Horner's Trial: Battle Over Testimony

0:00It's April 1st. From your city to your ears, this is Dallas News Today, powered by AI. Tanner Horner faces trial next week in Taren County for the capital murder and kidnapping of seven-year-old Athena Strand back in December of 2, 2022. He's accused of grabbing her from her dad's house in Wise County while delivering a FedEx package, then strangling her in his truck. If convicted, jurors could hand down death or life without parole based on whether he's a future danger to society. Defense lawyers just filed a motion to block prosecutors from calling Horner a cycle path or a social path during the punishment phase. They also want to shut down any expert predictions about him being a continuing threat, since that's key to deciding the death penalty. Prosecutors fire back with their own request, asking the judge to bar the defense from bringing up Horner's possible aspergers, autism, bipolar, or multiple personality issues in the guilt phase. They don't want mentions of a civil settlement Athena's family got from FedEx either.

1:00The case drew massive attention after a two-day search for Athena, who vanished from her dad's paradise home. Horner confessed and her body turned up near the Trinity River. Families and communities still feel the pain, pushing for justice in his high-stakes trial. No rulings on these motions yet from Judge George Gallagher with opening statements set for April 7th. This battle over testimony could shape everything from guilt to the final sentence.