Rodney Reed
Examining his DNA is worth being sure of his guilt or innocence. In fact it should be mandatory now that DNA plays such a crucial role in cases anymore.
Examining his DNA is worth being sure of his guilt or innocence. In fact it should be mandatory now that DNA plays such a crucial role in cases anymore.
Semen was found inside Stites, and police matched the DNA to that of Reed, who was arrested a year later. Reed’s sperm had previously been collected as part of an unrelated sexual assault investigation.
Reed initially denied to investigators that he knew Stites. But he later gave a startling explanation for why they discovered his DNA: He and Stites were having a clandestine and consensual sexual relationship, one that was taboo because he is black and Stites was white.
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He added that Reed’s own past, including accusations of sexual assault, shouldn’t be discounted. Reed has denied involvement in other assault cases, and although he was accused he was never convicted in those cases, according to the Texas Tribune.
Family members of Stites have said the attention given to exonerating Reed has done a disservice to her memory.
“For too long we’ve been trying to fight for justice for Rodney, who didn’t deserve justice at all,” Stites’ sister, Debra Oliver, told KXAN when Fennell was released from prison last year. “We need justice for Stacey.”