Rodney Reed Set To Be Executed Despite Public Outcry

Rodney Reed poses in front of photos of his family. (Flickr)

Public outcry has grown in the lead-up to the execution of Rodney Reed on November 19. In the wake of new evidence, Reed and his attorneys argue that he is innocent.

In 1996, a Texas jury found Reed guilty of murdering 19-year-old Stacey Stites. Prosecutors alleged that Reed assaulted, raped, and murdered Stiles. For the past 21 years, he has been on death row for this crime. 

New evidence has surfaced from a former inmate, Arthur Snow, who was a member of the Aryan brotherhood. While in jail, Stiles’ ex-fiance Jimmy Fennel confessed to Snow that he committed the murder. According to Snow, Fennell killed Stiles after learning that she and Reed were romantically involved.  

"Jimmy said his fiancé had been sleeping around with a black man behind his back," Snow wrote in an affidavit. "Toward the end of the conversation Jimmy said confidently, 'I had to kill my fiancé… My impression was the Jimmy felt safe, even proud, sharing this information with me because I was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood. I think Jimmy assumed that his confession would impress me and earn him credibility with the Aryan Brotherhood."

After this revelation, many have called for Reed to be exonerated. Several Texan state senators have called for a halt on the execution, among them Ted Cruz. Several celebrities have also championed the cause. Rihanna, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, and rapper Meek Mill have whipped up support for Reed, tweeting out an online petition that has garnered nearly 2.5 million signatures. 

The outcry has placed growing pressure on Texas’ governor, Greg Abbott, to issue a stay for Reed’s execution. Despite increasing pressure and protests outside the governor's mansion, Abbott has shown few signs that he will take action. 

With the execution looming, even Republicans in the state legislature are unsure as to the governor’s leanings. He has issued no public comments about the case, and his office has issued no statements. 

Abbott has made clear his stance on capital punishment in the past. As a law-and-order state prosecutor, Abbott previously referred to the death penalty as “Texas justice.” In the eyes of many, this raises doubts over whether he will halt the execution, despite recent developments.

On the other side, many view Abbott’s case as a manifestation of racial injustice. The original conviction rested on the assumption that "a young black man like Rodney Reed would not be dating Stacey Stites,” according to Reed’s defense attorney Bryce Benjet.