What's happened
The U.S. Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution for Texas inmate Ruben Gutierrez, who was scheduled to be executed for the 1998 murder of Escolastica Harrison. Gutierrez has long claimed his innocence and sought DNA testing to prove it. The stay allows for further review of his case.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, the Supreme Court's intervention came just 20 minutes before Gutierrez's scheduled execution, with prison officials noting his emotional reaction to the news. The Washington Post reported that Gutierrez's attorneys have argued for over a decade that DNA testing could prove his innocence, while Texas prosecutors maintain that his requests are merely delay tactics. The Independent also highlighted the rarity of such stays from the Supreme Court, emphasizing the significance of this decision in the context of capital punishment.
How we got here
Ruben Gutierrez was convicted in 1999 for the murder of 85-year-old Escolastica Harrison, who was killed during a robbery attempt. Gutierrez has maintained his innocence and requested DNA testing for over a decade, which has been denied by Texas courts.
Common question
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The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States of America. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all federal and state court cases that involve a point of federal law, and original jurisdict
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Texas is a state in the South Central Region of the United States. It is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population.