Earlier today, October 18, 2017, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed the execution of Clinton Young to consider his claim that false or misleading testimony was introduced at his trial. It was the fifth stay of execution granted by the court to date this year.
A statement from Young’s attorneys is below:
TEXAS APPEALS COURT ISSUES STAY OF CLINT YOUNG’S EXECUTION
Case remanded to Midland Court for review of alleged false testimony
Los Angeles, CA. (October 18, 2017) – The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals this morning issued a stay of the October 26 execution of inmate Clinton Young and remanded the case to a Midland District Court to determine if his conviction was based on false testimony.
The court’s order comes after the Office of the Federal Public Defender filed papers earlier this month challenging Young’s conviction and sentence. The filing included sworn affidavits from four witnesses who heard the State’s star witness David Lee Page boast in prison that he had committed the December 2001 murder and pinned it on Young.
The FPD also submitted new scientific evidence showing that the pair of gloves Page wore during the crime was covered with gunshot residue, indicating he fired the gun that killed the victim.
Young, 34, was scheduled to die by lethal injection next Wednesday for the murder of Samuel Petrey, a 54-year-old man from Eastland, TX. Young was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003 by a Midland jury based largely on Page’s testimony.
“I’m very grateful to the Criminal Court of Appeals for granting this stay and for giving me a chance to prove my innocence in court,” Young said in a telephone call with is attorneys.
Added Margo A. Rocconi, chief of FPD’s Capital Habeas Unit, which is handling Young’s appeal: “We are appreciative that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has stayed the scheduled execution of Mr. Young and will allow us to present the substantial evidence that his conviction and sentence were based on lies.”
“We are confident the court will conclude that Page lied under oath to save himself, and that our client is innocent of the crime that put him on death row,” Rocconi said.
Records already show that Page also lied under oath about the secret plea deal he struck with the Midland District Attorney’s Office.
In exchange for his testimony, prosecutors agreed to a 30-year prison sentence for his role in Petrey’s kidnapping.
Page has served nearly half of that sentence and became eligible for parole last year.
Young has steadfastly maintained his innocence. The matter now goes to Midland District Court to resolve the claim.
[For the latest updates, and to review the court order as well as other documents in the case, go tohttp://www.saveclintyoung.com]
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For further information contact: Greg Krikorian, Investigator Federal Public Defender
O: (213) 894-7862