Supreme Court Halts Execution of Ruben Gutierrez

The US Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution to Texas death row inmate Ruben Gutierrez, who was convicted of the 1998 murder of Escolastica Harrison. Gutierrez has consistently maintained his innocence and requested DNA testing to prove he was not involved in the killing. The Supreme Court's decision came just 20 minutes before his scheduled lethal injection, providing him an opportunity to appeal for DNA testing that has been denied by Texas courts for over a decade. Gutierrez was found guilty under Texas's law of parties, which holds individuals criminally responsible for the actions of their accomplices. The stay will remain in effect until the Supreme Court decides whether to review his appeal. Gutierrez's legal battle has highlighted issues with Texas's post-conviction DNA testing statute, which he argues violates his constitutional rights.