As for evidence of future danger in a capital murder case, how about the fact that the defendant has tatoos on his eyelids? How the heck do you even do that? For details, read on:

May 13, 2004, 12:07AM


Death sentence issued for homeless woman's killing
By ANDREW TILGHMAN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

After acknowledging to police that he had shot and killed a homeless woman outside a convenience store last year, Juan Jose Reynosa said he didn't want to spend a long time in prison.

"Just give me the needle," he told detectives.

A jury granted his request Wednesday.

Reynosa, 24, was sentenced to death for the capital murder of Tonya Lynn Riedel during a robbery behind a north Houston gas station on March 2, 2003.

Riedel, 44, a mother of four from Ohio, had a drug problem and was homeless at the time of her death, police said.

Prosecutors Michael Trent and Luci Davidson urged jurors not to spare Reynosa's life, pointing to eight other armed robberies he is suspected of committing during a crime spree in the weeks before Riedel's murder.

Reynosa, who has obscenities tattooed on his eyelids, appeared contemptuous of the jury when he testified Friday during the trial's penalty phase.

"Are you asking this jury to give you life?" Trent asked during cross-examination.

"I'm not asking them nothing," Reynosa responded.

"Are you asking them to give you death?" Trent asked.

"I'm not asking them nothing," Reynosa repeated.

Trent also asked whether Reynosa would use his gun to kill a police officer. Reynosa said he would shoot an officer if he felt that his life was threatened.

He then said, "I'd use it on you if you endangered my life."

Attorneys seemed startled when Reynosa snapped at Trent and Davidson, who were consulting with one another at the prosecution's table during his testimony.

"Are you paying attention to me?" Reynosa asked.

"Yes, sir. Please continue," Trent said.

State District Judge Jim Wallace sentenced Reynosa to death after jurors decided he poses a continuing threat to society and any mitigating circumstances that might exist were insufficient to justify sparing his life.

The jury convicted Reynosa, of Houston, on the trial's second day. His attorney, Robert Scott, did not call any witnesses in his defense during the guilt phase.

During the four-day penalty phase, Scott called 10 people -- Reynosa's mother, father, and other relatives and friends -- as character witnesses.

In his closing arguments, Scott told jurors there is little reason to think Reynosa is any worse than many other prison inmates.