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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Hot Over New Forensic Science Writ

Feb 06 2016
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New criminal laws are enacted by the legislative branch of government. Some create new offenses with proscribed penalties. Others are remedial in nature, creating new rules or changing existing rules of procedure. Many of these laws will be challenged in courts under what’s called the “void for vagueness” doctrine. Essentially, these challenges are rooted in the contention that a new law lacks definiteness and specificity as to raise due process implications because they fail to give fair notice as to what is illegal and what is not.

Legislature v. Courts

This process can, and frequently does, lead to tension between legislatures and courts.

In 2013, the Texas Legislature enacted a new forensic science statute and codified it in Article 11.073 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The article created a new application for writ of habeas corpus based on claims of new scientific evidence.  The purpose of the law is to provide a vehicle for a state prison inmate to seek reversal of his or her conviction because it was based on faulty or discredited science.

This statute has created tension between the Legislature and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals as to specific language in the statute and its overall application.

Admissibility of Scientific Evidence

Both state and federal courts have long established that scientific evidence is admissible in a court of law so long as it is reliable and relevant. “Experts” are permitted to testify about such evidence if the underlying scientific theory and technique they espouse are accepted as valid by a relevant scientific community.

These rules of procedure, however, have permitted truckloads of what has become known as “junk science” to be admitted into evidence through “experts” whose qualifications barely exceeded those of voodoo doctors. It is an issue we have addressed on a number of occasions (hereherehere,here) because it has led to the conviction and almost assuredly in some cases to the execution of innocent individuals.

Comes 11.073

The legislative purpose of Article 11.073 is to prevent these criminal justice tragedies from continuing without remedy. The New York-based Innocence Project has documented that in nearly half of all the DNA exonerations in this country, “unvalidated or improper forensic science contributed to the wrongful convictions.” It was this kind of irrefutable evidence that spurred the Legislature to enact Article 11.073.

Ex Parte Robbins

In 2014, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals held in Ex Parte Robbins(II) that in order for an inmate to obtain relief under Article 11.073, he or she had to state specific facts showing that the “relevant evidence is currently available and was not available at the time of [his or her] trial because the evidence was not ascertainable through the exercise of reasonable diligence by the convicted person before the date or during [his or her] trial.”

The “exercise of reasonable diligence” was inserted into the law to protect what the courts believe should be the “finality of conviction.” In other words, if a person has been properly convicted and has exhausted their direct appeal rights and post-conviction remedies, their conviction should be considered final and not subject to any additional collateral reviews.

In 2015, the Legislature decided to amend the statute in an effort to clarify and expand its application. This amendment allows a court hearing an Article 11.07 habeas corpus application challenging a conviction based on unavailable scientific evidence at the time of trial or contradicts the scientific evidence relied upon by the state at trial to consider, among other things, “whether a testifying expert’s scientific knowledge has changed since the applicable trial date or dates” in making an “exercise of reasonable diligence” determination.

Both the 2013 and 2015 versions of Article 11.073 require a specific finding by the trial court that, based on a preponderance of the evidence, had the new scientific evidence been presented at the original trial, the defendant would not have been convicted.

Robbins III

The tension created by the enactment of Article 11.073 was recently evidenced by three concurring opinions in the Court of Criminal Appeals’ January 27, 2016 decision in the Robbins (III) case. The tension was summed up by Judge Newell:

“Even though I believe that the Legislature crafted Article 11.073 broadly enough to include both ‘bad science’ and ‘bad scientists,’ I am not necessarily sanguine about its impact upon the finality of judgments. As Judge Cochran observed in her dissenting opinion in Robbins I:

