Condemned man in San Antonio murder gets appeal OK
© 2008 The Associated Press
DALLAS — A Texas death row inmate from San Antonio has won permission from a federal appeals court to move forward with an appeal that argues his trial lawyer failed him during jury selection.
Reginald Blanton, 27, was condemned for the 2000 fatal shooting of 20-year-old Carlos Garza. Blanton was 18 at the time of the slaying at Garza's San Antonio apartment in what prosecutors said was apparent attempted drug robbery.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected nine appeals claims from Blanton but agreed to issue what's known as a certificate of appealability for a 10th claim that argued Blanton's trial attorney was ineffective by failing to properly preserve an objection to a prosecution request for a jury shuffle and failing to preserve evidence showing the jury shuffle in his case was discriminatory.
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