Source: https://www.tdcaa.com/journal/how-does-recusal-work-examination-of-this-issue-and-others-in-buntion-v-state/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 20:47:37+00:00

Document:
The year was 1990. A motorcycle officer with the Houston Police Department, James Irby, was working patrol on June 27 and initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Johnny Killingsworth. Carl Wayne Buntion was his passenger.
Killingsworth stepped out of his car and walked to its rear to speak with Officer Irby. According to witnesses, their interaction appeared to be cordial, and nothing indicated any type of issue between them. At one point, Officer Irby walked to the driver’s side window and said something to Buntion, then returned to Killingsworth. Buntion then got out of the car, and Officer Irby motioned for him to get back inside. Instead of complying, Buntion approached the officer, pointed a .357 magnum revolver at Officer Irby, and shot him in the head. He then shot him two more times in the back.
Buntion also filed a motion for change of venue, requesting his trial to be moved to Travis County. In this motion, he claimed the Harris County District Attorney had issued a legally inaccurate statement to the Houston Chronicle newspaper regarding his case, which made it impossible for him to receive a fair trial in Harris County. In discussing her decision to pursue death in several cases that had been returned on appeal, the District Attorney articulated a concern that these offenders could be released on mandatory parole if the jury came back with a life sentence, as opposed to the death penalty.
The trial court held a hearing on the motion where both sides presented several witnesses. Buntion presented evidence that the parole statement was incorrect, and two of the State’s witnesses agreed that capital murderers are not eligible for any type of mandatory release. The defense concern was that the jury pool had been tainted with the “mistruth” that Buntion would be released on mandatory parole if given a life sentence, thereby assuring him a second verdict of death.
The Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the trial court’s denial of the motion to change venue. The Court found that Buntion was not harmed by the misstatement because the consideration of parole law in his case was not appropriate during the jury’s deliberation of punishment.8 The Court also noted the jury was properly instructed not to consider any possible action by the Board of Pardons & Paroles Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or how long Buntion would have to serve to satisfy a life sentence. The Court further reiterated that it is presumed the jury disregards parole when it is instructed to. Also of note: That the motion to change venue was granted in the first trial had no bearing on the Court’s analysis of this issue in the second trial.
Also of note: the concurring opinions this particular issue generated. Judge Alcala wrote separately to address her concern about the inequity she perceives in life sentences based upon offense date.14 She urged the legislature to provide a mechanism whereby a defendant could waive the right to the possibility of life with parole and instead be treated under the current punishment scheme. This is precisely what Buntion suggested: the opportunity to ask the jury to sentence him to life without the possibility of parole rather than death. Judge Hervey, who was joined by Judge Keasler and Judge Newell in her concurring opinion, responded that Judge Alcala’s legislative suggestion raises serious ex post facto concerns.15 Simply put: How can a defendant be sentenced to a punishment that did not exist at the time of the offense?
This is a lengthy opinion with lots of practical information for practitioners who anticipate trying a death penalty case in the near future. In addition to the issues noted here, the Court reviewed numerous denials of the defendant’s challenges for cause, which could be useful in your next voir dire.
1 Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 37.071, §2(b).
2 Buntion v. State, No. AP-71,238 (Tex. Crim. App. May 31, 1995) (not designated for publication).
3 Penry v. Johnson, 532 U.S. 782 (2001); Ex parte Buntion, No. AP-76236, 2009 WL 3154909 (Tex. Crim. App. Sep. 30, 2009) (not designated for publication).
4 Buntion v. State, 2016 WL 320742 (Tex. Crim. App. Jan. 27, 2016).
5 Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 2.01.
6 Buntion, 2016 WL 320742 at *10; Landers v. State, 256 S.W.3d 295, 304 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
7 Coleman v. State, 246 S.W.3d 76, 81 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
8 Buntion, 2016 WL 320742 at *9-10.
9 Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 37.071, §2(a)(1) (if a defendant is tried for a capital offense in which the State seeks the death penalty, upon a finding of guilt, the trial court shall conduct a separate sentencing proceeding to determine whether the defendant shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment without parole).
10 Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 37.071, §2(e)(2).
11 Tex. Penal Code §12.31(a).
12 Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 37.0711, §3(a)(1).
13 Buntion, 2016 WL 320742 at *35.
14 Buntion v. State, 2016 WL 320742 (Tex. Crim. App. Jan. 27, 2016) (Alcala, J., concurring).
15 Buntion v. State, 2016 WL 320742 (Tex. Crim. App. Jan. 27, 2016) (Hervey, J., concurring).

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