Tex. Codes » Penal Code · TITLE 5. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON · CHAPTER 19. CRIMINAL HOMICIDE
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Tex. Penal Code § 19.02 (2026)

Murder

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 19.02. MURDER. (a) In this section:

(1) "Adequate cause" means cause that would commonly produce a degree of anger, rage, resentment, or terror in a person of ordinary temper, sufficient to render the mind incapable of cool reflection.

(2) "Sudden passion" means passion directly caused by and arising out of provocation by the individual killed or another acting with the person killed which passion arises at the time of the offense and is not solely the result of former provocation.

(b) A person commits an offense if the person:

(1) intentionally or knowingly causes the death of an individual;

(2) intends to cause serious bodily injury and commits an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes the death of an individual;

(3) commits or attempts to commit a felony, other than manslaughter, and in the course of and in furtherance of the commission or attempt, or in immediate flight from the commission or attempt, the person commits or attempts to commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes the death of an individual; or

(4) knowingly manufactures or delivers a controlled substance included in Penalty Group 1-B under Section 481.1022, Health and Safety Code, in violation of Section 481.1123, Health and Safety Code, and an individual dies as a result of injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or introducing into the individual's body any amount of the controlled substance manufactured or delivered by the actor, regardless of whether the controlled substance was used by itself or with another substance, including a drug, adulterant, or dilutant.

(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), an offense under this section is a felony of the first degree.

(d) At the punishment stage of a trial, the defendant may raise the issue as to whether he caused the death under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause. If the defendant proves the issue in the affirmative by a preponderance of the evidence, the offense is a felony of the second degree.

(e) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (b)(4) that the actor's conduct in manufacturing or delivering the controlled substance was authorized under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or other state or federal law.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 1123, ch. 426, art. 2, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Amended by:

