Esparza v. State

OPINION

KEASLER, J.,

delivered the unanimous opinion of the Court.

The court of appeals upheld the trial judge’s refusal to grant Edward Esparza’s motion for DNA testing. The court held that testing showing the presence of DNA not belonging to Esparza would not prove his innocence because (1) the victim reported having sex two days before the attack, and (2) there was overwhelming eye-witness testimony establishing Espar-za’s guilt. 1 We reverse the court of appeals’s judgment and remand this case for proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Background

The victim, Guadalupe Rios, and her aunt,…