Reggie Clemons, sitting on Missouri’s death row, was sentenced as an accomplice in the death of two white women in 1991. Clemons and two other black men were sentenced to death while a fourth person, a young white man was offered a plea deal and is out on parole. That is not the only race issue in the case. The original suspect, a white man and the cousin of the women, confessed to the crime after failing a lie detector test and changing his story several times. All three black defendants claimed that their confessions were coerced by police beatings and/or denial of constitutional rights. The arraignment judge sent Clemons to the hospital for obvious injuries he did not have before his ‘interview’ with police.
Further, there is no physical evidence linking Clemons to the offense. Jurors were improperly excluded and the prosecutor was guilty of serious misconduct. It came to light only recently that critical evidence was never provided to the defense or tested for DNA.
Governor Jay Nixon has the authority to grant clemency to Reggie. Unfortunately, the governor has a conflict of interest caused by his previous involvement in the case. When an appeals court at one point overturned Clemons’ death sentence, then Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon aggressively fought to have it reinstated.
Many citizens are asking, “How can we put someone to death when the case against him is so problematic?” When a man’s life is on the line, there can be no room for doubt.
UPDATES
March 18, 2013: Judge Michael Manners held oral arguments in his Jackson County courtroom. Reggie's legal team presented new evidence was presented in a videotaped deposition with Warren Weeks, a bail investigator who interviewed Reggie in 1991 hours after his interrogation by the St. Louis police. Judge Manners also announced that he intends to make his recommendatin to the Missouri Supreme Court around June 1, 2013.
Sept. 17-20, 2012: Judge Michael Manners, who was appointed as Special Master by the Missouri Supreme Court, heard evidence in Reggie's case.
June 4, 2009: Reggie’s execution was stayed by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court now must rule of a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of Missouri’s lethal injection process before a new execution date can be set.
June 30, 2009: The Missouri Supreme Court appointed a Special Prosecutor to examine all evidence in Reggie’s case. This decision opens the door for consideration of evidence and issues which had been excluded in the appeals process.