Alcorta v. Texas

Summary

The Court held per curiam that Alcorta was denied due process when the prosecutor knowingly elicited testimony falsely portraying the sole eyewitness’s relationship with Alcorta’s wife as merely a casual friendship. The misleading testimony seriously prejudiced Alcorta’s sudden-passion defense: truthful testimony about the sexual relationship could have corroborated his account and supported a conviction for murder without malice, which would have precluded the death penalty. The Court reversed the denial of habeas relief and remanded for further proceedings. There were no separate opinions.