TARRANT COUNTY, Texas (TCN) — A judge has denied Tanner Horner’s request for a new trial after his defense team filed a motion claiming that media attention surrounding the case compromised his right to a fair trial.
The 34-year-old was sentenced to death in May for the 2022 murder of Athena Strand. Horner, who was a contract driver for FedEx, kidnapped her from in front of her family’s home in Paradise, Texas. Her body was found the next day and at trial, jurors heard audio from inside the truck that captured Strand’s last moments.
On June 4, Horner’s defense filed the motion requesting a new trial. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the motion claimed that extensive media coverage compromised Horner’s right to a fair trial and intimidated a key witness into refusing to testify.
People reports that the motion was automatically declined when a judge did not make a ruling before a July 20 deadline. In a statement from the Wise County District Attorney’s Office, James Stainton said, ““We are pleased that the Motion for New Trial was denied…Whether the Court signed the Order or it was denied as a matter of law makes no difference. It is simply a part of the process in getting justice for Athena. She is what matters and we will continue to fight for her every step of the way until justice is finally served.”
NBC Dallas Fort Worth reports that even though the motion requesting a new trial was denied, Horner’s automatic appeal has not been denied. Under Texas law, an automatic direct appeal is triggered whenever someone is sentenced to death. If Horner’s death sentence is affirmed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, he and his defense can appeal to the United States Supreme Court.
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