The latest death penalty news from The Texas Tribune.
Brewer lost a clemency appeal earlier this week, despite one of his jurors pleading that his life be spared and an expert witness’ methods put into question. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to pause Brewer’s execution Thursday afternoon to hear arguments about the “junk science” used against him. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c59db92d2010777efa01731a5121a7a4/Brent%20Brewer%20Still%20TT.jpg)
Speer has been on death row for decades after strangling another inmate at a Texas prison. The victim’s sister and faith leaders have both called on the parole board to halt the execution. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5fb5391e0ec27aba1cee8207d7489a7e/0329%20TDCJ%20Chamber%20Screenshot%2006%20TT.jpg)
Panetti murdered his in-laws in 1992. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 set new court precedent with his case, raising the bar on the constitutional restriction against executing the insane. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/11c309da85dd3c08b4828737903fa3fd/0329%20TDCJ%20Chamber%20Screenshot%2007%20TT.jpg)
Overlooked in the churn of one of the country’s busiest courthouses, the forgotten appeals included two death penalty cases, and one from a man who’s already finished his 20-year sentence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5e9c459c0f9cee4597aaed38b9cbabac/Harris%20County%20Jail%20CR%20TT%2001.jpg)
Reed, a Black man on death row for more than 25 years, has gained international support for his claims that he did not kill 19-year-old Stacey Stites, a white woman. Another appeal over DNA testing of evidence is still pending. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/bb83d676afd0c20ce5b65b0164f6d8c1/Rodney%20Reed%20KXAN%20TT.jpg)
Despite its tendency to distort memories, hypnosis has been used on witnesses in numerous investigations, including death penalty cases. Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a similar bill in 2021. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1167f0bc0a06f5adf2cf075e92ce4ec9/Walmart%20Shooting%20Pretrial%20JS%20TT%2015.jpg)
Two jurors from Cantu’s 2001 double-murder trial now support his appeals, which claim prosecutors relied on false testimony and withheld crucial evidence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ec643febdd90afc1005d5d927a5dd52c/0329%20TDCJ%20Chamber%20Screenshot%20TT.jpg)
Reed has long said he was wrongfully convicted for the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites. His lawyers will now be able to renew their legal fight for testing of crucial crime scene evidence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6843b94d091df11935ea512a55d21c72/Rodney%20Reed%20YT%20TT.jpg)
In an unprecedented use of his power, the Republican governor moved to pardon Daniel Perry less than a day after an Austin jury convicted him in the murder of protester Garrett Foster. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1bca55cb712a3607ff958aa590ae4a81/Daniel%20Perry%20REUTERS%2003%20TT.jpg)
The chamber has repeatedly passed legislation in recent sessions eliminating the death penalty in cases of severe mental illness, but this year the measure faced increased pushback from conservative lawmakers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cfaaee317cdac2ee22fcd5b617bbb11d/Texas_Death_Row_Illustration.jpg)
Brown’s appeals ran out after almost 30 years on death row. Defense attorneys claim Harris County prosecutors hid evidence pointing to another suspect in the 1992 shooting deaths of four people in a Houston drug house. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/50994b8bdf3522dbe584ad76f7794b40/02%20Death%20Chamber%20TDCJ%20GR%20TT.jpg)
At issue is whether Thomas, who gouged out his eyes after confessing to a 2004 triple murder in Sherman, is competent to be executed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a6754b57dfa17ab5b6a1e0a438abd9ec/Andre%20Thomas%20TT.jpg)
Green’s appellate attorneys unsuccessfully argued that his intellectual impairments and mental health status made him ineligible for the death penalty. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/69df9e6ac06f7fbf1128db43e7238bb5/Huntsville%20SF%20TT%2001.jpg)
Though he confessed to the murders, Balentine’s lawyers argued he might have been spared a death sentence if not for pervasive racial bias at his trial. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f1f64241c4d6170d5baf1d796f00eea5/01%20Death%20Chamber%20TDCJ%20GR%20TT.jpg)
Ruiz was convicted in the 2007 shooting death of Dallas police Senior Cpl. Mark Nix after a high-speed chase. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/09/09/DeathChamber-Texas.jpg)
Men sentenced to death in Texas are held in isolation until their execution dates, with little human contact, medical care or legal help, according to a lawsuit filed to improve treatment of the condemned. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/06/12/Polunksy.jpg)
Robert Roberson was sentenced to death for killing his 2-year-old daughter. Experts have since backtracked on the science used in part to win his conviction. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cef9f7c2eb4311fde8f61f0b7843513d/Robert_Roberson_hearing_1_SK_TT.jpg)
Fratta was convicted in the 1994 murder-for-hire of his wife. Lawyers unsuccessfully challenged Texas’ routine of extending the expiration dates of its lethal drugs, a practice begun when many pharmacies began refusing to provide doses for executions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/06/04/TCJD-Execution.jpg)
Areli Escobar was sentenced to death in 2011 for an Austin murder, but even prosecutors now agree his conviction relied heavily on faulty DNA testing by the discredited Travis County crime lab. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/93bcf67bedd3bb59731c303f3f5cf9ed/1104%20SCOTUS%20File%20JG%2014.jpg)
Barbee, convicted in the 2005 murders of his pregnant ex-girlfriend and her child, was unable to straighten his arms, which caused the delay. Courts allowed Barbee’s execution despite concerns from his lawyer that his disability would make the process “torture.” Full Story