Supreme Court Weighs Texas Death Row Inmate’s Right to DNA Testing

Ruben Gutierrez, convicted for a 1998 murder, argues DNA evidence could prove he was not the killer and challenges Texas’ restrictive post-conviction DNA testing laws.

Ruben Gutierrez, on Texas death row for the 1998 murder of Escolastica Harrison, seeks DNA testing on evidence he claims could prove he did not commit the killing.
Gutierrez was convicted under Texas’ law of parties, which holds accomplices liable for crimes they assist in, even if they did not directly commit the act of murder.
Texas courts have denied Gutierrez’s requests for DNA testing, citing state laws that limit testing to cases where results could overturn a conviction, not just affect sentencing.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments debating whether Gutierrez has legal standing to challenge Texas’ DNA testing statute, with justices showing a split in opinions.
A decision in the case, which could have broader implications for post-conviction DNA testing rights, is expected by summer 2025.