The 10th Court of Appeals, in Waco, upheld the conviction of Amber Hope Halford of Teague, who was found guilty of capital murder in connection with her uncle’s death in 2015.
Justices considered an appeal citing four issues filed by attorneys for Halford, 21, who was convicted on October 25, 2016 of orchestrating a burglary that resulted in the shooting death of her uncle, Douglas Carr Hurst, 45.
The four issues argued by Halford were:
–There was insufficient evidence presented at her trial to convict her: The appeals court stated that sufficient evidence was indeed presented to secure a conviction.
–The trial court erred in failing to include all the elements of the crime in the jury charge: Justices said if found the appellant was not “egregiously harmed in the abstract portion of the jury charge.”
–An improper jury charge expanded the likelihood of her conviction: The appeals court explained, “The trial court did not err in including the instruction of the law of parties in the jury charge.”
–The trial court committed error in denying her a change of venue: Justices wrote, “We find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by denying the motion to transfer venue. We overrule this issue.”
Halford will spend life in prison with no possibility of parole.