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 910 (H.B. 6), Sec. 20, eff. September 1, 2023.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3,621 cases (717 in the last 5 years), 1981–2026 · leading case: Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006).
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Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006). · cites it 32× “See TEX. PEN. CODE ANN. § 19.02(a)(2) (Vernon 2003); Ortiz v.”
Cleveland v. State, 177 S.W.3d 374 (Tex. App. 2005). · cites it 20× “Laws 3586 , 3614 (codified by Tex. Pen. Code Ann. § 19.02 (d) (Vernon 2003)); see also Hernandez v.”
Cavazos, Abraham, 382 S.W.3d 377 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012). · cites it 7× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 19.02 (b)(2). Therefore, much like felony murder, the murder charged in this case does not require a culpable mental state for causing another's death.”
Littrell v. State, 271 S.W.3d 273 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). · cites it 8× “[21] See TEX. PENAL CODE § 19.02(b)(1) ("A person commits an offense if he .”
Ex Parte Watkins, 73 S.W.3d 264 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002). · cites it 8× “However, during the punishment phase, it was asked to decide whether appellant had murdered his wife "in sudden passion" under Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(d). [2] After lengthy deliberation, *267 the jury concluded that Jimmy Dean Watkins had acted under the immediate influence of…”
Phillip Bundy v. State, 280 S.W.3d 425 (Tex. App. 2009). · cites it 10× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 19.02 (b) (Vernon 2003).”
Wesbrook v. State, 29 S.W.3d 103 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000). · cites it 5× “Specifically, appellant argues he was denied due process and equal protection and subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he was prevented from submitting special instructions to the jury at both guilt/innocence and punishment on the issue of "sudden passion" arising…”
Wooten, Codiem Renoir, 400 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013). · cites it 6× “Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(d). 14 . Tex. Penal Code § 19.”
Davis v. State, 268 S.W.3d 683 (Tex. App. 2008). · cites it 6× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 19.02 (a)(1), (a)(2), (d) (Vernon 2003); McKinney v.”
Noland v. State, 264 S.W.3d 144 (Tex. App. 2008). · cites it 5× “Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 19.02 (c) (Vernon *149 2003).”
Alexis Elaina Walker v. State, 557 S.W.3d 678 (Tex. App. 2018). · cites it 6× “” TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 19.02(a)(1) (West 2011).”
Cook v. State, 884 S.W.2d 485 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994). · cites it 6× “Appellant was charged with intentional murder pursuant to Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 19.02(a)(1) and was convicted by a jury of the lesser included offense of voluntary manslaughter.”
Show all 3,621 citing cases →
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(1) — 1 case
Zubia v. State, 998 S.W.2d 226 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(1)(a) — 1 case
Kohler v. State, 713 S.W.2d 141 (Tex. App. 1986).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(2)(d) — 1 case
Alwan Abdullah Muhammad v. State (Tex. App. 2008).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(3)(c) — 1 case
Allen Townsend v. State (Tex. App. 2018).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(A)(1) — 3 cases
Johnathan Renard Castaneda v. State (Tex. App. 2015).
Eduardo Sanchez v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2021).
Royneco Tiun Harris v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(B) — 1 case
Johnathan Renard Castaneda v. State (Tex. App. 2015).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(B)(1) — 1 case
Casey Owens v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2022).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(C) — 1 case
Alex Robert Castillo v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2023).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a) — 48 cases
Wesbrook v. State, 29 S.W.3d 103 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000). “Specifically, appellant argues he was denied due process and equal protection and subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he was prevented from submitting special instructions to the jury at both guilt/innocence and punishment on the issue of "sudden passion" arising…”
Villarreal, Rene Daniel, 453 S.W.3d 429 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015).
Brewer v. State, 126 S.W.3d 295 (Tex. App. 2004).
Roy v. State, 509 S.W.3d 315 (Tex. Crim. App. 2017).
Sanchez v. State, 23 S.W.3d 30 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(1) — 174 cases
Cleveland v. State, 177 S.W.3d 374 (Tex. App. 2005). “Laws 3586 , 3614 (codified by Tex. Pen. Code Ann. § 19.02 (d) (Vernon 2003)); see also Hernandez v.”
Cook v. State, 884 S.W.2d 485 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994). “Appellant was charged with intentional murder pursuant to Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 19.02(a)(1) and was convicted by a jury of the lesser included offense of voluntary manslaughter.”
Threadgill v. State, 146 S.W.3d 654 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004).
Ex Parte Granger, 850 S.W.2d 513 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993).
Villarreal, Rene Daniel, 453 S.W.3d 429 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(1973) — 1 case
State Of Washington v. Kevin Lee Garrison (Wash. Ct. App. 2018).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(2) — 102 cases
Wesbrook v. State, 29 S.W.3d 103 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000). “Specifically, appellant argues he was denied due process and equal protection and subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he was prevented from submitting special instructions to the jury at both guilt/innocence and punishment on the issue of "sudden passion" arising…”
