Thread by @helenprejean

#RodneyReed's attorneys sent a 14-page letter to @GovAbbott today. The letter presents new evidence and requests a 30-day reprieve of Rodney's Nov. 20th execution date. Details in the following thread. Please note: I'm going to quote an alternative suspect who used racial slurs.

@GovAbbott The letter begins with background details about the death of Stacey Stites. Stacey did not show up to work at 3:30 am on April 23, 1996. Her body was discovered later that afternoon. Investigators aggressively focused on Stacey's fiancé, Jimmy Fennell.

@GovAbbott An autopsy determined that Stacey Stites was strangled with her own belt. Fennell, a local police officer, failed two polygraph tests when asked if he strangled Stacey. Fennell invoked his right to remain silent after failing the polygraphs. Police inexplicably let him go.

@GovAbbott #RodneyReed was only connected to the crime a year later when three intact sperm cells found inside Stacey Stites were matched to his DNA. Rodney has always maintained his innocence and that the sperm was present from consensual sex the day before Stacey disappeared.

@GovAbbott At trial, the prosecution argued that Rodney somehow intercepted Stacey while she was driving to work, got inside the truck she was driving, sexually assaulted and strangled her, and did all this without leaving behind any evidence in the truck – no DNA, no fingerprints, nothing.

@GovAbbott This strange theory was premised on false scientific testimony that has since been debunked. "Experts" at Rodney's trial testified that the sperm cells must have been left at the time Stacey was killed. We now know that this testimony was incorrect and false.

@GovAbbott Scientifically accurate analysis of the evidence shows that Stacey Stites was killed on April 22, 1996, at some time before midnight. Jimmy Fennell testified that he was home alone with Stacey all night on April 22 and into the morning of April 23.

@GovAbbott #RodneyReed was in a consensual relationship with Stacey Stites. The relationship was kept under wraps because Stacey was engaged to a white police officer. Rodney has offered several witnesses to confirm the relationship, but courts have so far refused to listen.

@GovAbbott There are three new witnesses who have come forward and can confirm the relationship between Rodney Reed and Stacey Stites. They have no connection to Rodney and have no motive to lie.

@GovAbbott (1) A woman who worked with Stacey Stites at a grocery store recently made a sworn statement that Stacey told her that she "was not excited about getting married" and that she "was sleeping with a black guy named Rodney."

@GovAbbott (2) Another person who worked with Stacey Stites at the grocery store has recently reported that they saw Stacey and Rodney interacting at the store and that it seemed like the two were romantically involved.

@GovAbbott (3) Stacey Stites' cousin reported that he saw Stacey with a Black man at a local Dairy Queen in 1995. He recognized the Black man as Rodney Reed when Rodney's picture was circulated in the local media.

@GovAbbott The prosecution's timeline was entirely based on the idea that the sperm cells found inside Stacey Stites were left there when she was killed. Three experts testified to support this theory at Rodney Reed's trial. All three experts have recanted or admitted serious errors.

@GovAbbott Dr. Roberto Bayardo, the state's medical examiner, has completely recanted his trial testimony and now says that he cannot link Rodney Reed to the death of Stacey Stites.

@GovAbbott The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab now admits that an employee "misstated" the science and incorrectly quoted scientific research when she testified against Rodney Reed.

@GovAbbott A technical leader from LabCorp also admits that an employee's testimony against Rodney Reed was "in error" and that another LabCorp employee has an opinion consistent with Rodney's explanation.

@GovAbbott Several top forensic pathologists determined that the prosecution's theory against Rodney Reed is "medically and scientifically impossible." Stacey Stites was most likely killed on the night of April 22, 1996. Jimmy Fennell testified that he was alone with Stacey all night.

@GovAbbott Jimmy Fennell was the primary suspect at first. His behavior was suspicious. Fennell emptied a joint bank account he shared with Stacey Stites hours before her body was discovered. He sold the truck Stacey was supposedly driving as soon as it was released from evidence.

@GovAbbott Fennell failed two polygraphs when asked if he strangled Stacey Stites. Fennell also told inconsistent stories about what he was doing the night before Stacey's body was discovered. He told a friend he had been out drinking but later testified he was home alone with Stacey.

@GovAbbott Before Stacey Stites was killed, a fellow police officer heard Jimmy Fennell brag that he would strangle his girlfriend with a belt if he ever found out she was unfaithful. Stacey was strangled with her own belt.

@GovAbbott Jimmy Fennell dated another woman after Stacey Stites was killed. This woman described Fennell as extremely prejudiced against African Americans, as well as controlling and abusive. Fennell stalked her while on duty as a police officer after she ended the relationship.

@GovAbbott Jimmy Fennell later pleaded guilty and spent 10 years in prison after he was accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman while on duty as a police sergeant. He lied in an attempt to cover it up. An investigation revealed a pattern of misconduct going back years.

@GovAbbott New evidence that exonerates #RodneyReed and implicates Jimmy Fennell has come out in the past few weeks.

@GovAbbott An insurance salesperson recently reported that Jimmy Fennell threatened to kill Stacey Stites. Fennell said this to Stacey during an insurance appointment: "If I ever catch you messing around on me, I will kill you and no one will ever know it was me that killed you."

@GovAbbott A former sheriff's deputy recently reported that he heard Jimmy Fennell make an incriminating statement at Stacey Stites' funeral. Fennell looked at Stacey's body and menacingly said something along the lines of "You got what you deserved."

@GovAbbott Another former sheriff's deputy recently reported that Jimmy Fennell used a racial slur and disclosed that he knew about the relationship between Stacey Stites and Rodney Reed. The next tweet will include the quote and racial slur attributed to Fennell.

@GovAbbott A former sheriff's deputy recently reported that Jimmy Fennell told him that Stacey Stites was "fucking a nigger." Fennell made this statement and used this racial slur one month before Stacey was killed.

@GovAbbott This former deputy also observed that Stacey Stites and Jimmy Fennell seemed unhappy together one month before Stacey was killed. The deputy later began to question whether Fennell was involved in the murder and chose to cut off contact with Fennell.

@GovAbbott Lots of information in this thread, so here's a summary:
#RodneyReed is innocent. He did not kill Stacey Stites. The prosecution's theory is scientifically impossible. All the evidence exonerates Rodney Reed and points to Jimmy Fennell, Stacey's fiancé at the time of her death.

@GovAbbott Jimmy Fennell bragged and made threats about how he would kill Stacey Stites if she was unfaithful. Independent witnesses confirm that Stacey was involved in a relationship with Rodney Reed while engaged to Fennell.

@GovAbbott Witnesses also report that Jimmy Fennell was prejudiced against African American people. Rodney Reed is a Black man. A new witness reports that Fennell used a racial slur and knew about the relationship between Rodney and Stacey Stites.

@GovAbbott Rodney Reed does not want a pardon. He wants to prove his innocence in a courtroom and clear his name. That's why @GovAbbott should grant a 30-day reprieve and instruct the clemency board to consider Rodney's case for commutation. Do not execute this innocent man.