born November
1st 1965 - wrongly executed October 30th 2008
The US Supreme
Court rejected Greg's final appeal - the execution of an innocent man
is completed
The 5th Circuit effectively tore up the
charge for which Greg was tried, convicted and sentenced, and
substituted one of a "party to the crime" - so admitting that Texas has
failed in its attempt to find conclusive evidence against him.
Greg has never faced a jury under this charge and therefore,
under all natural justice, remains forever innocent. Rest in
peace Greg.
Greg's
final words to you all (as recorded by TDCJ)
“There
has been a lot of confusion on who done this. I know you all want
closure. Donna had her Christianity intact when she died. She never
went to a drug house. John Adams lied. He went to the police and told
them a story. He made deals and sold stuff to keep from going to
prison. I left the house, and I left him there. My only act or
involvement was not telling on him. John Adams is the one that killed
Donna Vick. I took a polygraph and passed. John Adams never volunteered
to take one. I have done everything in my power. Donna Vick helped me;
she took me off the street. I was a truck driver; my CDL was still
active. Donna gave me everything I could ask for. I helped her around
the yard. I helped her around the house. She asked if there were anyone
else to help. I am a Christian myself, so I told her about John Adam.
We picked him up at a dope house. I did not know he was a career
criminal. When we got to the house he was jonesin for drugs. He has to
go to Dallas. I was in the bathroom when he attacked. I am deaf in one
ear and I thought the T.V. was up too loud. I ran in to the bedroom. By
the time I came in, when I tried to help her, with first aid, it was
too late. The veins were cut on her throat. He stabbed her in her
heart, and that's what killed her. I told John Adams, "turn yourself in
or hit the high road." I owed him a favor because he pulled someone off
my back. I was in a fight downtown. Two or three days later he turned
on me. I have done everything to prove my innocence. Before you is an
innocent man. I love my family. I'll be waiting on ya'll. I'm finished
talking.” Gregory Wright, Oct. 30th,
2008
|
*** Note of Empathy from Journey of Hope
***
Reflections by
Grits for Breakfast
Listen to
a critical analysis of this case by Jim Skelton & Meg Penrose
on Execution Watch (how?)
Witness to an execution - video report by
Cynthia McKinney
Article "Presidential candidate joins
protest of execution" (text
version here)
AMNESTY USA Death Penalty Blog statement on
Innocence
Tributes from Friends
| My name is John Wade Adams
#999278. I
want the record clear that Greg Wright is innocent of the crime
he’s here on death row for. If you kill him your (sic)
killing a
innocent man. Greg Wright was used as a scape goat. I’m doing
this because I’m tired of seeing innocent people being killed
for
murders they’ve not done the statement I made is a lie the
one
that I made at the first of our arrest. Greg Wright is innocent! I was
there and know better. Did
you place the murder of Donna D. Vick on the hands of Gregory E. Wright?
Yes to make it look like he did it. I set him up. |
An open letter
from
Greg Wright's supporters in Texas, across the USA, and across the world
to
Governor Rick Perry; Justices of the 5th Circuit Court
of Appeal; Justices of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals;
Members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles; Craig Watkins,
District Attorney for Dallas; Judge Francis, trial judge
Sirs,
After nearly eleven years of incarceration on death row, and nearly 11
years of appeals against a wrongful conviction and sentence for murder,
Gregory Wright has been given an execution date of Oct.30th 2008. We
make this final appeal to you, in faith of the American respect for
Justice, and of the value of an innocent human life. While unreservedly
expressing our sympathy for the relatives of Ms. Donna Vick, and our
abhorrence of the crime by which she lost her life, we cannot accept
the wrongful death of her friend Gregory Wright, in whom she trusted
and loved, and for whom he respected and befriended in turn. The
circumstances of their relationship, and the timing and circumstances
of her death, of course make it difficult to prove that Greg had
nothing to do with her murder. But in the modern age and sophistication
of evaluative judicial process, we believe with all our hearts and
minds that the evidence now available to you is overwhelming in its
conclusion, minimally that sufficient doubt of guilt exists to justify
setting aside this sentence of death, and that in fact it supports
fully the actual innocence as claimed by Greg over all these years.
