HOUSTON – After news that a twice-convicted murderer could be released from jail on bond while he awaits the sentencing phase of his trial, friends and family of the victim started a letter-writing campaign.
Earlier this month, a jury found David Temple guilty of murder in the slaying of his pregnant wife, Belinda Temple, at the couple's Katy home in January 1999.
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That same jury couldn't come to an agreement on David Temple's punishment, which resulted in a mistrial for the sentencing phase.
David Temple has been held in jail ever since his conviction, but his attorneys have asked for their client to be released on bond while he awaits the new penalty phase to begin sometime next year.
A hearing on that bond request happened Friday.
KPRC 2 obtained some of the letters that a spokesman for Belinda Temple's family said will be presented to the judge at Friday's hearing.
Some letters are from family members, while others are from members of the community who said they have closely followed the case. Most of them request that bond be denied, while one asks for an extremely high bond to be set.
One of the letters was penned by Tom Lucas, the father of Belinda Temple.
"PLEASE do not let David Temple bond out," Lucas wrote to begin his letter. "He has caused severe grief for me for over twenty years."
He goes on to write about not only his mental anguish, but also that Temple's actions have caused more loss for his family than just his daughter.
READ MORE LETTERS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
"David Temple has taken Belinda, Erin, Evan and Carol my wife from me," Lucas wrote. "The stress of hearing David Temple three years ago was getting out of prison caused her to have a heart attack and die. This murderer should spend the rest of his life in prison."
David Temple was originally convicted of killing his wife in 2007, but that conviction was overturned on the grounds of prosecutorial misconduct. He was released from prison in 2016 while he awaited his retrial.
Tom Lucas' full letter
The entire letter from Tom Lucas is as follows:
Honorable Judge Johnson
PLEASE do not let David Temple bond out. He has caused severe grief for me for over twenty
years. The stress from all of this has caused me to be admitted to four mental hospitals. David Temple
has taken Belinda, Erin, Evan and Carol my wife from me. The stress of hearing David Temple three
years ago was getting out of prison caused her to have a heart attack and die. This murderer should
spend the rest of his life in prison.
Thank you,
Tom Lucas, father of Belinda