SAN ANTONIO – A man charged in two high-profile cases was back in court as a judge denied special prosecutors’ request to remove themselves in his ongoing felony cases.
Terrence Harper is facing serious charges that date back over a decade, including a case of injury to a child causing serious bodily harm from 2018 and a capital murder charge involving a child under 10 from 2012.
In 2018, Harper was arrested for allegedly severely beating his infant son, leading to his legal troubles resurfacing from an earlier incident in 2012, where he was a suspect in the death of another infant in his care. Harper was subsequently indicted on both charges: injury to a child and capital murder.
Due to a conflict of interest involving District Attorney Joe Gonzales, special prosecutors Therese Huntzinger and Daniel De La Garza were assigned to the case. In November 2022, Harper was convicted of injury to a child and received a 99-year prison sentence. Since then, Harper has hired a new attorney, John Hunter, known for his work on high-profile cases.
Harper appealed his conviction in early 2023, leading to the 8th Court of Appeals overturning the decision and requiring a retrial. Recently, Huntzinger and De La Garza tried to step down as special prosecutors, but their request was denied by Judge Kristina Escalona.
The state plans to appeal the 8th Court of Appeals’ decision to a higher court, with the possibility of a retrial beginning next year if unsuccessful. Harper faces harsh penalties if found guilty in both cases, including life in prison without parole.
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