Hank Skinner
Hank Skinner is scheduled to die in a few days. His latest legal documents are here. Long story short, the legal team is trying to get DNA tested that could exculpate Mr. Skinner and not pulling any punches.
The Innocence Project notes on these efforts:
Hank Skinner was sentenced to death in 1995 for allegedly killing his live-in girlfriend and her two adult sons in their Pampa, Texas, home. Skinner says he didn’t commit the crime and has sought DNA testing on probative evidence from the crime scene for a decade. Despite his pleas for testing and further examination of evidence, Texas officials have scheduled his execution for March 24.
In an op-ed in the Dallas Morning News, Innocence Project Co-Director Barry Scheck joined others in calling on Texas Gov. Rick Perry to order a stay in Skinner’s case so that DNA testing can proceed. Skinner’s attorneys made a similar request in a letter to Perry last week. . . .
Seventeen people have been proven innocent and exonerated by DNA testing in the United States after serving time on death row. Learn about their cases here.
As others have noted,”[w]ill Texas next put to death a man who has steadfastly professed his innocence and whose lawyer was his legal adversary — without even conducting DNA tests to be sure the right man will be punished for the crime? Not much time will tell.”
Is Hank Skinner innocent, a simple test can answer that question. Death is forever. Unlike he whose death & resurrection we celebrate this Lenten season, Hank won’t be back in three days if he’s executed. All anyone is asking for is a test.
Tuesday, 23. March 2010 15:17
As I asked on my blog today, echoing Hank Skinner’s legal counsel, WHY NOT?
Why not do the DNA testing before executing this man? Why this 11th hour, finger-drumming, coffee-guzzling last minute decision-time — when an innocent man may be setting on Death Row?
An innocent man. We could know very quickly, and so what if Hank Skinner is guilty? We MUST know beforehand, if we can. And we can.
Enough. More at the blog — http://www.deathpenaltyblog.com/will-texas-execute-an-innocent-man-tomorrow-the-world-awaits-hank-skinners-fate/