Reginald Blanton

Case details

Name: Reginald Blanton TDCJ Number: 999395 Date of birth: 6/3/1981 Race: Black Gender: Male Hair color: Black Eye color: Brown Height: 6' 01" Weight: 201 Education: 10 years Occupation: Laborer

Timeline

• April 9, 2000 — Carlos Garza was murdered at his residence in the Stepping Stone Apartments in San Antonio, Texas.
• April 13, 2000 — Reginald Blanton was arrested.
• August 24, 2001 — Reginald Blanton was convicted of capital murder.
• May 2001 — Blanton assaulted another inmate while awaiting trial.
• June 30, 2004 — Blanton’s conviction was affirmed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
• June 22, 2005 — Blanton’s state habeas corpus application was denied by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
• June 19, 2006 — Blanton filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus.
• June 1, 2007 — Habeas corpus relief was denied.
• June 11, 2007 — Blanton filed a notice of appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
• September 19, 2008 — Relief was denied by the Court of Appeals.
• February 9, 2009 — Petition for writ of certiorari was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.
• May 18, 2009 — Petition denied.
• October 8, 2009 — Blanton filed a petition for clemency.
• October 27, 2009 — Blanton was executed by lethal injection in Texas; he was pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m.

The offence

On April 9, 2000, Carlos Garza, a 20-year-old Hispanic male, was found lying unconscious in his apartment with a bullet wound to his forehead. He died on the way to the hospital. Garza’s door appeared to have been kicked open.

Blanton and one co-defendant shot and killed Carlos Garza in his apartment. Blanton took jewelry from the victim, which was later pawned for $79. Prosecutors said Blanton took about $100 in cash.

Investigation and police interview evidence

After a disturbance call on two days later following her arrest after an altercation with her boyfriend, LaToya Mayberry told police that she had information about a murder that had occurred a few days before in an apartment complex and that Robert Blanton and his twin brother Reginald Blanton were involved.

Mayberry stated that she waited in the car while Robert and Reginald went to Garza’s apartment. She said she heard “two loud booms” and then “two more booms”, which she said she knew were gunshots. She said Robert and Reginald then returned to the car, drove away, and that Reginald had jewelry in his hand, including two necklaces, which he later pawned for $79.

Mayberry told the police that she asked Robert what had happened. Robert told her that the door was kicked in, Garza came around the corner and asked what they were doing, and Reginald shot him. Mayberry stated that Reginald looked around the apartment for drugs, found none, and shot Garza again. Mayberry said Reginald stated he took one hundred dollars from the apartment.

San Antonio police recovered the pawned jewelry that belonged to Garza, and a video camera recorded Reginald as the person who pawned them.

Arrest and early legal history

Blanton had prior criminal history including an arrest for shoplifting and being given a warning for criminal trespass in April 1996.

He was convicted of burglary in July 1996, evading detention in May 1996, unlawfully carrying a weapon in December 1997, auto theft in March 1998, and possession of marijuana in April 1998.

When he was arrested on April 13, 2000, on a capital murder charge, he was found with four baggies of marijuana and a shotgun.

While awaiting trial, he assaulted another inmate in May 2001 in the adult detention center for allegedly testifying in another inmate’s capital trial.

People

Defendant

• Reginald Blanton — convicted of capital murder; executed by lethal injection in Texas on October 27, 2009.

Co-defendant

• Robert Blanton (brother) — Robert Blanton was not charged in the case because authorities could not show he was involved in the break-in or shooting; he was described as being in prison on an unrelated drug conviction and serving a two-year term.

Witnesses and other individuals

• LaToya Mayberry — girlfriend of Robert Blanton; provided information about the homicide to police.
• Carlos Garza — victim.
• Patricia Romano — lived across the hall from Garza; testified at trial.
• Ralph Vidal — approached Romano and later testified at trial.
• Joseph Anderson — approached Romano and later testified at trial.
• Ernest Borroel, Jr. — lived in the apartment beneath Garza’s apartment; testified at trial.
• Richard Odoms — San Antonio Police Department officer.
• Michael Rodriguez — paramedic.
• Robert Bux — Bexar County Chief Medical Examiner.
• Ricky Lopez — San Antonio Police Department officer.
• Raymond Roberts — detective who interviewed Mayberry.
• Rocky Dyer — detective referenced in connection with Mayberry’s statements.
• Frank Trujillo — witness who testified about a motel and a request related to buying a gun.
• Ronald Marshall — defense witness.
• Debra Estrada — Garza’s girlfriend; testified at trial.
• Yvonne Garza — Garza’s wife, separated from him; testified at trial.
• Irene Garza — Garza’s mother; described as attending execution and providing a statement.
• Sulema Balverde — Garza’s sister.
• Irene Escobar — Garza’s sister.
• Sandal Stafford — Blanton’s fiancée (spelled “Sandra Stafford” in one place in the material).
• Alkeshia Hoyle — testified about living together with Blanton.

