Overview
- Defense attorneys filed the new-trial motion on June 4, saying widespread news and social-media attention intimidated key witnesses who later refused to testify.
- A protective order signed by the trial judge has sealed sensitive exhibits tied to the motion to safeguard witness privacy and the integrity of the record.
- Wise County prosecutors filed a 12-page response on June 23 asking the court to deny the motion and noting there is no rule barring media coverage of trials.
- The judge who presided over the trial is considering the motion while Horner’s lawyers have separately lodged the mandatory appeal of the death sentence with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
- Legal experts note grants of new trials are rare without new evidence but say the motion creates a formal record that could influence the pace and focus of long-term appeals and affect the timeline for any possible execution.