Hank Skinner Wins at Supreme Court Allowing Him to Continue to Seek DNA Testing

Today, Hank Skinner won his Supreme Court case 6-3, so he can continue to seek DNA testing of evidence. At least year's Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, Hank's wife, Sandrine, spoke at a press conference organized by the students participating at spring break. It was one week before Hank's scheduled execution. Last year during spring break, the students also visited legislative offices and got Sen Ellis and Rep Naishtat to write clemency letters for Hank Skinner to Governor Perry. If you want to make a major difference in the effort against the death penalty like last year's participants, register for this year's spring break at springbreakalternative.org/deathpenalty.

From the New York Times:

The Supreme Court on Monday made it easier for inmates to sue for access to DNA evidence that could prove their innocence.

The legal issue in the case was tightly focused, and quite preliminary: Was Hank Skinner, a death row inmate in Texas, entitled to sue a prosecutor there under a federal civil rights law for refusing to allow testing of DNA evidence in his case? By a 6-to-3 vote, the court said yes, rejecting a line of lower-court decisions that had said the only proper procedural route for such challenges was a petition for habeas corpus.

Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner, wife of Hank Skinner, to Speak at 11th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty

Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner will be one of the speakers at the 11th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty on October 30th at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Sandrine is a French national married to Hank Skinner, who is on Texas death row and is seeking to have DNA tested that could prove his innocence.

On October 13, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Hank Skinner to determine if he may seek testing of DNA evidence through a civil rights lawsuit. If he is not allowed to test the DNA evidence, then Texas may execute an innocent person.

Hank Skinner received a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court on March 25, 2010 only hours before his scheduled execution.

On March 18, 2010, Sandrine spoke at a press conference (watch video) to appeal for Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to stop the execution of Hank Skinner. The press conference was held by Texas Moratorium Network and Students Against the Death Penalty in the Texas Capitol with her and with six exonerated former death-row inmates: Ron Keine, Juan Melendez, Shujaa Graham, Perry Cobb, Curtis McCarty and Derrick Jamison (see photo). Some of them had come within days and even hours of being executed. The exonerees said they supported a moratorium on executions and called on Gov. Perry and Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to stay the upcoming execution of Hank Skinner to allow testing of the DNA evidence.



Video of Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner, wife of Hank Skinner, appearing on CNN's Larry King Live to speak about stay of execution received by Hank Skinner on March 24, 2010.



The annual march is organized by several Texas anti-death penalty organizations, including the Austin chapter of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Texas Moratorium Network, the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, Texas Students Against the Death Penalty, Texas Death Penalty Education and Resource Center, Death Penalty Free Austin, and Kids Against the Death Penalty.

Videos of Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner on CNN and Natalie Skinner in Huntsville

Video of Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner, wife of Hank Skinner, appearing on CNN's Larry King Live to speak about stay of execution received by Hank Skinner on March 24, 2010.



Natalie Skinner, oldest daughter of Hank Skinner, speaking in Huntsville on March 24, 2010.



Video of people who went to the Texas Capitol in Austin to await news about whether Hank Skinner would receive a stay of execution on March 24, 2010. He did receive a stay, so we were all happy to hear the good news. In the video, Crystal Halprin is interviewed by Keyetv.

Larry King Live to Focus on Hank Skinner's Case Tonight

A death row inmate scheduled to be executed has one last request: Don't kill me until you test my DNA! He says it will prove his innocence in the murders of three people. His wife talks exclusively to Larry live outside the execution site.

Tonight, 9pm ET!

Hank Skinner Update

A number of legal documents have been posted on the website.

On February 8th, Hank's attorney filed a motion in state court to vacate the order setting an execution date and recall void death warrant. There is a problem with the death warrant. Legally the judge has 10 days from the day he signs the order setting an execution date to the day he sends the death warrant to the prison warden. The order was signed on October 20th but the death warrant was not sent to the prison warden until November 13th. If all else fails, the procedure may be canceled and the judge would have to start all over again - ie. issue a new order and send a new death warrant to the prison warden. That could postpone the issue by 35 to 40 days. In the meantime, we are hoping that a solid stay will be issued and that the DNA testing will be ordered.

On February 12th, his attorneys filed two documents with the US Supreme Court. The first one is the application for a stay of execution and the other is a second petition for writ of certiorari concerning the dismissal of their complaint against the Gray County D.A. This covers very important ground that, if the US SC accepts the
case, would help many other cases.

On the front of visitation, the French Consulate has been of great assistance and we worked this week on getting TDC to grant me a visit with Hank this week and another next week, since I still haven't heard anything back from the DRC on my 3rd appeal. Unfortunately, this was denied and apparently my 3rd appeal was denied. However they did get my correspondence rights back... If Hank doesn't have a stay by February 22nd, I "should" be allowed last visits.

New actions and efforts for those who wish to support him will be announced next week.

Thank you all very much for your support and don't forget Hank, drop him a line or a card, he surely needs to hear all the voices from the free world who are standing up for him and with him.

- Sandrine Ageorges-Skinner