#102 Jason Flom with Rodney Reed

Wrongful Conviction

Lava for Good Podcasts

True Crime

4.6 • 5.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 November 2019

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Stacey Stites and Police Officer Jimmy Fennell were engaged, but Stacey was having an affair with Rodney Reed. On April 23rd, 1996, Stacey’s lifeless body was discovered, lying face up next to a dirt road near Bastrop, TX. Jimmy Fennell was a prime suspect until 3 spermatozoa found in Stacey’s body were matched to Rodney Reed. The state alleged that Rodney did not know Ms. Stites, intercepted her on her 3AM drive to work, raped and strangled her, and left her on the side of that dirt road, while abandoning the truck in a high school parking lot. With no other evidence of Rodney found in the truck, on the body, or at the scene; the state’s forensic experts incorrectly asserting that intact spermatozoa could not survive passed 24 hours; and Stacey’s whereabouts being known for the 24 hours prior to 3AM; Rodney Reed was found guilty and sentenced to death in 1998. The state’s forensic experts have since disavowed their testimony, and Rodney Reed continues to maintain that the presence of his semen was a result of consensual intercourse from late in the night of the 21st (early morning, 22nd). In this premiere episode of the 9th season of Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom, we go to death row to speak with Rodney Reed. His attorney Bryce Benjet talks to us about the case. His brother Rodrick Reed tells us about his advocacy for his brother and the Reed Justice Initiative. And, forensic pathology legend Dr. Michael Baden retells his sworn testimony given at a hearing for a new trial in October 2017, disputing the time of death. The corrected time of death places Ms Stites in her apartment with Fennell when she died, according to his testimony at trial. When asked about this discrepancy, Mr. Fennell invoked his 5th amendment rights.

Rodney Reed was granted an indefinite stay of execution from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, saving him from his November 20th, 2019 execution date, but his future is still in danger. He still needs our help.

This Episode of Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom was produced in partnership with NowThis. https://nowthisnews.com/

Additional engineering for Dr Phil and Jason Flom’s interview by Freedom Wynn.

https://www.wrongfulconvictionpodcast.com/with-jason-flom

Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before we get into this episode I have some breaking news to share with you.
0:06.3	Rodney Reed has been granted a stay of execution and I want to thank every one of you who
0:11.4	took action who signed the, who made phone calls, who wrote letters,
0:16.7	your actions matter, and this is a good day.
0:20.6	At least we have a chance now to reopen this case and prove his actual innocence
0:26.7	once and for all.
0:32.0	The year was 1996. Stacey Stites and police officer Jimmy Finel were engaged to be married, but
0:37.8	Stacey was having an affair with a man named Rodney Reed.
0:41.3	On April 23rd, 1996, Stacy's body was discovered, strangled on the side of a
0:46.2	dirt road near Bastrop, Texas. Her fiancee Jimmy Finel was a prime suspect
0:51.4	until three of Rodney Reed's intact spermidizoa were found inside her body.
0:56.0	During trial, the state alleged that Rodney intercepted Ms Stites on her 3 a.m. drive to work and proceeded to rape and murder her.
1:04.0	With no other physical evidence of Rodney in a car or at the scene,
1:08.0	the forensic science of the time
1:10.0	incorrectly asserting that Intax Bermuda Za could not survive past 24 hours
1:14.3	and Stacy's whereabouts being known within the 24 hours prior to her death, Rodney Reed
1:19.6	was sentenced to death in 1998. It is now common knowledge that intact spermatozoa
1:26.0	can be found at least 72 hours after release and all of the state's forensic
1:30.2	expert witnesses have since disavowed their testimonies.
1:34.0	Reed continues to maintain that the spermatizoa that the investigation discovered was
1:38.4	the result of consensual intercourse that transpired well over 24 hours prior to her death.
1:44.3	On this episode of wrongful conviction with Jason Flom, we go to death row to speak with
	...

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