Death Row Inmate Claims Judge, Prosecutor Were Having An Affair
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Death Row Inmate Claims Judge, Prosecutor Were Having An Affair Save Email Print
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(June 13, 2008)--Lawyers for a convicted North Texas killer who is facing execution next week have filed an appeal that claims the prosecutor and trial judge were having an affair at the time of his trial.

Attorneys for Charles Dean Hood are asking the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to halt the execution scheduled for Tuesday.

They say the alleged romantic relationship between then-Collin County District Attorney Tom O'Connell and then-state District Judge Verla Sue Holland would have violated legal ethics.

Hood was sentenced to die for a double slaying in suburban Dallas 19 years ago.

In an appeal filed Thursday with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the trial court in Collin County, Hood's lawyers ask for a new trial.

In an affidavit, ex-prosecutor Matthew Goeller said it was
common knowledge that Holland and O'Connell "had a romantic
relationship" from at least 1987 until about 1993.

Neither Holland nor O'Connell, now in private practice, returned telephone calls left for them by The Associated Press.

The accusations first surfaced three years ago in a story on the Internet news site Salon.com.

Hood was convicted in the shooting deaths of Ronald Williamson and Tracie Lynn Wallace at Williamson's Plano home.

He stole money and other items before taking his victim's car and fleeing to Indiana, where he was later arrested.
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Posted by: Aly Location: Waco Area on Jun 15, 2008 at 08:03 AM
The idiot lived 19 years longer than the people whose lifes he took!! Too bad we retired 'Ol' Sparky', or I woudld say FRY HIM! Sorry, I don't believe the needle is scary enough.
Posted by: chichi Location: copperas cove, tx on Jun 14, 2008 at 01:59 PM
He still was convicted of committing murder by a jury of his peers! MURDERS, RAPISTS, PEDOPHILES NEED TO BE EXECUTED OR PUT AWAY FOREVER AND A DAY...BUT JUST PUTTING THEM ON DEATH ROW COSTS THE STATE MORE MONEY TO KEEP THEM ALIVE THAN TO EXECUTE THEM!!! SO, WHAT, IF THEY "WERE" HAVING AN AFFAIR? HE STILL DID THE MURDER ACCORDING TO THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED AND THE FINDINGS OF THE JURY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: who cares... Location: tx on Jun 14, 2008 at 08:28 AM
those dang inmates have more "rights" than the regular law abiding citizen. who cares if the judge & prosecutor were having an affair - he killed two people.
Posted by: Mac Location: TX on Jun 13, 2008 at 07:31 PM
What, with all that love in the air, how could you complain? Look, you got 19 more years to live than your victims!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 13, 2008 at 05:05 PM
19 years later!! give me a break!! kill this idiot and get on with it! and the scum bag lawyer representing this fool needs to be strapped right next to him for even bringing this up!!
Posted by: Susie Location: Central Texas on Jun 13, 2008 at 01:41 PM
If it were not a cut and dried case (he stole their car...duh? pretty much puts him there) then I would say 're-trial', but hey he did it. And if the accusations first surfaced three years ago,why wait 'til just before execution...why not start fighting for it the minute they knew!
Posted by: legion Location: tx on Jun 13, 2008 at 01:15 PM
Its time to stick those needles into this scumbag! Who cares if the judge and the lawyer were boinking each other?! Was the jury in on it too? This is potentially another blatant waste of our tax dollars! I think WE have supported this waste of life long enough!!
Posted by: Kim Location: Temple on Jun 13, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Now I HAVE heard it all. My opinion, who cares what everybody else was doing, if you killed people, pay for it and quit whining. Stupid criminals always looking for a way out even though they are guilty as hell.
Posted by: Mary Location: Cove on Jun 13, 2008 at 12:08 PM
This murderer and his attorney are concerned about the ethics of someone's affair (I am NOT defending them!), but apparently not about the ethics of murder. Interesting, isn't it?
Posted by: Marie Location: Waco on Jun 13, 2008 at 12:06 PM
PALEEEEASE!!! Just another excuse. It's been almost 20 yrs since he killed those innocent people, I'd say its time to take him out back!!
Posted by: Tamara Location: Waco on Jun 13, 2008 at 11:49 AM
19 years later. Why do people stay on death row that long? How hard is it to execute someone? Click, bang that's all it should take!
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