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| Henry "Hank" Skinner |
William Sessions, the former Director of the FBI, and Mark White, former Governor of Texas, called on Texas to delay the November 9 execution of Hank Skinner and allow access to untested DNA evidence.
Skinner, who has always maintained his innocence, has repeatedly petitioned for testing of several items from the crime scene that contain DNA. The items - a windbreaker jacket similar to the one an alternative suspect wore, the victim’s fingernail clippings and human hairs found in the victim’s hands - could conclusively prove the presence of a third party, or could confirm Skinner's guilt.
In an op-ed in the Austin American-Statesman, Sessions and White wrote, “We hope the courts' actions will reflect the belief of the majority of Texans that inmates should have access to DNA testing that could prove their innocence. This belief also is shared by more than a dozen current and former elected officials and former judges, prosecutors and law enforcement, who have joined together to urge state officials to test the DNA evidence.”
The op-ed continued, “It is unconscionable that the prosecutor refuses to test the available DNA evidence when such testing has the power to confirm the verdict or prove the other suspect's guilt. Testing the evidence is just common sense.” (DPIC Note: On November 3, a Gray County trial court denied without comment Skinner’s request for DNA testing. An appeal is being filed with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.)
