Supreme Court stops execution of convicted killer in Texas

[jaysunb]

Los Angeles Times

The justices want more time to study Hank Skinner's appeal for DNA testing of evidence from a triple homicide. The stay is issued an hour before he was to die.

Reporting from Washington - With just an hour to spare, the Supreme Court blocked the Wednesday evening execution in Texas of convicted murderer Hank Skinner, who maintains his innocence and who has sought DNA testing of key evidence for a decade.

The justices issued a stay of execution and said they wanted more time to consider Skinner's appeal. It will probably be several weeks before the court decides whether to hear his case.

Last year, the court ruled 5 to 4 that the Constitution does not give convicts the right to demand DNA testing of crime-scene evidence. The case, however, did not involve a prisoner facing execution.

Skinner had sued the county district attorney seeking DNA tests on semen and skin samples as well as two bloody knives and a man's windbreaker, all taken from the scene of a triple homicide in the north Texas town of Pampa 16 years ago.

Last week, a crime lab in Phoenix offered to conduct the testing for free.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. I suspect freepers want this one executed on the basis of surname alone.

[hlthe2b]

2. Do they know Skinner as we know Rim Job?

But to the point of the post---I should hope that they would rule in favor of testing... but at least they are hearing the case. (surprisingly enough)