William Jack Hammett, Appellant v. the State of Texas, Appellee

Summary

The Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas affirmed William Jack Hammett's capital murder conviction and death sentence, rejecting all thirteen of his asserted errors ranging from jury selection disclosures to the admissibility of evidence and the denial of a defense psychologist. The majority held that the trial court acted within its discretion on each issue. A concurring opinion emphasized the necessity of allowing indigent defendants access to expert testimony on future dangerousness.