“’Part of the problem is that there is a fundamental disconnect between the worlds of science and of law. Science is constantly evolving by testing and modifying its prior theories, knowledge, and ‘truths.’ It is a hallmark of the scientific method to challenge the status quo and to operate in an unbiased environment that encourages healthy skepticism, guards against unconscious bias, and acknowledges uncertainty and error. The legal system, on the other hand, ‘embraces the adversary process to achieve ‘truth,’ for the ultimate purpose of attaining an authoritative, final, just, and socially acceptable resolution of disputes.’ The judicial system normally accepts that ‘opinions grounded in science carry their own tests for reliability and usefulness, thus inspiring special confidence in judgments based on them.’ This disconnect between changing science and reliable verdicts that can stand the test of time has grown in recent years as the speed with which new science and revised scientific methodologies debunk what had formerly been thought of as reliable forensic science has increased. The potential problem of relying on today’s science in a criminal trial (especially to determine an essential element such as criminal causation or the identity of the perpetrator) is that tomorrow’s science sometimes changes and, based upon that changed science, the former verdict may look inaccurate, if not downright ludicrous. But the convicted person is still imprisoned. Given the facts viewed in the fullness of time, today’s public may reasonably perceive that the criminal justice system is sometimes unjust and inaccurate. Finality of judgment is essential in criminal cases, but so is accuracy of the result—an accurate result that will stand the test of time and changes in scientific knowledge.’

“The back-and-forth between this Court and the Legislature over this case suggests to me that perhaps finality and accuracy, in the context of forensic science used in securing a conviction, are much harder to reconcile than many would care to admit. As a matter of policy, limiting the phrase ‘scientific knowledge’ to field-wide changes in science errs on the side of finality, but it is a hard choice that comes at the expense of accuracy. By enacting Article 11.073 without any express limitation on what constitutes ‘scientific knowledge,’ the Legislature tipped the scales in favor of accuracy perhaps at the expense of finality. And that is a decision that the Legislature gets to make, not this Court.

“Our job is to do our best to discover the Legislature’s intent, not substitute our policy preferences for the will of the people as expressed through their elected representatives. Proceeding from the position that the broad phrase ‘scientific knowledge is limited in meaning without any evidence that the Legislature attempted to narrow the scope of the phrase belies a policy choice not a resort to cannons of statutory construction. That is why I agree with this Court’s original majority opinion and join in the denial of the State’s motion for rehearing.”

Frustration over Lengths Litigants Must goes to Reverse Wrongful Convictions

Judge Acala expressed her specific concern about the Robbins case this way:

“This years-long litigation serves as a prime example of the lengths to which some litigants must go in order to obtain relief from their wrongful convictions. I explain each of the five events to demonstrate applicant has been incarcerated more than a decade on a wrongful conviction where it was abundantly clear to me long ago that his conviction should have been vacated.”

Judge Acala then offered up this forceful criticism of the Court’s handling of the case:

“This Court’s judicial decision should not require litigants to run to the Legislature for a statutory response to correct our judicial mistakes. The Court’s judicial decisions should not give the appearance of indecision or manipulation for the achievement of a desired result. And this Court’s judicial decisions should not come a half a decade too late while a defendant remains incarcerated based on what is clearly a wrongful conviction. I join this Court’s order because it is the correct result, but this case will, for a very long time, leave an indelible stain on this Court’s reputation for providing a fair forum for all litigants.”

We are thankful the Legislature tipped the scales in favor of accuracy over finality. “Finality” produces injustices while accuracy prevents them. It was the court’s undue concern for finality in the Robbins case that drew the harsh criticism from Judge Acala. We admire her courage to so express it.

NOTE: In 1999, Neal Hampton Robbins was convicted for the capital murder of a seventeen-month-old girl of the woman with whom he was living in Harris County. He sentenced to life prison. His case has a tortuous legal history whose facts can be found here:

Ex Parte Robbins, 2016 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 7

Court of Criminal Appeals

Decided: January 27, 2016

11.073 provides as follows:

(a) This article applies to relevant scientific evidence that:

(1) was not available to be offered by a convicted person at the convicted person’s trial; or

(2) contradicts scientific evidence relied on by the state at trial.

