AJ Armstrong case: Fourteenth Court of Appeals rules hearing must be held on appeal for new trial

HOUSTON - A new murder trial may be on the way for AJ Armstrong. That's following a ruling by the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. 

What we know:

As FOX 26 has reported, AJ Armstrong was found guilty of capital murder in a third murder trial after two trials ended in a hung jury. 

The ruling states, "One of the main differences between appellant’s third trial and the prior two trials was blood and DNA evidence discovered by Officer Celestina Rossi. Appellant filed a motion for new trial and requested a hearing, arguing that the State failed to provide him with Brady information. Specifically, appellant argued the State failed to provide him with a complaint filed with the Texas Forensic Science Commission accusing Rossi of planting blood and DNA evidence in another murder case out of a different county. The trial court denied appellant’s motion for new trial by operation of law, without holding a hearing, and appellant appealed. On appeal, appellant argues in his first issue that the trial court erred by failing to hold a hearing on his motion for new trial."

You can read the full ruling below or by clicking here. 

According to the ruling, "Accordingly, we conclude the trial court abused its discretion in not holding a hearing on the motion for new trial and sustain appellant's first issue."

As a result, the ruling stated, "We abate this appeal and remand to the trial court to conduct a hearing on appellant's motion for new trial on or before January 6, 2026. The judge shall see that a record is made and shall order the court reporter and the trial clerk to forward a transcribed record of the hearing and a supplemental clerk’s record containing the trial court’s signed order ruling on the motion for new trial. Those records shall be filed with the clerk of this court on or before February 6, 2026.