Texas Justice, released on February 12, 1995 as a high-profile, two-part made-for-television event, is a sprawling true-crime drama that captures the larger-than-life scandals of the Lone Star State’s elite.
Based on the sensational real-life case of T. Cullen Davis, the film leans into the “prestige soap opera” aesthetic of the mid-90s, blending courtroom procedural elements with a dark, atmospheric thriller.
Directed by Dick Lowry, the production utilizes its significant television budget to recreate a world of oil-money opulence where power is absolute and the legal system becomes a high-stakes arena for the wealthy to settle their bloodiest scores.
The Plot: Texas Justice
The narrative centers on T. Cullen Davis (Peter Strauss), one of the richest men in Texas, whose stoic and cold exterior masks a volatile temperament. His life becomes a tabloid fixture when he enters a tumultuous and decadent relationship with Priscilla (Heather Locklear), a vivacious woman whose taste for the high life matches Cullen’s fortune.
Heather Locklear in Texas Justice (Photo/ABC)
Their marriage quickly dissolves into a bitter, multi-million dollar divorce battle characterized by mutual spite and restraining orders.
The conflict reaches a harrowing peak when a masked gunman enters Priscilla’s mansion, resulting in a series of brutal shootings that leave several people dead and Priscilla wounded.
Cullen is arrested for the crimes, but his vast resources allow him to hire a formidable legal team, led by a savvy, aggressive attorney.
As the first trial becomes a media circus, the story introduces Richard “Racehorse” Haynes (Dennis Franz), a legendary, street-smart defense lawyer who takes over the case with a “scorched earth” strategy.
The investigation and subsequent trials involve a web of witnesses and law enforcement figures, including characters played by Chris Mulkey, Lewis Smith, and a young Dean Norris.
Amidst allegations of murder-for-hire and witness tampering involving figures like the seductive Rebecca (Shannon Whirry), the film follows the tireless efforts of investigators like those played by Ned Vaughn to pin the crimes on the elusive billionaire.
The plot winds through the corridors of Texas power, highlighting how money can buy the best defense—and perhaps the best silence—money can buy.
The Legacy of the True Crime Event Film
The legacy of Texas Justice is defined by its success as a ratings powerhouse during the twilight of the network era of event television.
It is remembered for the transformative performance of Strauss, who shed his typical heroic persona to play a man of chilling ambiguity, and for Locklear, who delivered one of her most grounded and gritty performances during her Melrose Place popularity.
The film is also celebrated for the casting of Franz, whose portrayal of the flamboyant ‘Racehorse’ Haynes provided a perfect counterpoint to the clinical coldness of the crime.
The movie also stands as a definitive document of the “Texas Noir” subgenre, capturing the specific culture of 1970s and 80s Fort Worth and Houston.
While many TV movies of the era have faded into obscurity, Texas Justice is still cited by true-crime enthusiasts for its detailed (if dramatized) look at the Cullen Davis trials, which remain some of the most infamous in American legal history.
