Texas Court denies self-defense claim in capital murder case involving pharmacy robbery

The April 11, 2025, session of the 187th District Court, presided over by Judge Stephanie Boyd, focused on the case of State vs. McIntyre, addressing several critical legal issues surrounding self-defense and jury instructions in a capital murder charge.

The meeting commenced with a discussion referencing the case of Horne vs. State, which involved a robbery and the concept of transferred intent. The defense raised questions about whether the current case shared similar characteristics, particularly regarding the applicability of self-defense in capital murder cases. Judge Boyd ultimately denied the request for a self-defense instruction, citing precedents that establish self-defense is not permissible in robbery-related charges.

The defense counsel acknowledged the court's ruling but argued for further clarification on the issue, emphasizing the importance of due process in capital murder cases. They contended that denying the opportunity to present self-defense arguments could unjustly limit the defendant's rights.

Subsequently, the defense objected to the inclusion of lesser included offenses in the jury instructions, asserting that the evidence only supported a capital murder charge. They also raised concerns about the law of parties, arguing that the statute's vagueness could lead to unjust convictions based on mere presence at the scene of the crime.

Further discussions included the defense's request for an instruction regarding the display of a weapon, which they argued was crucial to prevent the jury from misinterpreting the evidence as constituting robbery without sufficient proof. Judge Boyd denied this request as well.

The session concluded with the defense seeking a mistake of fact instruction and clarification on the inclusion of defensive property language in the jury charge, which was also denied. The court's decisions throughout the meeting underscored the complexities of legal interpretations in capital murder cases and the ongoing debate over the rights of defendants in such serious matters.