That evidence is set out once more below. We appeal to you to assess
the evidence anew, and to cast favorable judgment.
1. A recent
written confession by Greg's co-indictee John Adams,
confirmed with a second written document, unsolicited and freely made
available to Greg's attorneys, clearly and unreservedly exonerates Greg
of any responsibility for the crime of murder. Adams has, under oath,
admitted he wrote this confession, but now, understandably, has decided
not to admit its truth under oath for fear of the consequences for his
own life. To commit a confession in writing is not something done
lightly, especially when done in the knowledge that your own life is
endangered. Adams professed his Christian conversion and commitment
when making this confession. If his word cannot be taken at face value
on this, what worth can his original accusations against Greg have?
Adams, by his own word and by his own history of knife use against
another human being (admitted with details on his website) has
condemned himself, but he continues to cast blame in an attempt to
lessen regard for his own sole culpability.
2. Substantial DNA
testing has been done on both the murder weapon and
on a pair of jeans claimed by the prosecution to have been worn by Greg
whilst participating in the act of murder. The tests have revealed NO
linkage to Greg on the murder weapon. The tests on the jeans, strongly
opposed by
the prosecution, have also revealed NO positive linkage to Greg.
However, the
tests did reveal the strong likelihood of a linkage to
Adams. Testimony at the trial showed that Greg was seen
wearing jeans
of an entirely different description before the timing of the murder.
The jeans are also too small to have been worn by Greg, based on his
physical measurements taken at his arrest hours after the crime, and
also at the trial. A significant part of the evidence presented to the
original jury has then been shown to have no reliability of fact. The
jeans are more likely to have been worn by Adams, whose physical
dimensions, also measured at the time of his arrest, match those of the
jeans.
3. Fingerprint
evidence presented at trial, always looked upon by
juries as strong evidence of guilt, has now been proven to have had no
status other than that of "junk science". Testimony from the state's
own forensic department at the trial, plus evidence from a defense
independent fingerprint expert (inexplicably not called at the trial to
give his evidence), and evidence from a further expert in recent days -
all state that the fingerprint in question was of such poor and
incomplete quality that it would have been impossible to make a
positive identification as belonging to Greg. The trial defense team
have admitted in affidavit that they were in error in not protecting
and preserving Greg's legal rights in respect of this matter at the
trial. This trial evidence then is also proven to have no reliability
of fact.
4. A scene-of-crime
officer, charged with the collection and handling
of evidence following discovery of the crime, has been shown publically
to have been employed fraudulently by the state. He had made untrue and
illegal claims of qualification and experience to his employers. This
fact alone should render any evidence handled by him as at least
unreliable, and probably inadmissible. The further fact that he has
subsequently been accused of murder, and is recorded as one of
America's most wanted criminals, should render his contribution to the
evidence against Greg as worthless.
5. Greg has submitted himself to an independently conducted polygraph
test by one of the state's most respected polygraph
practitioners,
himself often employed by the state. His evidence concludes that Greg's
assertions of innocence are entirely truthful. While polygraph evidence
is not admissible in a court of law, in these circumstances where
unreliability of guilt has amply been demonstrated by other means, it
is reasonable and not without precedence to weigh such evidence in
favor of the accused.
6. The additional
issues, raised in detail by Greg's attorneys, Bruce
Anton and Mary Penrose, in the Writ of Habeas Corpus
(available in full
and in summary elsewhere on this site) have not been rejected in fact
by any court. Again, the cumulative value and effect on the merits of
at least full review of Greg's case can surely be undisputed.
We pray for your fair consideration of this case, a new trial or
review, and for the release
of Gregory Wright from wrongful threat of execution. The admission of
error, or the admission of subsequent uncertainty, is not weakness in
the
eyes of the law or public. This capacity is rather what gives us all
confidence and respect for the legal process and legal institutions. We
thank Greg's attorneys, Bruce Anton and Meg Penrose, now working pro
bono, for their tireless work in making these findings possible.
Sincerely and respectfully yours,
Peter Bellamy, Gregory Wright Supporters Coordinator
on behalf of supporters and family of Gregory Wright
