Danny Dean Thomas

Case record

Background

Danny Dean Thomas was a Texas death row inmate. He died in prison on August 29, 2009.

Thomas also used the name Shozdijiji Shisinday since his conviction for the July 1981 abduction and murder of a Houston woman.

The offence

Danny Dean Thomas was convicted in connection with the July 1981 abduction and murder of Sylvia Elaine Harrison, 19.

Thomas and a friend helped Sylvia Elaine Harrison after she had car trouble. The pair later abducted her from her home. Thomas shot Sylvia Elaine Harrison in the head as she begged for her life. Her body was dumped in the San Jacinto River in Harris County.

A court record entry described the case as a “1981 kidnapping and murder” of a 19-year-old woman.

Investigation

Thomas’ appeal included allegations that his written confession was coerced and that he did not waive his rights before making the written statement.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals wrote that there was no court record to indicate the allegations. The court also quoted the response from Harris County Assistant District Attorney Bill Delmore: “The sheriff’s detectives who obtained his confession had actually done a great job and treated him very well,” said Harris County Assistant District Attorney Bill Delmore.

Trial

Thomas was tried twice for the July 1981 crime involving Sylvia Elaine Harrison.

His first conviction was overturned. That conviction occurred in March 1982.

His latest conviction occurred in November 1998.

In his appeal, Thomas alleged that the passage of time since his original trial prevented him from presenting an effective insanity defense at his new trial. Thomas contended that since his first trial, his schizophrenia had gone into remission and that, as a result, the jury did not have the opportunity to observe the full effects of the illness.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals wrote that the delay between trials did not prevent Thomas from presenting evidence concerning his mental state at the time of the offense, and it said it saw no relevancy between Thomas’ demeanor at the trial to his presentation of an insanity defense.

Thomas’ attorney could not be reached.

Sentencing

Danny Dean Thomas was sentenced to death on April 1, 1982.

Appeals

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld Thomas’ conviction on September 13, 2001.

Among the “54 points of error” Thomas raised in his appeal were allegations related to his written confession and waiver of rights, and allegations related to an insanity defense affected by the passage of time between trials.

The court wrote there was no court record to indicate the allegations about coercion and failure to waive rights.

The court also wrote that the delay between trials did not prevent Thomas from presenting evidence concerning his mental state at the time of the offense, and it found no relevancy between Thomas’ demeanor at trial and the presentation of an insanity defense.

Outcome

Danny Dean Thomas was sentenced to death.

Aftermath

Prison officials said an autopsy would be performed and initially attributed his death to natural causes. He was found dead Saturday, a day before his 54th birthday, on death row at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Polunsky Unit near Livingston.