Arthur Jerone Woods v. State

OPINION

JEFFREY V. BROWN, Justice.

Appellant Arthur Jerone Woods appeals his jury conviction for theft of property valued at more than $20,000 but less than $100,000. In three issues, Woods argues that the trial court violated his right to a public trial by closing the courtroom during voir dire and erred in two evidentiary rulings. We hold that the trial court violated Woods’s right to a public trial, and, without reaching the evidentiary issues, we reverse and remand.

I

A grand jury indicted Woods for theft of property valued at more than $200,000. The trial court conducted voir dire on March…