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| Rodney Reed 'scared as hell' on death row | Rodney Reed 'scared as hell' on death row |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The brother of a man who's due to be executed in Texas says the family is working "non-stop" to halt it. | The brother of a man who's due to be executed in Texas says the family is working "non-stop" to halt it. |
| Rodney Reed has spent 21 years on death row for the murder of Stacey Stites. His execution date is 20 November. | Rodney Reed has spent 21 years on death row for the murder of Stacey Stites. His execution date is 20 November. |
| He says he's innocent and his lawyers claim that fresh evidence proves that he did not kill the 19 year old. | He says he's innocent and his lawyers claim that fresh evidence proves that he did not kill the 19 year old. |
| Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna and Gigi Hadid have all spoken out supporting him. | Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna and Gigi Hadid have all spoken out supporting him. |
| His brother Rodrick told Radio 1 Newsbeat that he hopes this kind of celebrity backing will make a difference. | |
| The case has got more attention since stars started tweeting about it. | The case has got more attention since stars started tweeting about it. |
| Kim K has tweeted several times about Rodney Reed's case. | Kim K has tweeted several times about Rodney Reed's case. |
| But this story goes back to 1996. | But this story goes back to 1996. |
| What happened to Stacey Stites? | What happened to Stacey Stites? |
| The 19 year old was due at work early in the morning of 23 April. | The 19 year old was due at work early in the morning of 23 April. |
| She never turned up to the grocery store in Bastrop, Texas. | She never turned up to the grocery store in Bastrop, Texas. |
| Within a few hours, the truck she drove was found abandoned. | Within a few hours, the truck she drove was found abandoned. |
| By that afternoon, her body was discovered. She had been strangled with her own belt. | By that afternoon, her body was discovered. She had been strangled with her own belt. |
| Investigators found a very small amount of sperm cells - 3 in total - in her vagina. | Investigators found a very small amount of sperm cells - 3 in total - in her vagina. |
| The semen came from a young black man, Rodney Reed. | The semen came from a young black man, Rodney Reed. |
| Police had his DNA on file because he had been investigated - but not found guilty - over a different sexual assault case | Police had his DNA on file because he had been investigated - but not found guilty - over a different sexual assault case |
| He claimed that he was having a secret relationship with Stacey. | He claimed that he was having a secret relationship with Stacey. |
| She was engaged to another man, but Rodney's brother, Rodrick says the affair went on for months and that the "whole neighbourhood, the whole family" knew about it. | She was engaged to another man, but Rodney's brother, Rodrick says the affair went on for months and that the "whole neighbourhood, the whole family" knew about it. |
| He says: "I seen them at my mom's house, they came out to my house one time". | He says: "I seen them at my mom's house, they came out to my house one time". |
| The evidence against Rodney Reed | The evidence against Rodney Reed |
| The murder weapon was never tested for DNA. None of Rodney Reed's fingerprints were found on the truck Stacey was driving. | The murder weapon was never tested for DNA. None of Rodney Reed's fingerprints were found on the truck Stacey was driving. |
| The case against him was mainly built around his semen. | The case against him was mainly built around his semen. |
| He said he'd had consensual sex with Stacey the day before she was killed. | He said he'd had consensual sex with Stacey the day before she was killed. |
| Expert witnesses told the murder trial that could not be true. | Expert witnesses told the murder trial that could not be true. |
| They argued that sperm could not possibly have survived in Stacey's body for so long. | They argued that sperm could not possibly have survived in Stacey's body for so long. |
| Instead, they believed that she must have been raped shortly before being murdered. | Instead, they believed that she must have been raped shortly before being murdered. |
| This was enough for an all-white jury to convict Rodney Reed. | This was enough for an all-white jury to convict Rodney Reed. |
| He was sentenced to death. | He was sentenced to death. |
| The death row years | The death row years |
| Rodrick Reed says he has never doubted his brother's innocence. | Rodrick Reed says he has never doubted his brother's innocence. |
| His voice is steady as he explains: "I am 100% certain my brother didn't do this. My brother is like my best friend." | His voice is steady as he explains: "I am 100% certain my brother didn't do this. My brother is like my best friend." |
| There's just a year age difference between them. Rodney is 51. | There's just a year age difference between them. Rodney is 51. |
| Rodrick says he's lost count of how many times he's visited him in jail, but security is tight. | Rodrick says he's lost count of how many times he's visited him in jail, but security is tight. |
| "I have not touched my brother in 22 and a half years. Neither have our parents, it's no contact visits," he explains. | "I have not touched my brother in 22 and a half years. Neither have our parents, it's no contact visits," he explains. |
| Away from prison, it's been an ongoing legal battle. | Away from prison, it's been an ongoing legal battle. |
| He says: "I've been fighting this for all those years, you know? | He says: "I've been fighting this for all those years, you know? |
| "You wouldn't imagine you wouldn't imagine how hard this is. This is this is something that, you know, you really can't put into words." | "You wouldn't imagine you wouldn't imagine how hard this is. This is this is something that, you know, you really can't put into words." |
| Fresh evidence | Fresh evidence |
| A date has been set for Rodney Reed's death. He is due to be executed on 20 November. | A date has been set for Rodney Reed's death. He is due to be executed on 20 November. |
| Rodrick Reed says this is a "nightmare that you can't wake up from." | Rodrick Reed says this is a "nightmare that you can't wake up from." |
| He says his brother is "standing on the truth and has faith". | He says his brother is "standing on the truth and has faith". |
