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CCA denies another appeal by Rodney Reed

By "Persian Cowboy"

Chuck Lindell of Austin-American Statesman is reporting that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has denied a request for new trial by Rodney Reed.The state?s highest criminal court today refused to grant a new trial to Rodney Reed, sentenced to death a decade ago in the Bastrop County murder and sexual assault of Stacey Stites, 19. In December, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued a 100-page opinion concluding that new information raised by Reed failed to establish his innocence and could not have swayed jurors to vote for his innocence if presented at trial. Today?s rulings denied two remaining state appeals by Reed, presumably clearing way for his case to proceed to the next level of review in the federal courts. But one of Reed?s appellate lawyers, Bryce Benjet, said he hopes to file another state appeal containing more information about ?incidents of misconduct? by Stites? fiance, Jimmy Fennell, a former police officer serving a prison sentence for kidnapping and improper sexual activity with a woman in his custody...continue to full post

Full post as published by Texas Death Penalty Blog on January 15, 2009 (boomark / email).