Anthony Bartee has received a reprieve so that DNA testing can be conducted on two strands of hair found in the hands of the victim, David Cook. According to the Associated Press and reported in the Houston Chronicle, State District Judge Mary Roman withdrew the execution warrant yesterday. Bartee had been scheduled for execution on February 28, 2012.
According to Rico Valdez, an assistant Bexar County district attorney who handles capital case appeals, “What we’re doing now is looking into which labs are capable of doing the testing in the shortest amount of time.”
George Rivas is scheduled to be executed next Wednesday, February 29, 2012.