Punishment phase begins Wednesday
NEW BOSTON, Texas — Convicted murderer Taylor Parker will learn her fate when a jury reconvenes Wednesday for the punishment phase of her trial.
On Oct. 3, a jury of six men and six women found Parker, 29, guilty in the October 2020 killing of Reagan Hancock, 21, who was about 35 weeks pregnant, and cutting her baby out of the womb. The baby also died.
When the punishment phase resumes at Bowie County Courthouse, the same jury will determine if Parker receives either the death penalty or life in prison.
Parker’s defense team — Jeff Harrelson of Texarkana and Mac Cobb of Mount Pleasant — will have the chance to call witnesses or present information that could show jurors Parker’s inability to distinguish right from wrong. Prosecutors will have the opportunity to present evidence and witnesses for rebuttal.
After each case is presented, Judge John Tidwell will give the jury instructions to answer three questions known as special issues.
Special Issue No. 1 asks the jury to decide whether there is a probability that the defendant would commit criminal acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to society. Special Issue No. 2 asks the jury to decide if the defendant actually caused the death of the victim or did not actually kill them but intended to kill them.
Answering Yes to either or both questions must be done without reasonable doubt and with at least 10 jurors in agreement.
If they answer Yes to both special issues, jurors then will be asked to review Special Issue No. 3. The question asks the jury to take into consideration all of the evidence, the defendant’s character, background and moral culpability in determining if there are significant mitigating circumstances to issue a sentence of life imprisonment without parole rather than the death penalty.
According to Texas law, in order for Parker to be sentenced to death, jurors will have to answer Yes to the first two questions and No to the last question.
Texas is one of 27 states that allow capital punishment.