Home / Crime and Justice / Autism Defense Raised in Texas Child Murder Case
Autism Defense Raised in Texas Child Murder Case
15 Jan
Summary
- Attorneys argue Tanner Horner's autism should preclude death penalty.
- Horner is accused of abducting and strangling seven-year-old Athena Strand.
- The trial for capital murder is scheduled to begin April 7.
In Tarrant County, Texas, attorneys for Tanner Horner, a FedEx driver accused of the capital murder of seven-year-old Athena Strand, have introduced a new defense strategy. They filed new motions arguing that Horner's autism spectrum disorder (ASD) should prevent the imposition of the death penalty. Strand was allegedly abducted from her North Texas home on November 30, 2022, and her body was discovered on December 2, 2022. Horner faces charges of capital murder, kidnapping, and past sexual abuse allegations.
The defense contends that Horner's ASD impairs his reasoning, impulse control, and social skills, classifying him among those with intellectual disabilities and thus less culpable. They cite Supreme Court rulings suggesting individuals with autism are less culpable than the average criminal. Horner's capital murder trial is slated to begin on April 7, with the prosecution seeking the death penalty, a sentence that qualifies under Texas law for the murder of a child under ten.
