Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stays Rodney Reed's execution

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stays Rodney Reed’s execution

With just five days until his execution date, Rodney Reed has been granted a stay by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

AUSTIN, Texas - With just five days until his execution date, Rodney Reed has been granted a stay by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

The stay was issued Friday afternoon on a November 11, 2019 motion to stay the execution. The motion claims the State suppressed "exculpatory evidence" in violation of Brady v Maryland and presented false testimony in violation of due process, Reed's trial counsel was ineffective and that Reed is actually innocent.

The Court says that they found the Brady violation, false testimony, and innocence claims "satisfy the requirement" of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 11.071 § 5 and "remand those claims to the trial court for further development."

The Court also says Judge Doug Shaver will still preside over Reed's case in the 21st Judicial District Court of Bastrop County.

Reed was sentenced to death in 1998 for the 1996 murder of Stacey Stites, who was strangled and left on a Bastrop County road. DNA recovered from her body matched Reed, whose attorneys claim was having a secret affair with Stites, explaining the DNA match.

Reed has always maintained his innocence.

WATCH: FOX 7 Austin 2015 exclusive interview with Rodney Reed

Reed's case has drawn the support of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West, actress/activist Alyssa Milano, singers Rihanna, Meek Mill and Beyoncé and presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles recommended earlier Friday afternoon delaying the execution.

Gov. Greg Abbott addressed the stay by tweeting on his personal account, "For those sending messages about Rodney Reed please note that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals halted Rodney Reed's execution and sent his case back to the trial court for further review."