Perry and Abbott Urged to Halt Skinner Execution
More than a dozen current and former lawmakers, prosecutors, judges, police officers and even a former Texas governor sent a letter today calling on Gov. Rick Perry and other state officials to allow for DNA testing death row inmate Hank Skinner says could prove his innocence.
They asked Perry, Attorney General Greg Abbott and Gray County District Attorney Lynn Switzer to halt Skinner's scheduled Nov. 9 execution until the testing is done.
“There is simply no justifiable reason why Texas continues to waste taxpayer dollars in its decade-long fight to prevent scientific testing in Mr. Skinner’s case,” the ...
Comments (15)
Russell Stone via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This says a lot about Gov. Perry's character to not allow DNA testing on a matter of life and death.
Gilles D. Winterhuder via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Stop valuable monies being wasted! Sign & Share! http://www.change.org/petitions/in-the-interest-of-justice-grant-dna-testing-to-hank-skinner
MaryLou VandeRiet via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Perry did not give Cameron Todd Willingham a 30 day reprieve either..!!!...
Dale H Curry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Speaks volumes about the fiction that justice exists in GOP TX. It does not!
Adam Russell
AG Abbott and Mr. Switzer - I can understand the embarrassment and hit to your reputation if a man you put on death row is exonerated but you have to be a cold-blooded so-and-so to let a man die without checking every lead with available technology. I don't know the circumstances or facts surrounding the conviction but if the state and prosecutors are fighting to keep any evidence out of a lab or attorney's hands and will not consider the possibility they are wrong -- I have to question the action. Especially after what has happened around the state in recent years. It would be cold-blooded.
Rudy Gonzales
Perry already has the blood of Todd Willingham on his hands, he doesn't care if an innocent man dies!
Max Sped
“The Texas Attorney General's office, which is representing the state, has filed an objection to Skinner's request in state court for DNA testing.”
…………………….
This is expected of Greg Abbott – he, like James Richard Perry, has no regard or desire for justice. Their desire is to be considered ‘hard-nosed’ on the side of law and order plus 100% in favor of killing those already found by a jury to be guilty and subject to execution.
It is a sad and dreadful state when our lawmakers and law-enforcers have as their primary goals winning and enforcing the law whether or not the law is applicable, considering it weak to seek JUSTICE FOR ALL.
gypsy314 ne
I hope Perry or some judge does the right thing here allow the test . If it was me I would want the state to do everything to prove it.
William Leavenworth
Perry is to Christianity as Satan is to Christ. If there is indeed a just God, Perry will spent eternity in Hell, tormented and assaulted by cloven-hooved imps who will impregnated him over and over.
William Leavenworth
That should read "impregnate."
Mary Steele
If you think he is going to use common sense, good luck with that!! That should have been done a long time ago, we can hope for the best and a change from his usual! Best wishes!!
Laurel C B Stranaghan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank you, Caitlin, for saying this for me. This statement from the AG office clearly indicates a critical thinking deficit. I say, fire the AG & any other lawyers and professionals connected with this statement. They are incompetent, and pose various threats to public safety.
Laurel C B Stranaghan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Likewise Governor Perry.
Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner
Thank you Brandi for your article. Please share the online petition to Gray County D.A. Lynn Switzer: http://www.change.org/petitions/in-the-interest-of-justice-grant-dna-testing-to-hank-skinner
Dudley Sharp
Skinner had DNA testing, pre trial.
It was crucial in convicting him, as reviewed, below.
Then, Skinner decided, also pre trial, that he would deny further testing of additional DNA evidence because Skinner knew that additional results would further hurt Skinner's case.
That is, of course, the only reason Skinner would stop further testing.
Now, in a successful effort to delay his execution, even more, Skinner files motions to test the material for which he previously rejected additional testing.
Skinner wants to live longer, just as his murder vicitms, Twila and her sons, did.
Of course, if Skinner succeeds, this sets a precedent that no matter what choices a defendant makes for trial strategy, pre trial and at trial, and if those decisions result in conviction, then the defendant, if they managed their pretrial decsions just so, can go back and say, wait a minute, I don't like the outcome of my trial, I want a do-over, via new trial or appeals, so maybe I can get a better result next time.
It is a horrible precedent, which the state must fight and all criminals and defense counsel are drooling over, for very good and obvious reasons.
Pre trial DNA testing:
" . . . DNA testing of two of the blood stains on Skinner's shirt were consistent with (murder victim) Twila Busby's DNA, while a third blood stain was consistent with Skinner's DNA. DNA testing of blood stains on Skinner's jeans showed a mixture of blood from Twila and her (murdered) son Elwin, and two other blood stains were consistent with Elwin's DNA."
"(1) . . . the defense hired a DNA expert who evaluated the State's evidence and found no basis for challenging the results;
(2) certain DNA test results, such as for the blood stains on Skinner's clothing, had been damaging to the defense's case and counsel did not want to run the danger of uncovering even more damaging evidence;
(3) defense's blood spatter expert determined that widespread amounts of blood stains on the clothing Skinner was wearing when he was arrested a few hours after the murders were inconsistent with Skinner's story . . .;
and
(4) Skinner's videotaped statement to police about how he and Twila had fought with a stick (which police found imbedded with blood and hair, and laying near Twila's body) was also inconsistent with Skinner's alibi."
"All evidence was available for forensic testing prior to trial . . .". "(The defense) made a strategy decision to not have (more DNA tested)."
From "DA responds to Skinner's Supreme Court case"
www.connectamarillo.com/news/story.aspx?list=195070&id=461288