McKinney v. State, 179 S.W.3d 565 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).
Cleveland v. State, 177 S.W.3d 374 (Tex. App. 2005). “Laws 3586 , 3614 (codified by Tex. Pen. Code Ann. § 19.02 (d) (Vernon 2003)); see also Hernandez v.”
Rey v. State, 897 S.W.2d 333 (Tex. Crim. App. 1995).
Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006). “See TEX. PEN. CODE ANN. § 19.02(a)(2) (Vernon 2003); Ortiz v.”
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(3) — 15 cases
Ross v. State, 861 S.W.2d 870 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993).
People v. Burroughs, 678 P.2d 894 (Cal. 1984).
Roy Lee Pippin v. Doug Dretke, Dir., Texas Dep't of Crim. Just., Corr. Institutions Div., 434 F.3d 782 (5th Cir. 2005).
Jimenez v. State, 67 S.W.3d 493 (Tex. App. 2002).
Richardson v. State, 823 S.W.2d 710 (Tex. App. 1992).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(8) — 1 case
Jimenez v. State, 39 S.W.3d 229 (Tex. Crim. App. 2001).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(d) — 1 case
Muhammad v. State, 911 S.W.2d 823 (Tex. App. 1995).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(a)(l) — 1 case
Dinkins v. State, 894 S.W.2d 330 (Tex. Crim. App. 1995).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b) — 280 cases
Braughton, Christopher Ernest, 569 S.W.3d 592 (Tex. Crim. App. 2018).
Moreno v. State, 38 S.W.3d 774 (Tex. App. 2001).
Miller v. State, 83 S.W.3d 308 (Tex. App. 2002).
Gavin Heath Gilbert v. State, 575 S.W.3d 848 (Tex. App. 2019).
Thompson v. State, 236 S.W.3d 787 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(1) — 829 cases
Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006). “See TEX. PEN. CODE ANN. § 19.02(a)(2) (Vernon 2003); Ortiz v.”
Cleveland v. State, 177 S.W.3d 374 (Tex. App. 2005). “Laws 3586 , 3614 (codified by Tex. Pen. Code Ann. § 19.02 (d) (Vernon 2003)); see also Hernandez v.”
Guzman v. State, 188 S.W.3d 185 (Tex. Crim. App. 2006).
Lawrence v. State, 240 S.W.3d 912 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007).
Littrell v. State, 271 S.W.3d 273 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). “[21] See TEX. PENAL CODE § 19.02(b)(1) ("A person commits an offense if he .”
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(1)(2) — 2 cases
Jesus Rivera v. State (Tex. App. 2016).
Angel Flores v. State (Tex. App. 2019).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(2) — 121 cases
Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006). “See TEX. PEN. CODE ANN. § 19.02(a)(2) (Vernon 2003); Ortiz v.”
Cavazos, Abraham, 382 S.W.3d 377 (Tex. Crim. App. 2012). “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 19.02 (b)(2). Therefore, much like felony murder, the murder charged in this case does not require a culpable mental state for causing another's death.”
Forest v. State, 989 S.W.2d 365 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999).
Villarreal, Rene Daniel, 453 S.W.3d 429 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015).
Tate v. State, 981 S.W.2d 189 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(3) — 206 cases
Littrell v. State, 271 S.W.3d 273 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008). “[21] See TEX. PENAL CODE § 19.02(b)(1) ("A person commits an offense if he .”
Contreras v. State, 312 S.W.3d 566 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010).
Rodriguez, Nilda Iliana, 454 S.W.3d 503 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014).
Bigon v. State, 252 S.W.3d 360 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
Nilda Iliana Rodriguez v. State, 408 S.W.3d 628 (Tex. App. 2013).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(a) — 3 cases
Ramiro Garcia Lopez Jr. v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).
Ramiro Garcia Lopez Jr. v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).
Micah Allen Tobar v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(l) — 9 cases
Ramos v. State, 245 S.W.3d 410 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
Herrero v. State, 124 S.W.3d 827 (Tex. App. 2003).
Christopher Ernest Braughton v. State, 522 S.W.3d 714 (Tex. App. 2017).
Garcia v. State, 246 S.W.3d 121 (Tex. App. 2008).
McKinney v. State, 177 S.W.3d 186 (Tex. App. 2005).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(b)(l)(2) — 1 case
Pickens v. State, 921 S.W.2d 774 (Tex. App. 1996).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(c) — 98 cases
Mizell v. State, 119 S.W.3d 804 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003).
Tolbert v. State, 306 S.W.3d 776 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010).
McKinney v. State, 179 S.W.3d 565 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).
Hernandez v. State, 127 S.W.3d 206 (Tex. App. 2004).
Chavez v. State, 139 S.W.3d 43 (Tex. App. 2004).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(d) — 184 cases
Ex Parte Watkins, 73 S.W.3d 264 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002). “However, during the punishment phase, it was asked to decide whether appellant had murdered his wife "in sudden passion" under Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(d). [2] After lengthy deliberation, *267 the jury concluded that Jimmy Dean Watkins had acted under the immediate influence of…”
Cleveland v. State, 177 S.W.3d 374 (Tex. App. 2005). “Laws 3586 , 3614 (codified by Tex. Pen. Code Ann. § 19.02 (d) (Vernon 2003)); see also Hernandez v.”
Wooten, Codiem Renoir, 400 S.W.3d 601 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013). “Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(d). 14 . Tex. Penal Code § 19.”
Wesbrook v. State, 29 S.W.3d 103 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000). “Specifically, appellant argues he was denied due process and equal protection and subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he was prevented from submitting special instructions to the jury at both guilt/innocence and punishment on the issue of "sudden passion" arising…”
Trevino v. State, 100 S.W.3d 232 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003).
— Tex. Penal Code § 19.02(l)(a) — 1 case
Kohler v. State, 713 S.W.2d 141 (Tex. App. 1986).
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