Demand Justice for Jeff Wood!

To: Governor Greg Abbott and Distinguished Members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole

We, the undersigned family members, friends, and supporters of Jeffrey Lee Wood, urgently petition you to intervene in the case of Jeff Wood, who has spent 28 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. Under the controversial Law of Parties, he was unjustly charged as an accomplice in the murder of Kriss Keeran, despite being outside the convenience store when the crime occurred and having no knowledge that co-defendant, Daniel Earl Reneau, was even armed.

The actual shooter, Daniel Reneau, has already been executed, leaving Jeff to bear the burden of a sentence that reflects neither his actions nor his culpability. The Law of Parties allows for individuals like Jeff—who were not involved in the act of murder—to be sentenced to death based solely on association, which raises serious ethical and legal concerns.

Moreover, significant errors occurred during Jeff's trial, including prosecutorial misconduct and the omission of crucial mitigating evidence. The jury was not made aware of Jeff's mental and learning disabilities, which have affected him since childhood, nor did they hear evidence that could have altered the course of justice. This lack of fairness in his trial is compounded by the fact that the prosecutor who sought the death penalty, Lucy Wilke, has publicly acknowledged the flaws in her decision-making process and has since requested clemency for Jeff.

In her letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole, on August 3rd 2017,  District Attorney Wilke highlighted the excessive nature of Jeff's sentence and the concerns surrounding the validity of the testimony given by Dr. James Grigson, an expert witness whose "credibility" has been widely discredited. Wilke now urges the Board to commute his sentence to life in prison..

However, we believe that simply commuting his sentence is not enough. Jeffrey Wood has been in solitary confinement for nearly three decades, suffering unjustly for a crime he did not commit. It is time for him to return to his family and reintegrate into society. His continued incarceration under the threat of execution is not only a personal tragedy for him and his loved ones but also a stark reminder of the failings of the Texas criminal justice system. He is described as the "least culpable person to be on death row in the modern era of the death penalty," which speaks volumes about the injustice at play.

We implore you to act in accordance with justice and mercy by not only commuting Jeffrey Lee Wood's death sentence but also releasing him from prison entirely. He has demonstrated no propensity for violence and has already endured 28 years of wrongful confinement. It is time for him to return home to his family, where he belongs.

As concerned citizens, we cannot stand idly by while an innocent man remains in prison. We respectfully urge you to consider this petition seriously and act swiftly to ensure that Jeffrey Lee Wood is removed from death row and granted the freedom he deserves.  

Thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter. We pray for compassion and justice in your decision.

Sincerely,

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