Murder Defense
Capital murder, manslaughter, self-defense, and sudden passion — how the most serious cases in Texas are defended.
Latest in Murder Defense
When the Courthouse Itself Compromises a Fair Trial: What the Murdaugh Reversal Means for Every Defendant
On May 13, 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court unanimously vacated Alex Murdaugh’s 2023 double-murder conviction and ordered a new trial. The 5-0 opinion did not reach the merits of the murder…
What the Jordan Ruling Means for Intellectual Disability and Capital Punishment
On April 9, 2026 (Clarence Curtis Jordan’s 70th birthday) the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals vacated his death sentence and sent his case back to Harris County for a new punishment proceeding.…
Indicted for Murder in Texas? How the Grand Jury Process Works and What a Defense Packet Can Do
When you are under investigation for murder in Texas, the grand jury proceeding is often one of the first critical battleground and it is one that most people facing charges do not…
How Killing a Cop Went from Murder to Manslaughter
A New York jury recently acquitted Guy Rivera of first-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop in Queens. Rivera was convicted of manslaughter…
A Last-Minute Confession Before a Texas Execution: What Does It Takes to Stop One?
James Broadnax was convicted in Dallas County in 2009 for the robbery and murder of two men in Garland. He is scheduled to die by lethal injection on April 30, 2026. His…
Sudden Passion in Texas Murder Cases: How a First-Degree Felony Becomes a Second-Degree Sentence
By Deandra Grant, J.D., M.S. (Pharmaceutical Science), ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Under Texas law, murder is a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison. But there is a…
Self-Defense in Texas Murder Cases: Stand Your Ground, the Castle Doctrine, and What the Law Actually Requires
By Deandra Grant, J.D., M.S. (Pharmaceutical Science), ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Texas has the most robust self-defense laws in the country. A person who kills another person in self-defense has committed no crime.…
The Mitigation Investigation: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Changes Sentencing Outcomes in Texas Felony Cases
By Deandra Grant, J.D., M.S. (Pharmaceutical Science), ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist In serious felony cases (murder, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated robbery, and other offenses carrying decades of prison time) the guilt-innocence…
Manslaughter vs. Murder in Texas: The Mental State That Changes Everything
By Deandra Grant, J.D., M.S. (Pharmaceutical Science), ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist The difference between murder and manslaughter in Texas comes down to one word: the mental state. Murder requires that the defendant acted…
Challenging Forensic Evidence in Texas Homicide Cases: What the Prosecution Presents and Where It Breaks Down
By Deandra Grant, J.D., M.S. (Pharmaceutical Science), ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist In Texas homicide cases, the prosecution builds its case on forensic evidence. DNA, blood spatter, ballistics, digital forensics, toxicology, autopsy findings, and…