Austin, TX

U.S. Supreme Court denies Rodney Reed's petition for a new trial

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2024

U.S. Supreme Court denies Rodney Reed's petition for a new trial

TEXAS — The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down death row inmate Rodney Reed’s most recent petition to review his claims of innocence.

On Nov. 22, 2023, Reed filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, which is a request that the Supreme Court order a lower court to send up the case for review. This came after a judge denied Reed a new trial in 2021. The presiding judge, State District Judge J.D. Langley, stated in his ruling that Reed had not proven he is innocent. The Supreme Court denied the writ of certiorari Tuesday.

With this latest development, it is now solely up to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to determine whether Reed will be granted a new trial.

Reed was sentenced to death for the 1996 killing of 19-year-old Stacey Stites. He was accused of raping and strangling Stites in Bastrop and leaving her by the road.

Reed claimed evidence in the 1998 trial was suppressed by prosecutors that would’ve exonerated him, including that Stites and Reed were having an affair. The death row inmate has long maintained that Stites’ fiance, former police officer Jimmy Fennell, was the actual killer and killed Stites because of the alleged affair.

Lawyers for Reed also said he wanted to DNA test crime-scene evidence he believed would have exonerated him. This includes the belt that was used to strangle the victim. The Supreme Court ruled in April that the DNA testing could still be considered.

Reed remains a death row inmate presently and it is unclear when a date for his execution will be set.

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Austin, TX

National Hockey League seeking expansion in Houston and Austin as potential targets

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

National Hockey League seeking expansion in Houston and Austin as potential targets

HOUSTON, Texas — The NHL is looking to start the expansion process in Texas, with Austin and Houston as potential targets, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

The expansion news is being discussed at the NHL’s board of governors meeting, which is being held on Tuesday in New York.

The NHL went from 30 to 32 clubs when it added the Vegas Golden Knights (began play in 2017-18) and Seattle Kraken (debuted in 2021-22). The expansion fee for Vegas was $500 million and for Seattle was $650 million.

Earlier this month at the Stanley Cup Final, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated that the league has fielded calls from across North America from prospective cities and owners who are interested in bringing in an NHL franchise.

SEE HERE: It’s official: Aeros hockey team leaving Houston at end of season

Bettman has previously told the board of governors that any potential expansion team would likely come with at least a $2 billion fee for it to make sense.

The league has seen record revenues this season — projected to be between $7.5 billion and $8 billion. The NHL salary cap is set at $104 million for the 2026-27 season, a $8.5 million increase from this past season.

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Austin, TX

Adobro’s Filipino-Fiesta-meets-Texas-Dancehall “Right Here, Right Now” Album Release Party

Published

14 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

Adobro’s Filipino-Fiesta-meets-Texas-Dancehall “Right Here, Right Now” Album Release Party Join Adobro as he celebrates the release of his debut album, Right Here, Right Now, with a one-night-only Filipino-Texan celebration at Antone’s Nightclub. Beginning at 6 PM, guests can enjoy a Filipino vendor market, food, and interactive experiences, followed by a Tinikling performance by the ATX Filipino Cultural Dance Troupe and an opening set from Austin singer-songwriter Katrina Cain. At 8:30 PM, Adobro takes the stage to perform songs inspired by family, love, identity, and his journey from Manila to Texas. The evening also supports earthquake relief efforts in the Philippines.

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