URGENT APPEAL TO HELP HANK SKINNER FINANCE THE REST OF THE DNA TESTING
While a partial unknown DNA profile has been found on two evidence items which
excludes Hank Skinner, the state of Texas is refusing to pay for the rest of
the DNA testing, which on one hand could prove his innocence, and furthermore
could identifier the killer. Time is of the essence and Hank needs your help
now! Thank you in advance.
January 10, 2013
Dear all,
As a new year begins, I wanted to share an update on my case and the current
state of affairs regarding the DNA testing.
As you probably know, after winning an important victory with the US Supreme
Court last year, we filed a new motion for DNA testing in September 2011. The
motion was denied by the sentencing judge and the Court of Criminal Appeals
held oral arguments on this issue in May 2012. From the reactions and questions
from the judges, the argument was on our side and before the court ruled on my
case, the state of TX withdrew its opposition to the DNA testing. Subsequently,
a joint agreement was signed both by the Attorney General’s office and my
attorneys to test 40 pieces of evidence.
From what has been tested so far, we have developed the partial DNA profile of
a third party from the handle of a knife the state alleges is a murder weapon
and from a bloodstain off the back bedroom floor carpet, which is Scooter and
Randy’s blood mixed with an unknown third party’s DNA. Because it’s a partial
profile, we are currently getting additional testing to amplify this profile to
run it through the national DNA database.
So far the state has spent in excess of $100,000, hoping to prove me guilty but
this has not worked out for them at all because I’m innocent!
The good news is my blood is not on any of the victims, someone else’s is. The
furniture and interior doorframes and other items I bled on and/or left my
bloody handprint or fingerprints on, contain only my blood. Most importantly,
the back doors, two sets of doorknobs contain only my bloody handprints. It is
known these were the last things I touched, staggering out of that house. The
victims’ blood is not on my hands.
Unbelievably, the state is trying to say that the fact I was there and bled in
the bedroom means I am guilty. Unfortunately for the state, that is an
untenable and losing position. In Texas, mere presence does not prove guilt
under the controlling case law precedents applicable to such situations.
The trace evidence report on analysis of the hairs “clutched” in Twila’s hands
shows several hairs that are dissimilar to the standard taken from the victims
or from me. So in addition to the tests now being conducted, we need to have
mitochondrial testing done on those hairs and possibly on the samples that, in
the initial round of DNA testing, produced the partial DNA profile of third
parties at the scene. Such mitochondrial testing could help us prove the
identity of the source of that DNA. The state has lost interest in further DNA
testing and has vowed not to pay for any additional DNA tests.
Within a short time span, we need to raise $17,000 to complete this
mitochondrial testing and cover expenses. We have six to eight weeks ahead of
us to do so and I really need your help and assistance to raise these funds.
This is my last chance to prove my innocence and be released from this
nightmare.
For this New Year, I wish you and your loved ones the very best. I thank you
for all you have done for me and most importantly for your continued support to
establish the truth and prove my innocence.
Kind regards,
Hank Skinner
To make a donation, please go to the "how to help" section of the website:
http://www.hankskinner.org
You can make a donation online or find the postal address for the defense fund
to mail a check in the currency of your choice.
Facebook http://on.fb.me/Justice4Hank
Twitter http://twitter.com/Justice4Hank
Newsletter http://eepurl.com/cYCIE
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