Santillan, Martin Lucio

• Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas
• Decided: February 22, 2023
• Docket: WR-49,763-02
• Status: Published

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS NO. WR-49,763-02

EX PARTE MARTIN LUCIO SANTILLAN, Applicant

ON APPLICATION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS CAUSE NO. W97-51514-R(B) IN THE 265TH DISTRICT COURT FROM DALLAS COUNTY

Per curiam. YEARY , J., filed a concurring opinion.

OPINION

Applicant was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Fifth

Court of Appeals affirmed his conviction. Santillan v. State, No. 05-98-00532-CR (Tex. App.—May

11, 2000) (not designated for publication). Applicant filed this application for a writ of habeas

corpus in the county of conviction, and the district clerk forwarded it to this Court. See TEX . CODE

CRIM . PROC. art. 11.07.

Applicant contends that new DNA evidence shows that he is actually innocent and that he

entitled to relief on the basis of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 11.073. The trial court

has determined, and the State agrees, that Applicant has established (1) by clear and convincing

evidence that he is actually innocent and (2) that had the scientific evidence been presented at his 2

trial, on the preponderance of the evidence, Applicant would not have been convicted.

We agree. Relief is granted. Ex parte Elizondo, 947 S.W.2d 202 (Tex. Crim. App. 1996);

TEX . CODE CRIM . PRO . art. 11.073. The judgment in cause number F97-51514-UR in the 265th

District Court of Dallas County is set aside, and Applicant is remanded to the custody of the Sheriff

of Dallas County to answer the charges as set out in the indictment. The trial court shall issue any

necessary bench warrant within ten days from the date of this Court’s mandate.

Copies of this opinion shall be sent to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice–Correctional

Institutions Division and the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Delivered: February 22, 2023 Do not publish