Samuel Christopher Hawkins, Appellant v. the State of Texas, Appellee

Summary

The Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas affirmed Samuel Christopher Hawkins' capital murder conviction, holding that the warrantless arrest was supported by probable cause, the confession was voluntarily given after a valid waiver of counsel, and the evidence was sufficient to support the verdict. The Court also found the indictment adequate, the assistance of counsel effective, no perjury or due‑process violations, and the juror challenges proper. However, the Court reversed the trial court's refusal to impanel a competency jury and remanded for a competency hearing. The dissenting judges criticized the majority's overruling of several grounds, including juror exclusion and the duty to disclose exculpatory evidence.