David Temple spent a decade in prison after a jury convicted him of murdering his wife, but the former high school coach is now free as the district attorney in Houston, Texas, decides if he’ll be tried again for Belinda Lucas Temple’s death.
The high school teacher was eight months pregnant when she was killed by a shotgun blast to her head inside her Katy, Texas, home in 1999. The prosecution argued her husband wanted to get rid of her so he could marry his mistress.
The 2007 conviction was tossed last year after an appeals court ruled that 36 instances of misconduct by the prosecutor denied David Temple a fair trial. The misconduct included not sharing police reports, phone records and other evidence that might have supported the defense contention that Belinda was killed by a burglar.
Belinda’s father, Tom Lucas, called “Crime Stories” asking Nancy Grace to look at his daughter’s case. “I need lots of help, if possible,” Lucas said. His wife died after suffering a heart attack Lucas believes was caused by the stress of the case.
Nancy is asking listeners to call the Harris County, Texas, district attorney’s office to urge that the Temple murder case be handed over to an independent prosecutor for a new trial. The number is 713-274-5800.
[Feature Photo: Kathryn Casey]