Public Outcry Leads To Court Of Appeals Reprieve
LANCASTER – There were hashtags that read #freerodneyreed, #rodneyreed, #innocenceproject #justiceforRodneyReed #Rodneyreedinnocent and more than 2.9 million people who signed an online petition urging clemency for Texas Death Row inmate Rodney Reed.
A statement from the Reed Family. ☮️ @BringRodneyHome #rodneyreed #freerodneyreed @helenprejean @shaunking @innocence pic.twitter.com/UPd81jiUVh
— #RodneyReed is Innocent (@InnocentReed) November 17, 2019
Reed was convicted of a 1996 murder of Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Texas. Over time his cases has raised more questions than answers.
He has been on Death Row now for 21 years.
The case, which attracted public attention, was down to the wire since Reed was due to die by lethal injection on Wednesday of this week.
Last week it was decided by the Court of Criminal Appeals that the execution would be halted. He was given the reprieve as well as a new trial.
State Representative Carl Sherman (District 109) said he is “Grateful to God at this moment that the parole board unanimously voted to recommend that the governor delay the execution of Rodney Reed.”
Sherman, who supported the temporary reprieve for Reed along with other state representatives, also expressed thanks to those who sought review of the case to ensure Reed would receive a proper review.
Sherman had also signed a letter several weeks ago along with six other state representatives asking Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Chair David Gutierrez to grant Reed a temporary reprieve. Reed was found guilty of the Bastrop County murder of Stacey Stites, which the letter to Abbott and Gutierrez stated, “has been questioned for decades”
Sherman along with Representatives Ron Reynolds, Alma Allen, Sheryl Cole, Senfronia Thompson, Toni Rose and Shawn Thierry wrote in the letter regarding Reed’s reprieve to allow “new witness statements and DNA evidence to be investigated and tested.”
The letter signed by the seven state representatives pointed out “There needs to be not one question if a person could be innocent before they are executed.”
One Click!!! SIGN this petition if you don’t believe the Government should kill an innocent man!!! @GovAbbott https://t.co/L3xrvn7MJO
— Rihanna (@rihanna) November 4, 2019
Reed is one of 215 prisoners on Texas Death Row. His case has received national attention even spurring celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Rihanna to call on the courts and Abbott to consider Reed’s innocence.
