Woman on Death Row Loses Appeal

HOUSTON (AP) _ The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the conviction of an Arlington woman sent to death row for the starvation death of a 9-year-old boy who weighed 35 pounds.

Jurors at Lisa Ann Coleman’s 2006 trial in Tarrant County heard testimony that Coleman beat, bound, neglected and starved Davontae Williams.

Coleman shared an apartment with the boy’s mother, Marcella Williams. Williams subsequently pleaded guilty to avoid a death sentence and is serving a life prison term.

An autopsy determined the child had more than 250 scars on his body when emergency medical crews in July 2004 responded to a 911 call about a child having breathing difficulties.

The 34-year-old Coleman, one of 10 women on Texas death row, raised 21 claims of error from her trial. The court Wednesday rejected all of them.

More News