19th Judicial District Court of Mclennan County, Texas
Trial Court Cause Number 20I3-2242-CI and
cause Number L0-r4-00226-cR in the Tenth court of Appeals of Texas
Chelsea Tijerina
State Bar No. 24076733
E-mail : attorneychelsea@gmail. com
Law Orrrcn oF SrMER &Tnrnxs
3706 Bellmead Drive
Waco, Texas 76705
June 24, 2015
(2s4) 412_2300
(888) 3 17 -7 61 0-Facsimile
ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED
IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL
Appellant, pursuant to Rule of Appellate procedure 3g.1(a), provides
the
following list of all parties to the trial court's judgment and the
names and addresses of
all trial and appellate counsel.
Appellant: Stephen Sellers
TDCJ # 0194890s
Joe F. Gurney Transfer Facility
1385 F.M. 3328
Palestine, Texas 75803
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Ralph Strother
l9th Judicial District Court Judge
Mclennan County Courthouse
501 Washington Avenue - Suite 303
Waco, Texas 7670I
Telephone: 254-7 57 -5091
Trial Counsel for Apoellant: Josh Tetens
Chelsea Tijerina
Simer & Tetens
3706 Bellmead Drive
Waco, Texas 76705
Telephone: 254-412-2300
Appellate Counsel for Appellant: Chelsea Tijerina
Simer & Tetens
3706 Bellmead Drive
Waco, Texas 76705
Telephone: 254-412-2300
Trial Counsel for State: Robbie Moody
Evan OtDonnell
Mclennan County District Attorney's Office
219 North 6th Street, Suite 200
'Waco,
Texas 7670I
Appellate Counsel for State: Sterling Harmon
Gabriel Price
Mclennan County District Attorney,s Office
219 Norrh 6th Street" Suite 200
Waco, Texas 7670I
Sellers v. State-Appellant's Petition ior Discretionarv Review
Pege 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COLNSEL .......... I
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES.. ............ 4
STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT..... ............ 6
STATEMENT OF THE CASE/
STATEMENT OF PROCEDURAL HISTORY .......... 6
GROUND FOR REVIEW.. ........... 8
The Waco Court of Appeals disregarded established case law from
this
Court and from sister courts of appeal to find the evidence legally sufficient.
ARGUMENT..... ......8
I. Reason for Granting Review.
......9
il. Factual Basis. .........9
ru. Case Law
The distance between the defendant and the complaining witness
proves the seminal factor in determining whether a knife is a
deadly weapon. l3
IV. Conclusion 20
PRAYER FOR RELIEF.... 21
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE. 2l
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE 22
Sellers v. State-Appellanfs Petition for Dissetionary Review
Page 2
APPENDD(: sellers v. state,No. 10-14-00226-CR 2015 Tex. App. LEXIS 4702 (Tex.
App.-Waco May 7,20I5,no pet. h.).
Sellers v. State-Appsllant's Petition for Discretionary Revisr
Page 3
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES
Texas Cases: Page No.
Alexander v. state,No. 10-10-00279-cR, 2012Tex.App. LEXIS 3125 (Tex.
App.-waco Apr. 18,2012, pet. ref d) (mem. op., not designated for publication)... .......
9
Alvarez v. state,566 s.w.2d 612 (Tex. crim. App. l97g) g, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17, lg,
lg
Broolcs v. state,323 s.w.3d 893 (Tex. crim. App. 2010) (plurality op.).. .... 19
citizens Nat'l Bank in waxahachie v. scott,195 s.w.3d 94 (Tex. 2006). ..... 19
Davidsonv. State,602 S.W.2d 272 (Tex. Crim. App. l9g0) ........ g. 13
Fregiav. State,185 S.W. 11 (Tex. Crim. App. 1916) .g,9, 13,!4,15, 19
Grover v. State,No. 14-04-00672-cR, 2005 wL 3435313 (Tex. App.-Houston
[14th Dist.] Dec. 15, 2005, pet. ref d) (mem. op., not designated for publication).. g, 9, 15
Herbert v. state,63l s.w.2d 585 (Tex. App.-El paso 19g2, no pet.).. ..... g, 9, 16
Lucero v. state,915 s.w.2d612 (Tex. App.-El paso 1996,pet.refd). ........ g. 9" 16
Luna v. State, No. 0 I -98-0 I 079-cR, 2000 wL 7 30661) (Tex. App.-Houston
[1st Dist.] June 8, 2000, no pet.) (mem. op., not designated for publication)... ....... g, 9, 16
McCain v. State,22 S.W.3d 497 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000) (en banc) 17. lg
Petrie v. state, No. 10-13-00004-cR, 20t4 Tex. App. LEXIS 2g2g (Tex. App.-
WacoMar.13,20|4,pet.refd)(mem.op.,notdesignatedforpublication)..
Rogers v. state,877 s.w.2d 498 (Tex. App.-Fort worth 1994,pet.refd). g, 9, 16
Wade v. State,951 S.W.2d 886 (Tex. App.-Waco 1997,petrefd)... . g. 9. 16
Federal Case: Page No.
Jaclcson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (1979) t9
Sellers v. State-Appellant's Petition for Discrelionary Review
Page 4
State Statutes: PageNo.
Trx. R. App. P. 47.4
19
TBx. R. App. P. 66.3
Miscellaneous: Page No.
43B George E. Dix et al., Texas Practice series: criminal practice and
Procedure g 57:32 (3d ed. 2013)...
20
Sellers v. State--Appeltant's Petition for Discretionary Reviow
Page 5
STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT
TO TF{E HONORABLE JUDGES OF TI{E COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS:
Mr. Stephen Sellers requests that oral arguments be granted. Appellant
believes that this Court would benefit from arguments.
STATEMENT OF' PROCEDURAL HISTORY
This is a criminal case in which Stephen Sellers was convicted of
possession of a controlled substance in the amount of one gram or more but less
than four grams with intent to deliver.t In Cause Number 2013-2242-Cl. Mr.
Sellers was indicted as follows:
"Stephen Kenneth Lane Sellers, hereinafter called Defendant, on or about
the 25th day of September, A.D., 2013 in said county and state did then and
there knowingly possess, with intent to deliver, a controlled substance,
namely, methamphetamine, in an amount of one gram or more but less than
four grams."2
The State also submitted a special plea the jury alleging that "fAppellant]
used or exhibited a deadly weapon, to wit, a knife, during the commission of said
offense or during immediate flight therefrom.',3
'
1
(I C.R. at 42).
1