Steven Nelson

Case overview

Steven Lawayne Nelson was convicted of capital murder for killing the pastor Clint Dobson during a robbery at NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington. He was also convicted in connection with the severe beating of church secretary Judy Elliott, who survived, and with thefts connected to the incident. Nelson later received a death sentence.

Timeline

• March 3, 2011 — A subject and two codefendants entered NorthPointe Baptist Church to rob the victims of their personal items; Pastor Clint Dobson was bound and suffocated with a plastic bag and suffered blunt force trauma to his head, face, back, shoulder, arms and hands; church secretary Judy Elliott suffered massive head trauma but was alive.
• March 5, 2011 — Steven Lawayne Nelson was arrested during the investigation into the slaying of Pastor Clint Dobson.
• October 5, 2012 — Nelson testified in his capital murder trial and blamed two friends for the beating and suffocation death of Clint Dobson and the bludgeoning of Judy Elliott.
• October 8, 2012 — A jury convicted Steven Lawayne Nelson of capital murder; the punishment phase began.
• October 10, 2012 — Testimony in the punishment phase continued, including evidence about contraband found in Nelson’s jail cell.
• October 11, 2012 — Nelson told a deputy sheriff that he had multiple personalities that sometimes emerged and caused trouble.
• October 16, 2012 — A jury sentenced Steven Lawayne Nelson to death.

The offence

Steven Nelson, together with two codefendants, entered NorthPointe Baptist Church to rob the victims of their personal items. Pastor Clint Dobson had been bound and suffocated with a plastic bag and received blunt force trauma to his head, face, back, shoulder, arms and hands.

Judy Elliott, the church secretary, was also assaulted. She suffered massive head trauma and was alive. Prosecutors described that she was beaten severely, suffered a broken jaw, and had memory problems.

The robbery included thefts from Dobson and Elliott. Dobson’s laptop computer and Elliott’s credit cards and Mitsubishi Galant were stolen. Nelson stole Elliott’s car and other items and then used the credit cards. Evidence presented at trial indicated that blood from both victims was found on a pair of Nelson’s shoes, and studs from his belt were found at the church.

Dobson was beaten, bound and suffocated with a plastic bag during the robbery. The prosecution presented evidence that the church secretary was beaten and left for dead but survived.

Investigation

Forensic evidence was presented tying Nelson to the church and to the stolen items. The jury heard that blood from Dobson and Elliott was found on a pair of black-and-green counterfeit Air Jordan tennis shoes. A bloody footprint on an envelope in the church restroom appeared to match the pattern on the bottom of the shoes.

The jury also heard that Dobson was bound with a computer power cord and masking tape, and Elliott was bound with masking tape during the assault, but investigators could not lift fingerprints from those items.

A homicide detective testified that white objects found at the crime scene matched white metal studs in a belt that Nelson was wearing when he was arrested. Another detective testified that a bloody shoe print on a piece of paper in the church bathroom appeared to match a different pair of Air Jordan shoes later seized from Nelson’s home.

An Arlington Police Department fingerprint expert testified that Nelson’s fingerprints were found inside Dobson’s office, on a wrist rest for a laptop computer stolen from the office, and on receipts for items purchased with Elliott’s stolen credit cards.

The Medical Examiner testified that Dobson put up a fight before he was likely knocked unconscious by blows on the head, and that he had 21 injuries. The injuries were described as painting “a picture of a violent altercation,” and the Medical Examiner testified that Dobson was cognizant and aware he was being attacked. The Medical Examiner testified that the blows were not fatal and that a plastic bag killed Dobson after it was placed so tightly over his head that his last breath sucked plastic into his mouth. On the possibility of other assailants, the Medical Examiner testified: “Certainly one [person] could easily have done that.”

Forensic testimony was also described linking Nelson to another inmate’s death. Forensics experts testified that Nelson’s DNA was found under mentally ill inmate Johnathan Holden’s fingernails and that the knots tied in the blanket were done from outside the cell door.

Arrest

Steven Lawayne Nelson, 24, was arrested on March 5, 2011, after a brief standoff with Arlington police at an apartment complex. Department spokeswoman Tiara Ellis Richard said Nelson was staying in an apartment a few blocks away from NorthPointe Baptist Church, where Rev. Clint Dobson was found dead and his assistant was severely beaten Thursday. Richard said investigators had found the assistant’s car stolen from the church parking lot after the attack, and that the car was not located at the apartment complex, while refusing to say where authorities found it.

Nelson remained jailed at the time of the arrest report. It was not known if Nelson had retained a lawyer at that time.

Trial

Charges and procedural posture

Nelson was charged with capital murder in connection with the death of Clint Dobson that occurred during a robbery. Jurors later had the option of sentencing Nelson to death or life in prison without parole.