(b) A court may grant a convicted person relief on an application for a writ of habeas corpus if:

(1) the convicted person files an application, in the manner provided by Article 11.07, 11.071, or 11.072, containing specific facts indicating that:

(A) relevant scientific evidence is currently available and was not available at the time of the convicted person’s trial because the evidence was not ascertainable through the exercise of reasonable diligence by the convicted [33] person before the date of or during the convicted person’s trial; and

(B) the scientific evidence would be admissible under the Texas Rules of Evidence at a trial held on the date of the application; and

(2) the court makes the findings described by subdivisions (1) (A) and (B) and also finds that, had the scientific evidence been presented at trial, on the preponderance of the evidence the person would not have been convicted.

(c) For purposes of Section 4(a)(1), Article 11.07, Section 5(a)(1), Article 11.071, and Section 9(a), Article 11.072, a claim or issue could not have been presented previously in an original application or in a previously considered application if the claim or issue is based on relevant scientific evidence that was not ascertainable through the exercise of reasonable diligence by the convicted person on or before the date on which the original application or a previously considered application, as applicable, was filed.

(d) In making a finding as to whether relevant scientific evidence was not ascertainable through the exercise of reasonable diligence on or before a specific date, the court shall consider whether the scientific knowledge or method on which the relevant scientific evidence is based has changed since:

(1) the applicable trial date or dates, for a determination made with respect to an original application; or

(2) the date on which the original application or a previously considered application, as applicable, was filed, for a determination made with respect to a subsequent application.

