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Day 3 of Rodney Reed's hearing continues to see witness statements

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Published  July 21, 2021 8:19pm CDT
Bastrop
FOX 7 Austin

Day 3 of Rodney Reed's hearing continues to see witness statements

On day 3 of the hearing, Reed's attorneys brought in multiple witnesses that commented on the relationship between Stacey Stites and Jimmy Fennell.

AUSTIN, Texas - On day three of Rodney Reed's evidentiary hearing, his defense continued to present their case to District Judge J.D. Langley.

The morning began with the witness Susan Hugen, brought in by the defense, who worked at HEB in Bastrop with the murder victim, Stacey Stites. She said Stites was a hard-worker and a jokester and that Stites would act if she were afraid of her fiancé Jimmy Fennell when he came around. 

Hugen also testified that Stites introduced her to Rodney Reed, which would prove they had a relationship, which is different from what the state said in the original trial.

The next witness was Dr. Greg Davis, an independent forensic pathologist from the University of Kentucky, who testified via Zoom. After viewing the evidence and crime scene footage, he agreed with Dr. Andrew Baker's original testimony from Monday. Baker had stated that Stites died hour earlier than the 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. window the state originally argued.

Rodney Reed's defense brings forth more witnesses to make their case

The defense calls on four more witnesses to speak on Reed's and Stites' relationship and Stite's fiancé, Jimmy Fennel, character.

He also said the bruises on her body could not be dated, which is also contrary to the state's original case 23 years ago. The state cross-examined the doctor and questioned variables like humidity being 80 percent that day in Bastrop and if that could have affected the speed of decomposition.

After the lunch break the state brought in Richard Scroggins, a passerby who claims to have seen Stites and Fennell in a parking lot. 

To help bolster their testimony to Fennell's character, the defense brought Fennell and Stites' neighbors Brent and Vicki Sappington to the stand. They claim to have heard Fennell yelling at Stites, and throwing furniture around the apartment above where Brent’s dad lives. 

Rodney Reed's lawyers bring in first witness of the appeal hearing

On day one of Reed's appeal hearing, the defense brings in Dr. Andrew Baker, independent forensic pathologist, as their first witness.

A dispatcher even testified that one of her officers responded to a call from their apartment unit.

Brent Sappington's wife's Vicki testified that she came forward today because she believes Reed is an innocent man sitting on death row.

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MORE HEADLINES: 
Rodney Reed's defense brings forth more witnesses to make their case
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stays Rodney Reed's execution
Rodney Reed supporters celebrate suspended execution, "the fight is far from over"
Rodney Reed’s request for new judge denied
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