Larry Hatten

Case record: Larry Hatten

Background

Larry Hatten, 34, was condemned for fatally shooting a 5-year-old boy nearly 14 years earlier. He was convicted of capital murder in Nueces County and was later sentenced to death in January 1996.

The offence

Isaac Jackson, a 5-year-old boy, was fatally shot in 1995 while he was in bed with his mother at their Corpus Christi apartment. Isaac Jackson was shot twice.

Tabitha Thompson, the boy’s mother, was shot four times with a .357-caliber pistol but survived.

According to court documents, Hatten broke into the apartment of Isaac Robinson, the child’s father and Thompson’s boyfriend, kicked in a bedroom door, and started shooting in retaliation for an escalation of quarrels among drug dealers.

Hatten later said he intended to kill Robinson, but Robinson was not home.

Investigation

The appeals court described the evidence as overwhelming and stated that Hatten acknowledged that he intended to kill Robinson and that he was identified as the gunman.

Trial

Hatten was convicted of killing Isaac Jackson and was sentenced to death.

During Hatten’s capital murder trial in Nueces County, he contended on appeal that he had been improperly shackled and that a juror was biased against him.

Appeals

Hatten appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (case number 07-70038). In a June 5, 2009 Associated Press report, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against him, moving him a step closer to execution.

Hatten argued that a juror was biased and that he had been improperly shackled during his capital murder trial in Nueces County. His appeal also argued that:

• the juror knew Robinson and Hatten’s stepfather
• the juror bought drugs from Robinson
• the juror lied about drug use during juror questioning
• the juror was biased in favor of prosecutors

Hatten also argued the juror lied when questioned about the relationships at a court hearing.

The appeals court wrote:

"The jury needed very little else to find him guilty,"

Outcome

Hatten’s federal court appeal of his conviction and death sentence was denied, and the decision moved him a step closer to execution.

Other details

• Isaac Robinson was the child’s father and Tabitha Thompson’s boyfriend.
• The .357-caliber pistol was used to shoot Tabitha Thompson four times.
• Hatten’s sentencing status was death, with sentencing in January 1996.
• Michael Graczyk was the Associated Press reporter of the June 5, 2009 report.