The trial

Conviction

A jury convicted Reginald Blanton of capital murder for killing Carlos Garza while committing robbery or burglary.

During the trial, the jury heard:

• Garza was murdered at his residence in the Stepping Stone Apartments in San Antonio on April 9, 2000.
• Evidence including testimony about door damage, spent bullet casings, and Garza’s injuries.
• Mayberry’s statement and testimony about hearing the “booms,” seeing Reginald return to the car with jewelry, and pawnshop events.
• Evidence that the jury convicted him based on killing while in the course of robbing or burglarizing Garza’s home.

Romano testified that when she told Blanton to shut up, he replied:

• “Shut up, bitch, get back in your house.”

Jurors and sentencing verdict

At the punishment phase, the jury returned a verdict finding:

1. There was a probability that Blanton would commit criminal acts of violence constituting a continuing threat to society, and
2. Taking into consideration all of the evidence, including the circumstances of the offense and Blanton’s character, background, and personal moral culpability, there were insufficient mitigating circumstances to warrant a life sentence.

The trial judge sentenced Blanton to death.

Prior and other conduct described in trial materials

Witnesses testified about Blanton’s background and prior arrests, including shoplifting, weapons possession, auto theft, and marijuana possession, and about allegations including assaulting another inmate while awaiting trial.

Trial testimony also included:

• Mayberry and other testimony describing Blanton as having joined gangs in San Antonio to seek protection.
• Witness testimony that Blanton smoked marijuana at age 11 and spent time at a juvenile boot camp.

Sentencing and execution details

Execution

Blanton was scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m. on October 27, 2009.

He was strapped to the Texas death chamber gurney, and he was pronounced dead at 6:21 p.m., eight minutes after the dosage began at 6:13 p.m..

Final statement and quotations

Blanton insisted his execution was an injustice and he was wrongly convicted. In his final statement, he said:

• “Carlos was my friend. I didn’t murder him,”
• “What is happening right now is an injustice. This doesn’t solve anything. This will not bring back Carlos.”

Blanton also said:

• “I say I am worse than a dog,”
• “They want to kill me for this; I am not the man that did this.”

Blanton addressed friends and urged continued fight for his innocence, saying:

• “Stay strong, continue to fight. I will see y’all again.”

In a separate statement appearing in the material, Blanton wrote about being told of an execution date and said:

• “The Major tells me about the number of witnesses I can have; talks about a last will. A last will, ya’ll! A “last will”?! What about my will to live?!”
• “Ya’ll are trying to steal me away from the people who need me.”
• “I say I am worse than a dog,”

Appeals

State proceedings

Federal proceedings

• Supreme Court.
• May 18, 2009 — Petition denied.

Clemency

Outcome

Blanton was executed by lethal injection in Texas on October 27, 2009.

Other details

Pawn and jewelry evidence

Mayberry said Reginald had jewelry in his hand, including two necklaces, which he later pawned for $79.

At the pawn shop, it was described that Blanton pawned two necklaces and a “Jesus charm,” and arrived at the pawn shop at about 5:50 p.m..

A receipt described a pawn for eighty-five dollars at 6:00 p.m. on April 9, 2000 for a gold herringbone chain, a gold rope necklace with a broken chain, and a religious pendant.

Court of Criminal Appeals holdings summarized in the material

The material included an account that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals held evidence was sufficient to establish that the defendant intentionally committed murder in the course of committing burglary, that the conviction was affirmed, that the state articulated race-neutral reasons for using peremptory strikes against two African-American potential jurors, that the defendant was not entitled to jury instruction on lesser-included offense of murder, that the State was entitled to question witnesses about prior inconsistent statements for impeachment purposes, and that the defendant’s challenge to prosecutor’s argument was not preserved for review.