Lambert v. State

HINES, Justice.

Mark Allen Lambert appeals his conviction for malice murder in connection with the fatal bludgeoning of his roommate, Billy Ray Smith. His sole challenge is that his trial counsel was ineffective because counsel pursued an invalid defense of coercion. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the malice murder conviction and the judgment entered on Lambert’s motion for new trial and renewed motion for new trial.

The evidence construed in favor of the verdicts showed the following. Smith was found beaten to death in his bed on September 9, 2001. He had been struck in the head…