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#FreeRodneyReed

#FreeRodneyReed

Updated Nov 06, 2019 at 04:25PM EST by Sophie.

Added Nov 06, 2019 at 03:12PM EST by Sophie.

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About

#FreeRodneyReed is a hashtag that calls for the release of Rodney Reed who, as of 2019, has been on death row in the state of Texas since 1996. The hashtag rose to popularity in November 2019 due to Reed's November 20th execution date.

Origin

In 1996, a Rodney Reed was accused of the rape and murder of a 19-year-old Texan woman named Stacey Stites due to DNA of his found on the victim. According to Vox,[8] "police initially questioned and suspected [officer] Fennell of committing the crime. Fennell went on to fail two lie detector tests administered by the police, but the DNA found on Stites’s body didn’t match Fennell’s." On October 10th, 2010, Twitter user @lauraebrady[1] was the first to use the hashtag in a tweet (shown below).


Laura Brady (she/her) @lauraebra Rallying against capital punishment with the Reed family for world day against the death penalty. #abolition #freerodneyreed #freemumia 2:59 PM Oct 10, 2010 twidroyd (original)

Spread

On October 10th, 2017, Texas Statesman Ralph Barrera[3] posted an image of Rodney Reed's mother to Instagram and garnered over 2,200 likes (shown below, left). On October 19th, 2019, Kim Kardashian[4] tweeted, "PLEASE @GovAbbott How can you execute a man when since his trial, substantial evidence that would exonerate Rodney Reed has come forward and even implicates the other person of interest. I URGE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING." (shown below, right). The tweet accumulated over 8,400 likes and 1,700 retweets in a month. According to Vox,[8] "On October 30th, Reed’s lawyers and the Innocence Project, a nonprofit organization for criminal justice reform, filed an application for clemency with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles following the sworn affidavit of Arthur Snow, who says ex-officer Jimmy Fennell confessed to the murder of Stacy Stites when the two men were in prison together."


MY SON RODNEY REED IS INNOCENT Kim Kardashian West @KimKardashian PLEASE @GOvAbbott How can you execute a man when since his trial, substantial evidence that would exonerate Rodney Reed has come forward and even implicates the other person of interest. I URGE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING. 2:00 AM Oct 19, 2019 Twitter Web App

On November 1st, The European Union[5] tweeted, "The European Union regrets that the State of Texas plans to execute Mr. Rodney Reed on November 20th and makes an urgent appeal to @GovAbbott or clemency on his behalf. Evidence in Mr. Reed's case casts substantial doubt as to his culpability" (shown below, left). The tweet garnered over 280 likes in five days. On November 4th, Rihanna[6]shared a petition[2] which obtained over 1.5 million signatures as of November 6th (shown below, center). Her tweet gained 17,100 likes and 9,100 retweets in two days. On November 5th, the Twitter account @InnocentReed[7] announced "HUGE development in the advocacy for #RodneyReed. 26 #Texas lawmakers sign a letter urging Office of the Governor Greg Abbott to stop the execution of Rodney" (shown below, right).


EU in the US @EUintheUS The European Union regrets that the State of Texas plans to execute Mr. Rodney Reed on November 20th and makes an urgent appeal to @GoVAbbott for clemency on his behalf. Evidence in Mr. Reed's case casts substantial doubt as to his culpability. #EndCapitalPunishment @RDunhamDPIC EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The Ambassador Washington, 30 October 2019 del-usa.001 din(2019)7522762 DDFR/je The Honorable Greg Abbot Goversor of the State of Texas P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 7871 1 Dear Governor Abbott The European Union regrets that the State of Tesas plans to execute Mr. Redncy Reed on November 20 and wishes to make an urgent appeal for clemency cn his behal The European Union recegnizes that the murder of Ms. Stncey Stites was a terible act deserving of harsh punishmeet and wishes to express its sincere sympachy to the family and friends of the victim. Hewever, the European Union also fimly believes that capital punishment does noet serve the mamory or bring cempensation for the victims of heincus crimes. We believe that it has no proven deterrence effect and carries the risk of imeversible punishment in cases of Eatal jadicial emrors, which are inevitable in any court proceeding no matter how thorough The EU is opposed to the use of capital punishment under all circeumstances and accordingly seeks its universal abolition. We believe that the elimination of the death penaly is fundamental to the protection of human dignity and the advancement of hurnan rights Evidence in Mr. Reed's cmse casts substantial doubt as to his culpability. Moreover, Mr. Reed is secking DNA testing of evidence that has sot been previously tested. Under these circumstasces, we believe the state should not proceed with the execution without allowing for those tests. We greatly value the close relationship between the State of Texas and the Earopean Union, from trade and investment to people to people contacts. The Earopean Union will continue to work for the complete abolition of the death penalty and will actively encourage the national and worldwide trend th is ending the use of capital punishment. Taking the above considerations into account, Mr. Govemor, we respectfally urge you to exercise all powers vested in your office to grant clemency to Rodney Reed, Yours sincerely Staros Lambrinidis 215 KStret N Washigon, OC 20037-1831 Teephone1 02) 62-00e0429-1786 EMail Address deleaatan-washingtaneeas.eapa.eu pawwEnthes og Rihanna @rihanna One Click!!! SIGN this petition if you don't believe the Government should kill an innocent man!!! @GovAbbott e State of Texas duled to Execut FREE RODNEY REED Pfreerodneyreed.com 20, 2019 2:30 AM Nov 4, 2019 Twitter for iPhone #RodneyReed is Innocent @InnocentReed HUGE development in the advocacy for #RodneyReed. 26 #Texas lawmakers sign a letter urging Office of the Governor Greg Abbott to stop the execution of Rodney. #breakingnews #freerodneyreed #txlege #urgent @GovAbbott @helenprejean @innocence M e A d wwd ad a w py e So T p w E 8:04 AM Nov 5, 2019 Twitter for iPhone

