Overview
- The Fourteenth Court of Appeals ruled the trial judge abused discretion by denying a hearing on Armstrong’s motion for a new trial.
- Judges abated the appeal and directed the trial court to hold the hearing by January 6, 2026, with the record due by February 6, 2026.
- Defense lawyers say the state failed to disclose a 2019 Texas Forensic Science Commission complaint alleging Officer Celestina Rossi planted evidence in another case.
- The appellate opinion noted that Rossi’s blood and DNA findings distinguished the 2023 conviction from two earlier hung juries, making her credibility central.
- Prosecutors argue there was no Brady violation because the complaint was unrelated and dismissed as unfounded, while Armstrong remains incarcerated serving a life sentence.