Texas Will Execute Man Who Didn’t Kill Anyone

Jeff Wood

The State of Texas is set to execute someone who did not murder anyone.

I the early morning hours of January 2, 1996, Jeff Wood waited in a truck in front of a gas station in Kerrville during this time Daniel Reneau strolled  inside to take a safe that was supposedly packed full of money from the busy New Year’s Day holiday weekend. The cashier on duty at the time, Kris Keeran, would not obey the perpetrator, and he stood up to his immediate threats. Reneau grew frustrated and panicked by firing upon Keeran, fatally wounding him.  Reneau was apprehended tried and convicted which led to a stint on death row, he was eventually put to death in 2002. Now for just being in the vehicle outside and away from the crime, and in some accounts did not even know the clerk was going to be harmed, Wood is scheduled to be omitted from this Earth as early as next week. His sentence was handed down to be put to death under a Texas felony murder statute, also known as ‘the law of parties”, that spreads the responsibility to all the participants in any criminal activity were someone dies, all parties are equally responsible, no matter if they had no hand in the actual homicide.

Wood’s lawyers are still trying to halt his execution, with a group of activists now assisting by holding protest rallies.  Go to savejeffwood.com to get updates and what you can do to help.

Last month at the Governor’s mansion there was a rally where a petition was handed to the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles demanding the board and Governor Greg Abbott take a look at commuting Mr. Wood’s sentence to just spending the rest of his life in the penitentiary. Last week a revised one hundred page appeal was filed in the district court with another being sent to the state Court of Criminal Appeals, that details a specific request for a new hearing to change the sentencing. Many legal experts are confirming that this case is very rare, even in Texas, the execution capital of America. The state that sentences capital punishment for anyone even if they did not kill or had no intention to kill.

Jared Tyler, the attorney for Mr. Woods emotionally argued, “I’m not aware of another case in which a person has been executed with as minimal participation and culpability as Jeff. It’s a national first in that regard if the state does actually execute him.”

The people in opposition to the “law of parties” are exclaiming that the blood-thirsty state should absolutely not be granted the permission to lethally inject chemicals into a person that has never murdered anyone. During the most recent protest rally, several activists displayed T-shirts containg photos of Mr. Wood that said “Punish action. Not affiliation.” According to the clemency paperwork filed Kris Keeran’s father supports life in prison instead. Nearly 50 Evangelical Leaders Ask Governor Abbott and the Board of Pardons and Paroles to Spare Jeff Wood’s Life

The Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles still has not responded to the recent petition, and Gov. Abbott’s office is still refusing to even comment.

Wood’s lawyers have accumulated more information and included it in the new appeal. They found out that Dr. James Grigson, who is also known as “Dr. Death” because of how frequently he testifies for the state in countless capital murder trials, committed perjury when he lied to jurors on the number of cases he has testified on and that he almost always finds the incarcerated convict to be a future danger in order to press the case for execution.
The American Psychiatric Association’s Board of Trustees back in 1995, voted to expel Grigson following an in-depth investigation that uncovered Grigson’s method of diagnosing that inmates might be dangerous in the future violated the strict practice of the association. Because Grigson hid this fact from the jury, Wood’s lawyers are now claiming the jury was misled. Three of the jurors have stated that they would have ignored Grigson’s prediction if they were aware of his being kicked-out by the board.

Now his parents and growing groups of supporters are gearing up for a road trip to Huntsville next Wednesday, August, 24th.

If you agree that the State of Texas should not execute Mr. Wood then please phone The Governor’s office, and express your concerns at (512) 463-2000.  Fortunately there is still time to save this man’s life, let’s not let it be OK to execute someone who has not murdered anyone! Get more information and lend support here.

By Andre’ Gabriel Esparza – DontComply.com