East Texan Loses Death Row Appeal

AUSTIN – Texas’ highest criminal court has rejected an appeal from a death row inmate convicted of killing an 82-year-old Marshall man during a burglary of the victim’s home in 2009. Lawyers for 25-year-old Cortne Robinson cited 23 issues related to his Harrison County trial in 2011, including allegations that his trial lawyers and his attorneys in earlier appeals were deficient. They also said his death sentence was unconstitutional. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected the arguments Wednesday. Robinson was 18 when he was arrested for fatally shooting Frank Zabokrtsky and attacking and abducting the victim’s wife. A jury took 14 minutes to convict him of capital murder, but deliberated nearly 10 hours before deciding on a death sentence. His two accomplices were sentenced to prison.