Several celebrities are attempting to stop the execution of a Texas inmate accused of murdering a woman more than two decades ago.
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In 1996, Rodney Reed was placed on death row for the killing of 19-year-old Stacey Stites. She was found in a wooded area in Bastrop, Texas after being raped, assaulted and strangled.
Although Reed was convicted of the crime, he insists he’s innocent.
Last week, Reed’s attorneys submitted an application for clemency in an attempt to stop his execution scheduled for Nov. 20.
The lawyers applied for clemency after a former inmate filed an affidavit stating Stites’ fiancé, Jimmy Fennell, confessed to the killing while they were both incarcerated.
Additionally, the Innocence Project, a non-profit for criminal justice reform, believes there is further evidence that exonerates Reed.
The case has now sparked national attention. Celebrities, including Kim Kardashian West, T.I., Rihanna, Yara Shahidi and Meek Mill, have all encouraged their social media followers to sign an online petition against the execution.
“This is urgent. On November 20th, Texas is scheduled to execute an innocent man for a rape and murder he did not commit,” the petition reads. “We need to persuade Governor Greg Abbott, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Bastrop County District Attorney Brian Goertz, and other conservative elected officials to stay this execution, review all of the evidence that exonerates Rodney, and eventually grant him a new trial.”
The goal is 2 million signatures. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than a million had signed it.
Learn more about the case here.
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