Condemned Fort Worth Killer Loses Appeal
HOUSTON (AP) - A prisoner on Texas death row for the fatal stabbings of an 89-year-old woman and her 71-year-old daughter at their Fort Worth home has lost a federal court appeal for a second time.
Condemned killer Billy Jack Crutsinger argued he had deficient legal help at his trial and that a federal judge improperly denied him money to hire an investigator and expert to pursue that claim.
A 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel, after agreeing to a rehearing, rejected the arguments Monday. The court similarly turned down an appeal last year.
The 59-year-old Crutsinger faces execution for the April 2003 slayings of Pearl Magouirk and Patricia Syren. Evidence showed Crutsinger got into their home under the pretense of doing some work.
He does not yet have an execution date.
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