Court of Criminal Appeals Stays the Execution of Convicted Killer, Orders New Hearing

Below you'll find the order from the Texas Court of Appeals concerning the fate of convicted killer Roderick Newton, who was scheduled to be executed tomorrow some time after 6 p.m. As you'll see, the court has stayed that execution and ordered a new hearing -- not only for the...

By Robert Wilonsky

July 22, 2009

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Below you'll find the order from the Texas Court of Appeals concerning the fate of convicted killer Roderick Newton, who was scheduled to be executed tomorrow some time after 6 p.m. As you'll see, the court has stayed that execution and ordered a new hearing -- not only for the Brady violation, stemming from a missing statement from an accomplice discovered by the defense attorneys and provided by the Dallas County District Attorney's Office only a few days ago, but also because of the mental retardation claim about which Kim wrote yesterday.

Update at 12:53 p.m. on July 29: I just spoke with Julian Williams, who says that despite the defense attorneys' interpretation of the recently discovered statement at issue, he did not pawn Jesus Montoya's jewelry. "It was my jewelry," Williams says. Williams, in fact, was the one who told Newton's attorneys and, eventually, the Dallas County District Attorney about the missing statement that led to the stay of execution. He also says he did not hear from the defense about the stay of execution till he read it in the media. And will he testify at the rehearing? He doesn't know. "But I know what happened that night. I can't say anything different."
Court of Criminal Appeals Order Re Roderick Newton

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