Bulletin: Hank Skinner: Texas; Prosecution and defence given 30 days to provide argument on DNA evidentiary hearing; The death row inmate's original counsel had not sought DNA testing at the time of the trial; Current lawyers believe new DNA tests support his innocence. Pampa News;

 STORY: "Extension granted to Skinner attorneys," by reporter Timothy Howsare, published by the Pampa News on April 22, 2014.

SUB-HEADING:  "Defense team now has until May 30 to submit findings from hearing transcripts."

GIST: "A deadline extension requested by Hank Skinner’s defense attorneys to submit their findings from the transcripts of an evidentiary hearing has been approved by the Texas Attorney General’s Office.........The AG’s office also must submit its finding from the two-day hearing in which both sides presented evidence from recent DNA tests of crime scene evidence. Skinner was sentenced to death for the brutal murders of Pampa resident Twila Busby and her two adult sons on New Year’s Day 1993. His execution was stayed in 2010 by the U.S. Supreme Court and again in 2011 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. If Emmert makes a ruling favorable to Skinner, the convicted murderer’s attorneys could seek an appeal. Emmert does not have a deadline to file his decision.

Skinner’s original attorney, Harold Comer of Pampa, did not seek DNA testing at the time of his original trial, partly out of his concern that the results would have implicated his client. Robinson and Owen claim new DNA test results support the inference that Busby’s uncle, Robert Donnell, who made sexual advances to Busby on the night of the killings, committed the crimes and not Skinner. They believe if this evidence had been presented at the original trial, their client may not have been convicted. The AG’s office maintains that DNA and crime scene evidence overwhelmingly point to Skinner as the killer."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.thepampanews.com/news/article_e816c436-c993-11e3-b887-0017a43b2370.html

 PUBLISHER'S NOTE: 

Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
 
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located  near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.

The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
 
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
 
I look forward to hearing from readers at:

hlevy15@gmail.com.

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;