Louis

@stlouiso.bsky.social

Data scientist in retail. Sports analytics enthusiast. #Rstats zealot.

the absolute litmus test for every democratic primary needs to be “do you support Supreme Court reform that would replace the current illegitimate majority with a liberal majority, and do you support filibuster reform to get us there”

Mark Joseph Stern@mjsdc.bsky.social · 5mo ago

The Supreme Court refuses to review the 5th Circuit's extremely dubious ruling against Rodney Reed's request for a DNA test, which could prove the death row inmate's innocence. (There is a very good chance he is innocent!) All three liberals dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...

It is inexplicable why the Bastrop County District Attorney’s Office refuses to allow DNA testing of the belt that
was used to kill Stites, despite the very substantial possibility that such testing could exculpate Reed and identify
the real killer. It is also inexplicable why the courts below
did not proceed with more caution and carefully consider
each of Reed’s arguments, especially given that his claim
implicates the “constitutionally intolerable” possibility of
the “execution of a[n] . . . innocent person.” Herrera v. Collins, 506 U. S. 390, 419 (1993) (O’Connor, J., concurring).
The Court should vacate the Fifth Circuit’s judgment and
remand the case for the Fifth Circuit to address Reed’s argument in the first instance. Because the Court refuses to
do so, the State will likely execute Reed without the world
ever knowing whether Reed’s or Fennell’s DNA is on the
murder weapon, even though a simple DNA test could reveal that information. I respectfully dissent.