Friday, November 15, 2019

Rodney Reed: Death Row: Texas: Major (Very Welcome) Development: Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles recommends delaying the execution - scheduled for November 20 - for 120 days, subject to Governor Abbott's approval. Per change.org (the petition site): "This is a recommendation only, and the Governor still needs to sign off on it. This is not the same as exoneration--so while this is great news, it is not yet a victory." More to follow as news develops. HL. From today's story in The New York Times: "The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted Friday to recommend that Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas delay the execution of Rodney Reed by 120 days. The case has received intense attention in recent weeks as celebrities and lawmakers have called on the governor to intervene after new evidence surfaced. The execution of Mr. Reed, 51, is scheduled for Wednesday. He was convicted of the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Tex. The governor can now either accept or reject the unanimous recommendation of the seven-member parole board."


The entire change.org post can be read at:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm#inbox/FMfcgxwGBmqSQMmBwbhxqTDkCKgrdkdK

Read New York Times story at the link below:" Reporters Manny Fernandez and The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted Friday to recommend that Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas delay the execution of Rodney Reed by 120 days. The case has received intense attention in recent weeks as celebrities and lawmakers have called on the governor to intervene after new evidence surfaced. The execution of Mr. Reed, 51, is scheduled for Wednesday. He was convicted of the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites in Bastrop, Tex. The governor can now either accept or reject the unanimous recommendation of the seven-member parole board. A spokesman for Mr. Abbott did not respond to requests for comment. “I have tears streaming down my cheeks,” said Andrew MacRae, one of Mr. Reed’s lawyers. “I’m overwhelmed, but not yet ecstatic, because we have to wait for the governor to act. But assuming he approves this, I’m going to call Rodney’s mom, and that will be ecstatic.""


 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/us/rodney-reed-texas-execution.html
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;