Opinion

Derrick Undra Brown v. State

Court
Texas Court of Appeals, 3rd District (Austin)
Filed
Nov 10, 1993
Status
Published
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 35.7%

The opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT OF TEXAS,

AT AUSTIN

NO. 3-93-367-CR

DERRICK UNDRA BROWN,

APPELLANT

vs.

THE STATE OF TEXAS,

APPELLEE

FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF BELL COUNTY, 264TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

NO. 42,299, HONORABLE RICK MORRIS, JUDGE PRESIDING

PER CURIAM

A jury found appellant guilty of aggravated robbery. Tex. Penal Code Ann.

§ 29.03 (West Supp. 1993). The district court assessed punishment at imprisonment for twenty

years.

In his only point of error, appellant contends the evidence is factually insufficient

to sustain the conviction. See Stone v. State , 823 S.W.2d 375 (Tex. App.--Austin 1992, pet. ref'd

as untimely filed). (1) When conducting a factual-sufficiency review, we do not view the evidence

in the light most favorable to the verdict. Instead, we consider all the evidence equally, including

the testimony of defense witnesses and the existence of alternative hypotheses. Orona v. State ,

836 S.W.2d 319 (Tex. App.--Austin 1992, no pet.). We will set aside the verdict only if it is so

contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence as to be clearly wrong and unjust. Stone ,

823 S.W.2d at 381 ; Orona , 836 S.W.2d at 321 .

Frank Pedroza testified that when he stopped at a stop sign on the night of October

12, 1992, a man he identified as appellant pulled in front of his car on a moped. A second man,

codefendant David Bernard Shores, appeared at the window on the passenger's side of Pedroza's

car and ordered him out. Pedroza refused. A third man, codefendant Will Kendrick Johnson,

began to hit Pedroza through the open driver's side window. Shores opened the car door and

began to kick Pedroza. Appellant produced a pistol, pointed it at Pedroza's face, and threatened

to shoot him if he did not cooperate. Shores took Pedroza's wallet from the dashboard, and the

three men fled.

Pedroza identified his assailants in two photographic lineups shown to him shortly

after the offense. These photo spreads were introduced in evidence, and Pedroza had some initial

difficulty linking codefendants Johnson and Shores with their photographs. The record suggests

that this was due in part to a significant change in Shores's appearance. Pedroza never hesitated

in his identification of appellant and had no difficulty identifying appellant's photograph.

Appellant's girlfriend, Cheryle Kamas, testified that appellant and Shores were with

her in her apartment at the time of the attack on Pedroza. A Temple police officer testified in

rebuttal that Kamas's reputation for truth and veracity was bad. Another defense witness, Harriet

Garnett, testified that she saw Johnson in a Killeen night club at the time of the offense.

It was the jury's responsibility as trier of fact to determine the credibility of the

witnesses and the weight to give their testimony. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Ann. art. 38.04 (West

1979). By their verdict, the jury indicated that they believed Pedroza and disbelieved the defense

witnesses. The jury's verdict is not so contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence as

to be clearly wrong and unjust. The point of error is overruled.

The judgment of conviction is affirmed.

Before Justices Powers, Jones and Kidd

Affirmed

Filed: November 10, 1993

Do Not Publish

1. The State asserts that this point was not preserved for review. In a civil case, a factual

sufficiency point must be preserved by a motion for new trial. Tex. R. Civ. P. 324(b). This

is not necessary in a criminal case. Tex. R. App. P. 30(a). The point of error is properly

before us.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.