Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has just voted 7-0 against granting Hank Skinner a reprieve, and 7-0 against granting him clemency. The Board admittedly focuses on the process rather than on the facts of the cases it considers. It's one reason why Texas' rate of exonerations from death row is less than one-fifth that of the rest of the country. It's a measley 2.4% for Texas compared to 14% for the rest of the country.
Along that line, Part III of my series "In Search of the 54" is now up. We are compiling and intend to make public the most comprehensive and well-documented list of innocent people executed by Texas. So far, it's looking like that list will include dozens of names. When Rick Perry decides it is time to run for President, we intend to be there to remind everyone of his role in the killing those innocent people he should have instead been protecting.
With respect to their determination to execute Hank Skinner, the Texas authorities are further alienating themselves from their own citizenry, and from that of the rest of the country.
The Austin American-Statesman, the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, and (amazingly) the Los Angeles Times, join the chorus of those asking Texas and Governor Perry to test the DNA before executing Hank Skinner.
On Saturday, March 20, seven death row exonerees added their voices to the chorus of those asking Texas and Governor Perry to test the DNA before executing Hank Skinner.
On Saturday, March 20, The Huffington Post has added its voice to the chorus of those asking Texas and Governor Perry to test the DNA before executing Hank Skinner. For evidence of that, follow a few of the links below.
On March 17, a DNA testing firm has offered to test the Skinner DNA evidence for free. Good for them!
On March 14, The Innocence Project used the front page of its website to bring attention to the editorial just mentioned.
On March 12, Barry Scheck, State Senator Rodney Ellis and Cory Session called on Governor Rick Perry to test the DNA prior to executing Hank Skinner. The editorial can be viewed in the online version of the Dallas Morning News.
On March 9, former DA Sam Millsap called on Governor Rick Perry to test the DNA prior to executing Hank Skinner. He speaks from painful experience, having prosecuted Ruben Cantu for capital murder, and having since concluded that Ruben may have been innocent. Ruben Cantu was executed by Texas in 1993.
On March 2, we declared Hank Skinner to be factually exonerated.
Our ten part series on Hank Skinner begins here.
On March 12, Barry Scheck, State Senator Rodney Ellis and Cory Session called on Governor Rick Perry to test the DNA prior to executing Hank Skinner. The editorial can be viewed in the online version of the Dallas Morning News.
On March 9, former DA Sam Millsap called on Governor Rick Perry to test the DNA prior to executing Hank Skinner. He speaks from painful experience, having prosecuted Ruben Cantu for capital murder, and having since concluded that Ruben may have been innocent. Ruben Cantu was executed by Texas in 1993.
On March 2, we declared Hank Skinner to be factually exonerated.
Our ten part series on Hank Skinner begins here.
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