Pedro Sosa, Appellant v. the State of Texas, Appellee

Summary

The Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas affirmed Pedro Sosa's capital murder conviction and death sentence, holding that the evidence supported the jury's finding on the second special issue, that the confession statements were admissible, that Miranda warnings were sufficiently compliant, that the trial court erred not to grant a mistrial over the missing competency report, that the jury instructions on mitigating evidence were proper, and that the trial court properly excused jurors including Goodwin under the Witt test. Justice Clinton, in a concurring opinion, argued that the majority overstepped by deeming Goodwin clearly excludable without a de novo determination of substantial impairment.