Ronnie Earl Tezeno, Appellant v. the State of Texas, Appellee

Summary

The Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas affirmed Ronnie Earl Tezeno's murder conviction and death sentence, finding no reversible error in the jury selection, the constitutionality of the death penalty, the trial court's evidentiary rulings, or the admission of a crime‑scene photograph. The majority held that the trial court properly exercised its discretion on peremptory challenges, continuance, and the exclusion of jurors with conscientious scruples against capital punishment. The opinion also noted that the Governor later commuted the death sentence, rendering the constitutional issue moot. Justice Onion dissented, arguing that the Witherspoon test was misapplied, and Judge Morrison concurred in the affirmation except for the fifth ground concerning hearsay objections.