Court Opinion

ID: 9668293
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:08:49.60851+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:44.399234
License: Public Domain

OVERSTREET, Judge,
dissenting on court’s own motion for rehearing.
Because the Court granted rehearing on its own motion, my prior opinion is withdrawn. After reading appellant’s brief, the majority opinion of this Court, the concurring opinions, and the dissenting opinions, I am of the firm belief that the issues raised by appellant require additional briefing. As the court of last resort in Texas for criminal matters, we should not render a disposition of the issues as suggested by the majority *268opinion.1 The United States Supreme Court in various decisions has upheld the constitutionality of the Texas capital murder laws. Implicit is a requirement of meaningful appellate review for those cases wherein the death penalty has been assessed. It should be obvious to all that appellant, an indigent death row inmate, is working under unreasonable inflexible time restraints imposed by this Court in this case.
Even a strained sense of justice demands that we reorder briefing. Issues such as the actions of the trial judge toward appellant’s African-American lawyers and the creation of a hostile and racially charged courtroom atmosphere have far ranging potential consequences regarding the disposition of this case.
Rather than rushing to injustice as the majority seems intent on doing, I would order appellate counsel to rebrief per Tex. R.App.Pro. 38.9, formerly Tex.R.App.Pro. 74(p). Afterwards, this Court can provide the constitutionally required due process of law by providing meaningful review. Because the majority chooses to do otherwise, I strongly dissent.

. The majority dismisses 64 of appellant’s 173 points, 36.99% — well over one-third, as inadequately briefed.