The Liberty Papers

With less than five days until the scheduled execution of Hank Skinner, a DNA testing laboratory in Phoenix, AZ has offered to test evidence that Skinner’s attorneys say will prove his innocence. Chromosomal Laboratories has told Texas Gov. Rick Perry that they will run the tests for free if Perry agrees to grant Skinner a 30-day reprieve. Under Texas law, the governor has the authority to grant a one-time reprieve for capital cases.

The Texas Tribune reports that Gov. Perry has not decided whether or not he will grant the reprieve and said that any decision to test the DNA will be decided in the courts.

My question for Gov. Perry is what is there to think about? The man has been on death row for 15 years; what is the harm in giving him just 30 more days to determine once and for all if he is guilty or not? The state cannot give Skinner his 15 years back if the state turns out to be wrong but he could at least live the rest of his life a free man. The state obviously cannot give Skinner his life back once the state takes it from him, however.

Whether you oppose the death penalty or not we can all agree that the state should at least make every reasonable effort to ensure that the person being put to death by the state actually committed the crime. This is not an unreasonable request.

The execution is scheduled for March 24, 2010 so there isn’t much time left to act (see the contact information below).

Opinion Lines
Texas callers: (800) 252-9600
Out of state callers and Austin residents: (512) 463-1782

Office of the Governor, Main Switchboard (from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST): (512) 463-2000

Office of the Governor Fax: (512) 463-1849

The Innocence Project also has an easy petition that only takes a few minutes to fill out.

Related: Former Texas Prosecutor and Judge Both Believe the State Has Executed More Than One Innocent Man