James Larry Merrit v. State

OPINION

Ken Wise, Justice

A jury found appellant James Larry Merrit guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child and assessed punishment at 20 years’ imprisonment in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. On appeal, appellant contends that: (1) Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 38.072, the criminal statute permitting admission of out-of-court statements regarding sexual abuse, is unconstitutional; (2) the trial court reversibly erred by admitting hearsay statements of the complaining witness through the forensic interviewer; and (3) the cost bill…