Our mission is very simple. We are working towards bringing awareness to Brandon’s innocence, and then we plan to mobilize his supporters to go to Austin and demand that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals re-open and hear his case. Here’s the backstory and synopsis of what has happened so far.
Brandon was convicted on March 20, 2009 of murdering both of his parents in their Royse City, Texas home. Brandon’s attorneys immediately filed a notice of appeal, and making a motion for a new trial. Three days later, the trial judge Hon Richard Beacom denied the motion, and the appeal headed for the District Court.
In October of 2010, the Sixth District Court of Appeals heard oral arguments for Brandon’s appeal. On December 3rd, 2010, the court denied the appeal and affirmed the conviction. Even though the judges told prosecutors that “there are a lot of things that we are concerned with”, the judges ultimately decided that “Viewed in a light most favorable to the prosecution, there is evidence from which a rational juror could conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Brandon committed the murders.”
Brandon’s attorneys then appealed this court’s decision in February of 2011 to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the last stop for criminal appeals in the State of Texas. On May 25th, 2011, the court officially refused to hear Brandon’s case. Even though an innocent person was sitting in prison sentenced to Life Without Parole, the court did not even take the time to hear oral arguments. This is important because our mission is now to travel to Austin, protest on the courthouse steps, and demand that they hear this case.
Even though this was the last step for state-related issues in the conviction, Brandon still had a Federal issue that he could raise, and that’s exactly what he did. In May of 2015, Brandon’s attorney Mick Mickelsen filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus raising several Federal issues, and asking that either the conviction be overturned outright, or that they at least allow oral arguments for him to plead Brandon’s case. In May of 2017, the Magistrate Judge filed recommendations that Brandon’s Writ be denied. On November 30th, 2017, Judge Barbara Lynn affirmed the recommendations and denied Brandon’s Federal Writ of Habeas Corpus. In January of 2018, Brandon’s new attorney John Nation filed an appeal to Judge Lynn’s decision. On September 20th, 2018, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, LA denied Brandon’s writ. He has one more step at relief – the United States Supreme Court. Fundraising is currently underway to help Brandon pay for that last chance. Please consider donating today to help in the cause.