Texas woman on death row for 27 years has conviction overturned

Brittany Holberg, a Texas woman who spent 27 years on death row for the murder of 80-year-old A.B. Towery, has had her conviction overturned by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court found that prosecutors failed to disclose crucial information about a key witness, Vickie Marie Kirkpatrick, who was a paid informant. Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham emphasized that Holberg's lengthy imprisonment highlights ongoing issues within capital punishment jurisprudence, noting the prosecution's failure to adhere to the Brady Doctrine, which mandates the disclosure of evidence favorable to the defendant. Holberg had always maintained that she acted in self-defense during a violent altercation with Towery. The ruling has drawn disappointment from the Randall County District Attorney's office, which is currently considering legal options. The case has reignited discussions about the integrity of the legal process in capital cases in the U.S.