Rodney Reed: Texas; Statesman; Setback; The state's highest criminal court has unanimously denied his application for additional DNA testing on items related to the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites; Reporter Chuck Lindell; The American-Statesman; April 12, 2017. " Reed has argued that he and Stites were engaged in a secret affair, explaining DNA tests showing the presence of his semen in her body, while prosecutors say the evidence shows Reed raped Stites shortly before she was strangled. Defense lawyers said Stites was most likely killed by her fiance, Jimmy Fennell, who was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for kidnapping and sexual assault against a woman in his custody as a Georgetown police officer in 2007. Discovery of the affair gave Fennell a motive for murder, they argued, adding that modern and more-sophisticated DNA tests would tie Fennell to the crime. Reed, now 49, was 10 days from execution in February 2015 when the appeals court stepped in to order a closer look at defense arguments that a new look at old forensic evidence would show that Reed was innocent of the crime."

 

"Death row inmate Rodney Reed, shown at a 2015 court hearing on his bid for additional DNA testing. The state’s highest criminal court Wednesday denied death row inmate Rodney Reed’s request for DNA testing in Bastrop County. The 8-0 decision by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said the possibility of cross-contamination limited the usefulness of many of the items Reed wanted tested, and results from other items would not have resulted in his acquittal. Reed has argued that he and Stites were engaged in a secret affair, explaining DNA tests showing the presence of his semen in her body, while prosecutors say the evidence shows Reed raped Stites shortly before she was strangled. Defense lawyers said Stites was most likely killed by her fiance, Jimmy Fennell, who was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for kidnapping and sexual assault against a woman in his custody as a Georgetown police officer in 2007. Discovery of the affair gave Fennell a motive for murder, they argued, adding that modern and more-sophisticated DNA tests would tie Fennell to the crime. Reed, now 49, was 10 days from execution in February 2015 when the appeals court stepped in to order a closer look at defense arguments that a new look at old forensic evidence would show that Reed was innocent of the crime. Stites was a 19-year-old Giddings resident who was strangled 18 days before her wedding date, an her body was found along a rural road in Bastrop County after she had been reported missing."
http://www.statesman.com/news/court-denies-rodney-reed-request-for-dna-testing/lOQL81k8vjerHzKXuDipkM/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;