Whitaker v. State

Carley, Presiding Justice.

After a jury trial, Appellant Tony Orlander Whitaker was found guilty of felony murder and cruelty to children. The trial court entered judgment of conviction for the felony murder and sentenced Appellant to life imprisonment. The cruelty to children charge merged into the felony murder conviction. Appellant appeals after the denial of a motion for new trial.*

1. Construed most strongly in support of the verdicts, the evidence shows that on May 17,1999, Shonda Sweet left her 13-month-old twin sons with Appellant while she ran errands for the day. At some point,…