Bulletin: Rodney Reed: Death Row: Texas: Development: His case may be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court - if the court sees fit. HL. KXAN reports..."On Monday, it was announced via the U.S. Supreme Court’s website that the controversial Rodney Reed murder conviction could be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to the Supreme Court’s website, the case is set to be distributed for conference on Jan. 10, which means it is up for consideration to be heard by the court. Reed was set to be executed Nov. 20 after being convicted of the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites, but an appeals court order issued on Nov. 15 delayed Reed’s execution indefinitely while Reed’s trial court judge hears from Reed’s side and the prosecution, over what Reed’s attorneys argue is new evidence in the case."

PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "While the distribution for conference doesn’t guarantee the Supreme Court will hear the case, it’s a move toward what Reed’s family and supporters have been pushing for — for the nation’s highest court to give a new look at the case. If the case doesn’t make it to the court, the decision will defer back to the lower courts’ ruling."

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STORY: Rodney Reed murder case could be heard by U.S. Supreme Court, by reporter Russell Falcon, published by KXAN on January 6, 2019.

GIST: "On Monday, it was announced via the U.S. Supreme Court’s website that the controversial Rodney Reed murder conviction could be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. According to the Supreme Court’s website, the case is set to be distributed for conference on Jan. 10, which means it is up for consideration to be heard by the court. Reed was set to be executed Nov. 20 after being convicted of the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites, but an appeals court order issued on Nov. 15 delayed Reed’s execution indefinitely while Reed’s trial court judge hears from Reed’s side and the prosecution, over what Reed’s attorneys argue is new evidence in the case. Stites, a bride-to-be who worked at H-E-B, was found dumped on the side of a rural road north of Bastrop after a search that began when she didn’t show up for work that morning. Reed’s conviction was colored with doubt for decades, with many pointing to Jimmy Fennell, Stites’ fiance, as the killer. In October 2019, Reed’s defense team submitted a sworn affidavit by a man who was incarcerated with Fennell (who was in prison on unrelated charges) who said that Fennell confessed to killing Stites. While the distribution for conference doesn’t guarantee the Supreme Court will hear the case, it’s a move toward what Reed’s family and supporters have been pushing for — for the nation’s highest court to give a new look at the case. If the case doesn’t make it to the court, the decision will defer back to the lower courts’ ruling."

The entire story can be read at: 
https://www.kxan.com/rodney-reed/rodney-reed-murder-case-could-be-heard-by-u-s-supreme-court/

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;

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FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices.""

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
 https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20191210/da-drops-murder-charge-against-taunton-man-who-served-35-years-for-1979-slaying

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