HOUSTON — A Houston judge set David Temple’s bond at $1 million Friday morning.
He's the former high school football coach who murdered his pregnant wife, Belinda in 1999. It was his second murder trial.
Jurors took only eight hours to convict him, but they couldn’t agree on his punishment, which led to a mistrial in the punishment phase only.
Around 120 people wrote letters to the judge pleading with him not to let Temple out of jail.
One of them was Belinda's father. For him and other loved ones, it's a nightmare that never ends.
“Temple has caused severe grief for me for over 20 years. The stress of this has caused me emotional turmoil," he wrote. "David Temple has taken Belinda, Aaron, Evan and Carol, my wife from me. The stress of hearing David Temple three years ago getting out of prison caused her to have a heart attack and die. David Temple should spend the rest of his life in prison.”
Others told the judge they believe Temple would be a danger to the community.
"When he was released in 2016, he kind of made veiled threats to the community that he was going to find whoever; all the lies and all those who cheated him," Victims' Advocate Andy Kahan said.
Temple's brother testified their parents are in poor health, and Temple could help them if allowed out on bond.
Other character witnesses testified that Temple was deeply involved in church and a "man of integrity."
"I will never ever hear that phrase the same again," Kahan said. "That absolutely blew me away."
Belinda was eight months pregnant when she was shot and killed in the couple's Katy home in 1999. She died from a shotgun blast to the back of the head.
Prosecutors said Temple wanted his wife dead because he was having an affair.
Less than two years after his wife's murder, Temple married Heather Scott, the mistress. Heather filed for divorce after Temple's second murder trial began on July 8.
Temple was originally convicted of murder in 2007 and served nine years in prison before a judge tossed out his conviction. The judge said prosecutor Kelly Siegler withheld favorable evidence from the defense.
The next punishment phase is scheduled to begin in March 2020.
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