Court Rules Satanism Introduced At El Paso Murder Trial Was OK

Evidence that a death row inmate practiced Satanism was properly introduced at his trial, and his death sentence stands, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Wednesday, according to a report in the Austin American-Statesman.

Defense lawyers had asked the court to throw out Irving Alvin Davis’ death sentence, arguing that prosecutors improperly introduced evidence that dabbling in Satanism showed Davis presented a danger of continued violence.

But the court declined, ruling unanimously that evidence of Satanism did not improperly prejudice jurors or violate Davis’ First Amendment right to freely practice his religion.

“Satanism was ‘another piece of the puzzle’ for the jury to consider,” said the opinion by Judge Cheryl Johnson.

She noted that prosecutors also presented evidence of Davis’ past aggressive behavior and the brutality of his crime.

According to Davis’ Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice offender information, on June 4, 2001, in El Paso, “Davis followed a 16-year-old Hispanic female from a party. Davis drug her into an elementary school yard where he choked her with an unknown ligature and hit her in the head with an unknown object and killed the victim. Davis also sexually assaulted the victim.”

Davis also cut off the girl’s fingertips. Other reports have stated the girl’s age was 15.

According to the Statesman article, Davis’ choice of religion also served to rebut defense claims that Davis had become “a good person” and tried to do the right things while in prison, Johnson wrote.

Read the full article here.