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Court revokes any bond, reviews jury instructions and excuses alternates before punishment phase
Summary
Before the punishment phase, the judge said she would revoke any bond in the case if one existed, had counsel review the court's proposed punishment charge, excused alternate jurors and set a 1:30 p.m. return time for deliberations.
Before receiving punishment-phase evidence and argument, the court completed several procedural steps: the judge announced she would revoke any bond set in the case, excused alternate jurors from further service and asked counsel to review the proposed jury charge. The judge explained the jury would have a copy of the instructions to use during deliberations and reviewed the forms jurors would mark when assessing punishment.
The court also read statutory-range instructions to the jury about permissible punishment (5 to 99 years, or life, and potential fines), explained parole eligibility language and instructed jurors on deliberation rules. After closing arguments, the jury deliberated and returned the punishment verdict later the same day.
