Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Con Wins Death Stay in Judge Affair Appeal

Relationship between judge and prosecutor not reason for decision

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 10, 2008 11:48 AM CDT

(Newser) – A Texas death-row inmate who filed an appeal alleging that an affair between the judge and prosecutor compromised his trial has been granted a stay of execution. But, ABC News reports, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals approved Charles Dean Hood's request based not on the affair but because of a problem with jury instructions during his trial for murder and robbery.

Charles Dean Hood was scheduled for execution at the Texas prison in Huntsville, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. A Texas appeals court stopped the scheduled execution. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice, File)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Death Row Con Wins Hearing Over Courtroom Hanky Panky

Alleges affair between judge, prosecutor

(NEWSER) - A condemned Texas inmate has won a hearing to decide whether his lawyers can question the judge and prosecutor at his capital case trial about an alleged affair the two were having while the proceedings were unfolding, ABC News reports. A former county DA filed a sworn statement last year saying the affair was "common knowledge" at the time. More»

Texas Could Soon Rule Death Penalty Unconstitutional

State has unfair risk of wrongful conviction, lawyers will argue

(NEWSER) - In Texas of all places, the death penalty could soon be declared unconstitutional. The state (which leads the US in number of executions since 1976, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice ) has a disproportionately high number of wrongful convictions, attorneys will argue at a hearing Monday. Twelve people since 1976 have been exonerated from Texas' death row out of 139 across the nation, and a capital punishment expert tells the Huffington Post she will not be surprised if the judge rules the death penalty unconstitutional there. More»

Executions Drop to 13-Year Low

42 people put to death in '07; further decline could follow Court ruling

(NEWSER) - With the Supreme Court set to hear arguments Jan. 7 about lethal-injection procedures, figures show that US states executed just 42 people this year, a 13-year low. The case before the court has prompted states using lethal injection to execute inmates to stay pending executions; on Monday, New Jersey became this first state since 1965 to abolish the death penalty. More»

DEA Seizes Georgia's Execution Drug

Sodium thiopental may have been acquired improperly

(NEWSER) - The DEA has seized Georgia’s supply of sodium thiopental, one of the key drugs used to execute prisoners, because it believes the state may have improperly imported it. Like many states, Georgia was forced to import the drug from England last year thanks to a shortage in the US, the Wall Street Journal explains. “Questions came to light with how the substance was imported,” one DEA agent said, but wouldn’t elaborate further. More»

Condemned Man Spared During Last Meal

Murder convict Hank Skinner granted last-minute reprieve

(NEWSER) - A death row inmate in Texas was spared Wednesday just as he was finishing his last meal on earth—chicken, a bacon cheeseburger, fries, catfish, onion rings, and a salad. Hank Skinner, who had been on death row since 1995, was convicted of bludgeoning to death his live-in girlfriend and her two mentally disabled sons. He has always maintained his innocence. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Con Wins Death Stay in Judge Affair Appeal

Relationship between judge and prosecutor not reason for decision

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Texas • execution • prosecutor • capital punishment • judge • affair • death row • Texas capital punishment

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Death Row Con Wins Hearing Over Courtroom Hanky Panky

Alleges affair between judge, prosecutor

Texas Could Soon Rule Death Penalty Unconstitutional

State has unfair risk of wrongful conviction, lawyers will argue

Executions Drop to 13-Year Low

42 people put to death in '07; further decline could follow Court ruling

DEA Seizes Georgia's Execution Drug

Sodium thiopental may have been acquired improperly

Condemned Man Spared During Last Meal

Murder convict Hank Skinner granted last-minute reprieve

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Con Wins Death Stay in Judge Affair Appeal

Relationship between judge and prosecutor not reason for decision

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Texas • execution • prosecutor • capital punishment • judge • affair • death row • Texas capital punishment

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Death Row Con Wins Hearing Over Courtroom Hanky Panky

Alleges affair between judge, prosecutor

Texas Could Soon Rule Death Penalty Unconstitutional

State has unfair risk of wrongful conviction, lawyers will argue

Executions Drop to 13-Year Low

42 people put to death in '07; further decline could follow Court ruling

DEA Seizes Georgia's Execution Drug

Sodium thiopental may have been acquired improperly

Condemned Man Spared During Last Meal

Murder convict Hank Skinner granted last-minute reprieve

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?