A federal appeals court has refused an appeal from a 41-year-old man sent to death row for the slayings of two Dallas-area sandwich shop workers during robbery almost 13 years ago.
Terry Edwards contended a judge's improper instruction during jury selection violated his right to an impartial jury at his November 2003 trial for the fatal shootings of a Balch Springs Subway store manager and an employee.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the argument late Tuesday, moving Edwards a step closer to execution for the deaths of 34-year-old Tommy Walker and 26-year-old Mickell Goodwin.
Evidence showed Edwards had been fired from the store a few weeks before the shootings in July 2002. About $3,000 was taken in the holdup.
Edwards does not yet have an execution date.
