AUSTIN, Texas — Supporters of death row inmate Rodney Reed rallied for 12 hours overnight outside the Governor’s Mansion in hopes of stopping Reed’s execution that is now just days away.
Reed is scheduled to be executed on Nov. 20.
Reed supporters rallied outside the mansion from 7 p.m. Thursday night to 7 a.m. Friday morning. They famously chanted “Free Rodney Reed" and “test the DNA.”
They also placed hundreds, if not, thousands of signed clemency letters from people all across Texas in envelopes. The letters are addressed to Gov. Greg Abbott and claim Reed’s innocence.
But, they're not fighting this fight alone. Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, who represents Austin and areas to the east, sent a letter to the governor on Thursday, asking him to delay the execution until further testing and analysis is complete. State Sen. Royce West also joined his colleagues in doing the same.
Reed's execution is set for Wednesday for the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites. His attorneys are pushing for more DNA testing and for courts to hear from new witnesses, who support Reed's claim that he was having an affair with Stites and supporters want that too.
“I think a lot of the world is watching this case because it highlights everything that's wrong with the justice system,” one supporter said. “There are innocent people that are on death row. There's a lot of racism in the criminal justice system.”
But the state attorneys stand by their case and prosecutor Lisa Tanner told ABC News that she is sure that the right man has been convicted beyond a reasonable doubt of Stacey Stites' murder. Multiple appeals court decisions have also gone in the state's favor.
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