Post Conviction Results
Freed after 19 years — conviction reversed over a secret prosecutor – judge conflict (Midland County)
Summary
In December 2024, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted habeas relief to Samuel Sanchez Jr., who had served 19 years of a 70-year sentence from Midland County. A prosecutor in his 2007 trial, Ralph Petty, was also being paid by Midland County’s district courts for habeas work, and that dual role was never disclosed to the defense. Mr. Sanchez was released on June 12, 2025, after accepting a time-served plea offer.
Case at a glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original conviction | Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (jury trial, 2007) |
| Sentence | 70 years in TDCJ |
| County / court | Midland County, 385th District Court (Cause No. CR32192) |
| Legal issue | Due process: undisclosed prosecutor–judge employment relationship (judicial and prosecutorial misconduct) |
| Remedy | Article 11.07 writ of habeas corpus |
| Outcome | Conviction and sentence reversed; released on time-served plea |
| Decided | Relief granted Dec. 18, 2024; State’s rehearing motion denied Mar. 5, 2025; released June 12, 2025 |
| Court opinion | Ex parte Sanchez, No. WR-84,588-03 (Tex. Crim. App.) |
The story
Mr. Sanchez was convicted by a Midland County jury in 2007 and sentenced to 70 years. Nothing in his trial record revealed a problem.
Years later, Midland County’s district attorney found that Ralph Petty, a longtime assistant DA, had also been paid by the county’s district courts for work on habeas cases. Petty appeared for the State at Mr. Sanchez’s trial. The defense was never told about his second role.
We reviewed county treasurer payment records and the court file. We found evidence tying Petty to work paid through the district courts during the same years he prosecuted Mr. Sanchez. Investigations by USA Today and the Texas Observer later reported that Petty’s dual role touched hundreds of Midland County cases.
The strategy and timeline
In plain terms, our argument was simple: everyone has the right to a judge who is impartial, and to a judge who also looks impartial. A prosecutor who is quietly paid through the court hearing the case undermines that right.
If you’re in a similar situation
Misconduct by a judge or prosecutor can be grounds for relief even many years after a conviction. It is often found only in records outside the trial transcript, such as payroll records, emails, or later investigations.
If you received notice that your case may be affected by misconduct, or you suspect something was hidden at your trial, have the full record reviewed. Each and every case turns on its own facts. Relief is never guaranteed.
Verification
- Court opinion: Ex parte Sanchez, No. WR-84,588-03 (Tex.Crim. App. Mar. 5, 2025), order denying rehearing (FindLaw). Sarah Durham and Jacob Blizzard are listed as counsel for the applicant. The underlying Dec. 18, 2024 order granting relief is unpublished; [confirm] a public link on the CCA’s search page at search.txcourts.gov.
- Press: Texas Observer and the Midland Reporter-Telegram.
Disclaimer
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts and law. This page describes a past matter handled by Blizzard & Zimmerman Attorneys and is not legal advice.