Supreme Court to Rule on Texas Death Row Case in Clark County Watch

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Wednesday regarding the sentence of Dexter Johnson, a Texas death row inmate. The case centers on whether Johnson can challenge his death penalty based on a claim of intellectual disability that was not raised during his initial trial. This legal battle has moved to the nation's highest court after a federal appeals court supported the inmate's position.

Johnson was convicted of capital murder in 2006 for the killing of 23-year-old Maria Aparece. His execution was originally scheduled for May 2019, but a federal court stayed the sentence after his legal team filed a new claim. The timing of this claim has become a major point of contention in the current dispute before the justices.

Ethan Nutter, a lawyer who filed a brief on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, explained that the medical community's view of intellectual disability has shifted over the last two decades. He stated that under current standards, Johnson meets the definition of the condition. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that it is unconstitutional to execute individuals who are intellectually disabled.

Johnson's legal team argued that the 2013 update to the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual changed how clinicians view IQ. They noted that a trial expert withdrew a previous premise that had blocked a disability diagnosis. Two additional experts later concluded that Johnson is intellectually disabled under this updated framework.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice asked the Supreme Court to review the lower court's decision in February 2026. In its filing, the department argued that the lower court erased strict limits on claims based on new evidence. The state also expressed concern for the families of victims, stating that justice delayed is justice denied for the people of Texas.

Protasio Aparece, the father of the victim, filed a separate brief supporting the state's position. He wrote that he wants to see justice carried out for his daughter and ensure no other family endures decades of delay. The core question for the court is whether federal judges can handle a second or successive habeas petition in this specific procedural context. A decision is expected by June 2027.