Law of parties

The Texas law of parties[1] states that a person can be criminally responsible for the actions of another in certain circumstances, including "[i]f in the attempt to carry out a conspiracy to commit one felony, another felony is committed by one of the conspirators, all conspirators are guilty of the felony actually committed, though having no intent to commit it, if the offense was committed in furtherance of the unlawful purpose and was one that should have been anticipated as a result of the carrying out of the conspiracy."

In Texas capital cases, a person may be convicted under the law of parties, but may not be sentenced to death if convicted under the law of parties unless the sentencing jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt that "the defendant actually caused the death of the deceased or did not actually cause the death of the deceased but intended to kill the deceased or another or anticipated that a human life would be taken."[2]

On May 5, 2021, the Texas House of Representatives voted 135 to 6 on a bill intended to limit death penalty eligibility under the law of parties.[3] The bill made it to Texas Senate but wasn't voted on.[4]

Convictions under the law

People convicted under the law include Clinton Lee Young,[5] Jeffery Lee Wood, John Adams,[6] Joseph Nichols,[7][8] Kenneth Foster, Miguel Angel Martinez,[9] Patrick Murphy Jr., Randy Halprin, Ray Jasper,[10] Robert Lee Thompson,[11] Robert Lynn Pruett, Steven Michael Woods Jr. and Thomas Bartlett Whitaker.

Foster, Martinez and Whitaker's sentences would later be commuted to life imprisonment. Young was released on bond in January 2022 after his conviction was overturned in September 2021.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Texas Penal Code Section 7.02, Criminal Responsibility for Conduct of Another". 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  2. "Texas Penal Code Section 37.071, Procedure in Capital Case". 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  3. "Texas House of Representatives Passes Bill to Limit Death-Penalty Eligibility for Defendants Who Do Not Kill". 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  4. "Texas Action". 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  5. "Clinton Lee Young Inmate Information". 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2003.
  6. "Document – USA (Texas): Death Penalty / Legal Concern". amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  7. "Document – USA: Breaking a Lethal Habit: A Look Back at the Death Penalty in 2007". amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  8. "Document – USA: One County, 100 Executions: Harris County and Texas – A Lethal Combination". amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  9. "Laredo's 'Triple-Ax Murders' Detailed in New Netflix Docuseries". Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  10. "A Letter From Ray Jasper Who Is About to Be Executed". gawker.com. 2014. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  11. "Document – USA: Choosing Death Again: Texas Governor Rejects Clemency Recommendation". amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  12. "Clinton Lee Young Released". 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
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