The USSC has granted the writ of Certiorari in the case of Hank Skinner. Today’s order list included the decision Skinner has been waiting for. Now what does this mean? Read here what the Skeptical Juror writes: “First and foremost, Texas will not be able to execute Hank Skinner until the Supremes have ruled on his [...]
Tags: Capital Punishment, Crime Scene, DNA, DNA Database, Evidence, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Prosecutorial Misconduct, TexasThe Sceptical Juror has an update about the Skinner case: “The Supreme Court has handed down its rulings for May 17, 2010. There is no mention of Hank’s petition for a writ of certiorari. The next time the court will announce its rulings is next Monday, 24 May.” Mr. Skinner has asked for DNA testing of [...]
Tags: Crime Labs, Crime Scene, DNA, Evidence, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Wrongful ConvictionsThe United States Supreme Court Justices put off a decision on a high-profile capital case from Texas, a state that executes more prisoners per year than any other state. Henry “Hank” Skinner made an actual innocence claim, demanding DNA testing on other evidence gathered at the crime scene. The justices had issued a stay just before his scheduled [...]
Tags: Actual Innocence, Capital Punishment, DNA, Evidence, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Miscarriage of Justice, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, Wrongful ConvictionsThe Houston Chronicle has an interesting article related to the Skinner case. It discusses that the United States Supreme Court (USSC) will have to consider whether inmates’ requests for DNA testing can be considered as civil rights claims — a question that has split the nation’s top federal courts. The USSC on Thursday stayed Skinner’s [...]
Tags: Actual Innocence, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, DNA, Evidence, Finger Printing, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Identification, Investigations Division, Miscarriage of Justice, Partial Finger Printing, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, USSC, Victim, Wrongful Convictions(ORDER LIST: 559 U.S.) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010 ORDER IN PENDING CASE 09-9000 SKINNER, HENRY W. V. SWITZER, LYNN (O9A743) “The application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Scalia and by him referred to the Court is granted pending disposition of the petition for a writ of certiorari. Should the [...]
Tags: Capital Punishment, Henry Skinner, Texas, USSCThe U.S. Supreme Court stopped the execution of condemned prisoner Hank Skinner about an hour before he could have been taken to the Texas death chamber. The brief order grants him the delay but does not ensure he will get such testing. The court order came as relatives of Busby were climbing the steps of [...]
Tags: Capital Punishment, Crime Scene, Death Row, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Police, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful ConvictionsThe Texas Court of Criminal Appeals may be indifferent to the truth in the Hank Skinner case (focusing only on procedural questions), but Chromosomal Laboratories in Phoenix, Arizona, isn’t. In response to a plea by the Innocence Project, Chromosomal Laboratories in Phoenix, Arizona has offered its accredited DNA testing services to help pursue justice. The [...]
Tags: DNA, Evidence, Henry Skinner, Miscarriage of Justice, Texas, Wrongful ConvictionsTwo ladies with critical testimony concerning Twila’s uncle Robert Donnell: Mrs. Ellis testimony is a tell tale that has never been investigated: Within days of the murders, Donnell literally dismantled his vehicle in order to give it an almost fanatically thorough cleaning. Shortly after the murders Ms. Ellis saw Donnell, on a cold day, stripping [...]
Tags: Capital Punishment, Crime Scene, Evidence, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Miscarriage of Justice, Texas, WitnessesBy request of DCC readers and people who follow me on Twitter, here is more information about the untested pieces of evidence that could shed a light on who truly killed Twila Busby and her two mentally impaired sons Randy Busby and Elwin Caler. Evidence Mr. Skinner has asked for DNA testing of seven items: [...]
Tags: DNA, Henry SkinnerCritical DNA Evidence Untested As Texas Execution Nears; U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Review Novel DNA Issue Henry Skinner is scheduled for execution in Texas on March 24 despite the lack of DNA testing of critical evidence from the crime scene that could lead to his exoneration. Skinner has always maintained his innocence of the [...]
Tags: Actual Innocence, Autopsy, Capital Punishment, Crime Labs, Crime Scene, Death Row, DNA, DPIC, Evidence, Faulty Evidence, Henry Skinner, Miscarriage of Justice, Police, Prisons, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions
