Man in Houston nightclub shooting gets court OK for appeal
HOUSTON
Thirty-four-year-old Felix Rocha argues his lawyers did a poor
job developing and presenting evidence that could have influenced
jurors to spare his life. Rocha has been on Texas death row since
1998 for killing 32-year-old Raphael Fuentes. Rocha was 18 at the
time.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday it didn't
believe Rocha was entitled to his claim but believed it should be
examined because a similar appeal in another Texas case also is
under court review.
The court rejected other claims that prosecutors improperly
withheld evidence and the Mexican citizen wrongly was denied access
to legal help from his country's consulate.