Evidence and testimony during the trial

During the trial, Nelson denied killing the minister and blamed two friends for the crime. Under cross-examination, Nelson admitted stepping around Dobson and Elliott to steal a laptop but maintained that they were still alive when he was there. Nelson testified that he waited outside the church while two friends went inside on March 3, 2011.

Nelson also admitted he stepped around the bodies they were still alive, and he testified that he did not injure or threaten anybody.

Medical examiner testimony

“A lot of damage could be done with one of these razor blades,”
— Capt. Donnie Denton (jail testimony during punishment phase)

“He was cognizant and aware he was being attacked.”
— Tarrant County Medical Examiner Nizam Peerwani

“Certainly one [person] could easily have done that.”

“I watched the whole thing, from beginning to end,”
— Inmate witness speaking about Holden’s killing

“He was murdered.”

Other witnesses and evidence

Brittany Bursey testified that Nelson told her he killed a pastor and believed he also killed a woman during a robbery at an Arlington church, saying: “He said that he hit a lick,” and “Somebody was strangled and somebody got beat half to death.” Bursey said Nelson told her: “I think I killed her, too.” She described him as “shrugged off” her questions and as nonchalant.

Tracey Nixon testified as a cross-dresser, wearing women’s clothes and bright pink lipstick, and described picking up Steven Lawayne Nelson in Arlington and spending about three hours at a nightclub before going to Nixon’s home in Forney for the night. Nixon said Nelson had an “on-again, off-again” relationship. Nixon testified that Nelson was wearing an Oscar the Grouch T-shirt, new white Nike Air Jordan shoes, and flashy silver jewelry. Nixon’s testimony was addressed in relation to defense attempts to exclude it.

Evidence was also presented that Nelson’s fingerprints were found at the scene and that white objects at the scene matched studs on a belt he wore at the time of arrest. The trial also heard testimony about text messages sent from Nelson’s cellphone the day after the killing, including: “I did some s--- the other day, cuz,” and “I f----- up, cuz. Real bad.” Prosecutor Page Simpson read the texts to the jury over defense objection.

A witness testified that prosecutors presented evidence that Anthony Springs (known as A.G.) had an alibi for the time of the killing and that Springs was initially arrested but later told police he met up with Nelson later that day; witnesses and cellphone records corroborated Springs’s account. Springs had been charged in an unrelated robbery.

Forensics experts testified that blood from Dobson and Elliott was found on Nelson’s black-and-green counterfeit Air Jordan shoes and that a bloody footprint on an envelope in the church restroom appeared to match the pattern on the bottom of the shoes.

Sentencing

Punishment phase

After conviction, the punishment phase began in state District Judge Mike Thomas’ court. Prosecutors sought the death penalty. If jurors did not condemn Nelson to lethal injection, Nelson would automatically be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

During closing arguments in the punishment phase, prosecutor Page Simpson called Nelson a “predator” who forced Dobson and Elliott to tie each other up. Prosecutor Bob Gill made closing arguments including: “It’s like he wanted to violate the conscience of this community,” and: “If you think he was hell on wheels in the Tarrant County Jail while awaiting trial, think what he’ll be like in prison ... with nothing left to lose.”

Defense attorneys Bill Ray and Steve Gordon urged a life sentence and argued that Nelson was abandoned psychologically as a child and did not get the help he needed. Defense counsel Steve Gordon said: “We ask that you spare his life.”

Contraband, jail behavior, and mental health evidence

During the punishment phase, a Tarrant County jail official testified that razor blades and other contraband were found in Nelson’s cell, including “Three razor blades” found inside letters. The official testified: “A lot of damage could be done with one of these razor blades,” and that Nelson could have attacked guards or other inmates or could have hurt himself.

The trial also heard that jailers found toothbrushes and pens, which can be used to make homemade shanks similar to one made out of a plastic spoon seized from Nelson earlier. Testimony described that Nelson repeatedly broke light bulbs, flooded cells, threatened guards, and flew into a rage during a visit from an unknown outsider.

Evidence also addressed Nelson’s mental health. Tarrant County Deputy John Casey testified that Nelson appeared to change and became uneasy after pulling a stun cuff from his leg while he sat in a courthouse holding cell after being convicted of capital murder. Casey testified that Nelson said his other personality had kicked in and asked to see a mental health specialist. Casey testified that Nelson described the personality as known as “Tanker” and said he needed medication.

“He appeared to be more agitated, and he said his other personality had kicked in,”
— Tarrant County Deputy John Casey

“He asked to see” a mental health specialist.

“He said his other personality had kicked in,”

“He said he needed medication,”

Other testimony included that an ex-g