| But at the same time, he says: "He's scared. Scared as hell. Because this date is real. | But at the same time, he says: "He's scared. Scared as hell. Because this date is real. |
| "The idea that they would even entertain taking his life when he has done nothing wrong. Nothing but have a consensual relationship with a white girl." | "The idea that they would even entertain taking his life when he has done nothing wrong. Nothing but have a consensual relationship with a white girl." |
| Rodney Reed's lawyers are fighting to change this and have submitted new evidence. | Rodney Reed's lawyers are fighting to change this and have submitted new evidence. |
| This focuses partly on the claims by forensic witnesses in the original trial that sperm could not survive for more than a day after sex. | This focuses partly on the claims by forensic witnesses in the original trial that sperm could not survive for more than a day after sex. |
| Now, one of those medical experts Dr Roberto Bayardo, has put out a sworn statement explaining that he is now aware that sperm can stay intact for days after death. | Now, one of those medical experts Dr Roberto Bayardo, has put out a sworn statement explaining that he is now aware that sperm can stay intact for days after death. |
| And so, he says, they is no evidence that Stacey Stites and Rodney Reed had anything other than consensual sex. | And so, he says, they is no evidence that Stacey Stites and Rodney Reed had anything other than consensual sex. |
| The Innocence Project is representing Rodney and says this all means that the main evidence linking Rodney Reed to Stacey Stite's death was totally wrong. | The Innocence Project is representing Rodney and says this all means that the main evidence linking Rodney Reed to Stacey Stite's death was totally wrong. |
| Prison cell confession? | Prison cell confession? |
| Stacey was engaged, due to marry a white former policeman called Jimmy Fennell. | Stacey was engaged, due to marry a white former policeman called Jimmy Fennell. |
| But now witnesses have come forward statements about the couple's relationship. | But now witnesses have come forward statements about the couple's relationship. |
| One woman talks about him saying that if his girlfriend ever cheated on him, he would strangle her. | One woman talks about him saying that if his girlfriend ever cheated on him, he would strangle her. |
| An insurance salesperson remembers Jimmy Fennell threatening to kill Stacey Stites if he ever caught her "messing around" on him. | An insurance salesperson remembers Jimmy Fennell threatening to kill Stacey Stites if he ever caught her "messing around" on him. |
| Another statement comes from a former policemen. | Another statement comes from a former policemen. |
| He says he remembers Jimmy Fennell looking at Stacey Stite's body at her funeral and saying something about her getting what she deserved. | He says he remembers Jimmy Fennell looking at Stacey Stite's body at her funeral and saying something about her getting what she deserved. |
| Jimmy Fennell went on to serve years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting another woman. He was released in 2018. | Jimmy Fennell went on to serve years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting another woman. He was released in 2018. |
| One of the new witnesses is a man who was in jail with him. | One of the new witnesses is a man who was in jail with him. |
| Arthur Snow was the leader of a white supremacist prison gang. | Arthur Snow was the leader of a white supremacist prison gang. |
| He claims that Jimmy Fennell told him that his fiancée had been sleeping with a black man behind his back. | He claims that Jimmy Fennell told him that his fiancée had been sleeping with a black man behind his back. |
| In a sworn statement he says: "Toward the end of the conversation, Jimmy said confidently, 'I had to kill my n-word-loving fiancée.'" | In a sworn statement he says: "Toward the end of the conversation, Jimmy said confidently, 'I had to kill my n-word-loving fiancée.'" |
| What does Jimmy Fennell say? | What does Jimmy Fennell say? |
| His lawyer, Bob Phillips, says there is "absolutely not a scintilla of merit" in this claim. | His lawyer, Bob Phillips, says there is "absolutely not a scintilla of merit" in this claim. |
| He told CBS Austin that Arthur Snow is a "career criminal" who is "trying to save his own scalp." | He told CBS Austin that Arthur Snow is a "career criminal" who is "trying to save his own scalp." |
| He also calls the other new witnesses "laughable" and questions why they waited so long to come forward. | He also calls the other new witnesses "laughable" and questions why they waited so long to come forward. |
| He maintains that it's "absolutely untrue" that Stacey Stites was having an affair with Rodney Reed. | He maintains that it's "absolutely untrue" that Stacey Stites was having an affair with Rodney Reed. |
| He asks: "Where are the love notes? Where are the photographs? | He asks: "Where are the love notes? Where are the photographs? |
| "Where is one piece of corroborating evidence other than people coming out of the woodwork 20 years after the fact?" | "Where is one piece of corroborating evidence other than people coming out of the woodwork 20 years after the fact?" |
| Celebrity support | Celebrity support |
| Kim Kardashian West, who wants to be a lawyer, has tweeted several times about this case. | Kim Kardashian West, who wants to be a lawyer, has tweeted several times about this case. |
| Many other celebrities have spoken out too. Rihanna encouraged her followers to sign a petition. | Many other celebrities have spoken out too. Rihanna encouraged her followers to sign a petition. |
| Gigi Hadid signed it. | Gigi Hadid signed it. |
| Meek Mill linked to more information on the case. | Meek Mill linked to more information on the case. |
| Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J also got involved. | Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J also got involved. |
| Rodrick Reed says he's "praying that it makes a difference" by drawing attention to the case. | Rodrick Reed says he's "praying that it makes a difference" by drawing attention to the case. |
| He explains: "The more celebrity reports that we get, the more the world is looking at this. | He explains: "The more celebrity reports that we get, the more the world is looking at this. |
| "And we're trying to get the world to look at my brother's case, so these people here in Bastrop will be scared to take his life." | "And we're trying to get the world to look at my brother's case, so these people here in Bastrop will be scared to take his life." |
| Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |