FORT WORTH, Texas, June 2 (UPI) -- A Texas prosecutor and a death row inmate's lawyer agreed there were problems in the trial that warrant changing her sentence to life in prison, records showed.
Chelsea Richardson, 27, six years ago became the first woman in Tarrant County to receive the death penalty for her part in killing her boyfriend's parents so he could inherit their $1.56 million estate, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram reported Wednesday.
Richardson's appellate lawyer and the county district attorney's office filed court documents explaining the former prosecutor on the case withheld evidence and saying Richardson should have a new sentencing hearing with a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Ex-prosecutor Mike Parrish withheld evidence that could have been useful to the defense, the Star-Telegram reported.
"This office will not be a party to the infliction of death as a punishment when there is even (merely) an appearance of impropriety on the part of a prosecutor who formerly worked in this office. If the death penalty is to be used, it must be obtained legally, fairly and honestly and without the hint of a possible injustice," District Attorney Joe Shannon said.
"The thing with Chelsea getting a life sentence, that should have happened a long time ago. That is probably what is really called for in this case, so I don't have a problem with that at all. I do have a problem with them saying I was untruthful about something," said Parrish.
If the state district court agrees with the two lawyers' conclusions, the judge will recommend the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals order a new punishment hearing, the newspaper said.
