AUSTIN, Texas — Family and friends of Rodney Reed rallied at steps of the Texas State Capitol on Saturday evening. The rally began at 6 p.m. at 11th Street and Congress Avenue.
Reed was convicted of capital murder for the 1996 death of Stacy Stites in Bastrop County. Police said it was just days before Stites' wedding when her body was found along a highway in Bastrop County. Authorities arrested Reed after his DNA matched the DNA found inside her body.
He received a stay of execution in November 2019, just days before his scheduled execution date. The case gained national attention in 2019, following a public outcry from celebrities and advocates such as Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian.
Reed maintains he is innocent and is still fighting to overturn the conviction. He says he and Stites were having a consensual affair.
Stites' family believes Reed is guilty. Reed's supporters say Stites' fiancé is the one to blame.
An appeal hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Organizers said the event was scheduled to coincide with Independence Day weekend as they demand Reed’s freedom.
Read more about KVUE's extensive coverage of this case, which recently won a Lone Star Emmy. Listen to KVUE's Texas Crime Files podcast focusing on Reed's case here or below:
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