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    I called Mr Floyd and left a message, with in the hour I received a call back with much more information then I could have ever expected. Mr Floyd was very informative on every question … More I had for him. He seemed like he cared, instead of like most attorneys that you talk to that are just out for a quick buck. If you want someone that is going to shoot strait with you, and has your best interest in hand, this is you guy. This was the best experience that I have ever had with an lawyer.
  • Avatar Saman Daftarian ★★★★★
    I can state with confidence that Mr. Floyd and his team are the most competent and professional lawyers one can hope for. My case was quite complex and I admit that as a law student … More I was not the most patient client. Mr. Floyd did a phenomenal job of managing the bench, prosecution and myself! The result was above expectation, and I will never hesitate to recommend this firm regardless of the caliber of the case at issue.
  • Avatar calvin robinson ★★★★★
    It was a pleasure working with Mr. Floyd. I contacted him regarding a legal matter and he was extremely knowledgeable about the law, and responded in a timely manner. I appreciated … More the fact I did not feel rushed, and he made sure he thoroughly answered all questions I had. I would highly recommend him!Positive
    Responsiveness, Professionalism …More
  • Avatar Alan Howk ★★★★★
    Spoke with John Floyd about a 45 year old criminal case I was involved in. I had very little information about the case and John helped me search what records were available and gave … More me guidance to find more information. He was very professional and took his time helping me. I may need to hire a lawyer on this case and Mr. Floyd will be the man.Thanks John.
  • Avatar CMCustom Cycles ★★★★★
    Very professional and straight forward. He's not going to waste your time or money. Very knowledgeable in a large range of possible matters one could face living in these days … More and times. If ever you need legal assistance, this is who I would suggest. Awesome!Positive
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  • Avatar Greg Page ★★★★★
    I called about some legal questions I needed to get clarified and John was able to give me clarification and sound advice. I will definitely contact John for all future legal questions … More and issues.Thank you John!Positive
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  • Avatar Kristen Rankin ★★★★★
    Knows his stuff and well respected with DA and judges. I have referred him a couple times and every client has been satisfied
  • Avatar Kedar Puranik ★★★★★
    John is beyond knowledgeable! If I decide to pursue my case any further I would only have him represent me.
  • Avatar Joseph Sivadon ★★★★★
    What a great attorney, this guy really took time out of his day to answer my questions and explain my case to me. Very grateful, thank you so muchPositive
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  • Avatar Lex Strider ★★★★★
    Absolutely a very professional lawyer. Very well read in the current law and more than willing to help if needed.
  • Avatar karim khalifa ★★★★★
    Mr. John he’s a professional he knows what he’s doing and he’s patient they recommend Him stronglyPositive
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  • Avatar James Haggard ★★★★★
    Great service, very knowledgable and happy to help with any questions I had
  • Avatar David Sustaita ★★★★★
    Quick to action and helpful and knowledgeable with entertainment industry based issues!
  • Avatar Chad Groves ★★★★★
    Responded on a holiday week. Very knowledgeable and reassuring.
  • Avatar Mark Fein ★★★★★
    Very professional
  • Avatar Bthomason903 Bthomason903 ★★★★★
  • Avatar Anton Jasser ★★★★★
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  • Avatar Victory 2020 ★★★★★
    I want to thank John T. Floyd and all of his team. He is the best lawyer who cares aboutHis clients and fights really hard to get the best outcome. He is a fighter and he is awesome!!!I … More recommend if any one needs criminal defense , he is the BEST. We had a really serious caseAnd we are very thankful for the outcome. Thank you John!!!!! God bless you!!!!!!
  • Avatar Alma Garcia Cunningham ★★★★★
    The attorneys at John T. Floyd Law Firm work diligently to achieve the best possible results for their clients. They are caring and knowledgeable professionals. Their expertise in the … More law and their experience as trial attorneys makes them the right choice as a defense attorney. I recommend this law firm highly.
  • Avatar Rajiv Patel ★★★★★
    From beginning to end this firm handled my case like the top tier professionals they are. I would not trust ANYONE else with my legal needs after having less than stellar experiences … More with other teams. Thank you Floyd!!!
  • Avatar Jose Tapia ★★★★★
    I really felt like the team cared about my case and am super satisfied with the outcome. Would not recommend anyone else!
  • Avatar Sagar Patel ★★★★★
    These guys do amazing work and have phenomenal service! Hands down best in the Houston area!!
  • Avatar RAYNINN ★★★★★
    John and Chris are true professionals! Love those guys like family!
  • Avatar Virginia Martin ★★★★★
    Mr. Floyd and his team are very knowledgeable, informative, and helpful.
  • Avatar Darla Latham ★★★★★
    A team you can depend on to stand up and fight for you to prove the truth the whole truth!
  • Avatar Veronica Elorza ★★★★★
  • Avatar Karetta Lux ★★★★★
    Mr. John T. Floyd represented me.I couldn't be happier with the outcome he managed to achieve on an VERY Important case that was dismissed the day of Trial. He is patient & … More very knowledgeable of the legal system. I HIGHLY recommend him to anyone in need of a lawyer!John, I am forever grateful & satisfied with the effort you put forth & all you did for me. Thank you isn't enough!God bless you & your family!
  • Avatar GM ★★★★★
    The John T. Floyd Law Firm assisted me, and I can tell you that the attorney took the time to answer my questions, and I didn't feel rushed or dismissed as I have experienced in … More the past with attorneys. The attorney was very nice and extremely knowledgeable. Initial impressions and continued excellent customer service are big factors for me and as such I would highly recommend this firm.
  • Avatar Sandra Bivens ★★★★★
    I thank you for your efforts to help Felons regain their Civil rights, and for the information on possession , I am A convicted Felon, no violent history. I am an expert shot, I am … More 76 yoa, and very concerned about the present lake of Security in our State and Country. God Bless and Prosper you in your efforts, Your friend, Sonny Bivens
  • Avatar Mike Kittelson ★★★★★
    I really appreciated both Chris and John helping with my legal questions and concerns. Both are good guys and I would not hesitate to recommend them.
  • Avatar Robert Hair ★★★★★
    Extremely helpful!!! Helping me understand the law.

John T. Floyd is Board Certified in Criminal Law By the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

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