Kell v. State

HUNSTEIN, Presiding Justice.

Billy Ray Kell was convicted of malice murder in the beating death of Earl Roberts and appeals from the denial of his motion for new trial,1 raising various challenges to evidence introduced at trial. *670For the reasons that follow, we find that the trial court committed reversible error by allowing the State to question witnesses regarding efforts by appellant’s family to obtain letters appellant wrote to his wife.

1. The State’s evidence reflected that shortly after appellant began working at a plumbing company on June 20, 2003, appellant rented from the victim a…