Court throws out death sentence for man after DA-judge affair; new punishment trial ordered
By APWednesday, February 24, 2010
New punishment trial for man after judge-DA affair
HOUSTON — The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has thrown out the death sentence of a convicted killer whose case has been dogged by admissions of an affair between his trial judge and the prosecutor.
In a split decision, the court says Charles Dean Hood is entitled to a new punishment trial because jurors were not allowed to consider mitigating evidence that could have convinced them he didn’t deserve a death sentence.
Wednesday’s ruling doesn’t mention the affair between the judge and prosecutor in Collin County in suburban Dallas. Last year, the same court refused Hood’s appeal for an entire new trial.
Hood, who is now 40, insists he’s innocent in the 1989 fatal shootings of 26-year-old Tracie Lynn Wallace and 46-year-old Ronald Williamson at their Plano home.