Various Examples


Meek Mill @MeekMill 16 days left and he will be executed for a crime he didn't commit . get more info here! #freerodneyreed freerodneyreed.com 9:43 PM- Nov 3, 2019 Twitter for iPhone Melanie @heyyyymel From Shaun King. Go sign the petition then start emailing/calling. #FreeRodneyReed and sentenced to death in just 15 days. EMERGENCY Governor's Office Remember. he Go back to FreeRodneyReed.com i you need to familiarize yourself with the can stop this right now facts af the case, ok? Luis Saenz, Govemor's Chief of Staff: 512) 463-1762 Lbelieve in you!! I want you to speak in your own words. I dont provide scriots because I want vour emails and luis saenz@gov.texas.gov John Colyandro, Sr Advisor and Policy DWayne Jernigan 936-291-2161 Director (512) 463-1762 John.Colyandro@gov.texas.gov Carmella Jones 979-849-3031 Sarah Hicks, Senior Advisor (512) 463-1778 James LaFavers ane sen ee 11:33 PM Nov 4, 2019 from Bellingham, WA Twitter for iPhone T.I. @Tip I just signed this petition to tell @GovAbbott to stop the execution of Rodney Reed. You should too!!#FreeRodneyReed e State of Texas duled to ExecutFREE RODNEY REED ent Man on Nov freerodneyreed.com 20, 2019 9:42 PM Nov 3, 2019 Twitter for iPhone Police Brutality @AfricaMustWake Are you aware of this case? Texas is preparing to execute an innocent man, Rodney Reed, in 16 days while all the evidence in case has proven him to be innocent Please help by taking a min to open this link & sign-> freerodneyreed.com/#sign Keep Retweeting #FreeRodneyReed 10:07 AM Nov 6, 2019 Twitter for Android Isaiah Washington @IWashington I survived the '90's East Coast/West Coast Beef. Now, I find myself right in the middle of a lethal Left Wing/Right Wing Beef and all I'see' right now, is that this Man doesn't have to die in 14 Days and could bring an end to a lot of beefing and division for year's to come... 4:26 PM Nov 5, 2019 Twitter for iPhone

Search Interest

External References

[1] Twitter – lauraebrady

[2] FreeRodneyReed – About

[3] Instagram – Ralph Barrera

[4] Twitter – Kim Kardashian

[5] Twitter – EUintheUS

[6] Twitter – rihanna

[7] Twitter – InnocentReed

[8] Vox – Rodney Reed Execution

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Top Comments

The greater aerie
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The greater aerie

this is an interesting pile of worms, what i first want to say is that lie detectors, like unconscious bias tests are practically pseudoscience.
this is why i do not like the idea of capital punishment or general things to increase the conviction rate, such as the ability for people to record to avoid confronting their Accuser. these things do not as i see it help the role of the law in meting out justice

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DirkDiggums
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DirkDiggums

Reed definitely should not get the death penalty. The evidence is not conclusive as multiple witnesses say the victim was having a side fling with Reed at the time (she was dating the cop while seeing Reed on the side), so the semen DNA is understandable. No other evidence connects him. As a cop the boyfriend would have known how to make sure none of his DNA was on the victim and wait for an opportunity to kill her when he knew Reed's DNA was on her (He knew of the affair). He bragged to aryan brotherhood while in prison for a separate crime (raped) that he had to "kill my n-word loving girlfriend".

I am of the opinion that if the evidence is not 100% conclusive then the death penalty should not be applied. The standard for allowing death penalty should be insanely high, because the act of a government murdering (not executing, it's murder if the guy's innocent) someone innocent is such a heinous crime or at least should be in a democracy.

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