Hank Skinner Case Reflection

I found myself having a hard time forming an opinion with this case. There is no telling to what degree the facts are being distorted from either side. If this is truly just a gamble on Skinner's part in hope of enough confusion to give him a "not guilty" verdict, then it is a gross manipulation of the measures our justice system takes to try to ensure a fair trial. But on the other hand, if this man was not given a fair trial, execution would be a gross mistake of our justice system.


Ultimately, I think injustice was averted by the issuance of a stay of execution. It would have been a travesty for a man to be executed over such circumstantial evidence. The only hard evidence that both sides agreed on was that Skinner had one of the victim's blood on his shirt when the police found him. That alone is suspicious, yes, but is it enough to execute a man? Also, the site defending Skinner claims that most of the evidence was found without a warrant and the crime scene was trampled by numerous police officers and was not preserved. If this is true, we will never be able to know what truly happened that night because of the large possibility of the crime scene being tampered with or contaminated. A death sentence is not appropriate in this case, and would have been unjust because of the large amount of uncertainty in what little evidence has been presented.


The opposing web sites were so interesting to examine. They had the same font, color scheme, even pictures across the top banner. But their messages were polar opposites. One thing I had a hard time dealing with was the attack that the website in favor of convicting Skinner made on the defending website. I thought that was rather strange and made me feel like the website had more bias and was probably skewing the evidence. Though there is no proof of this, a personal attack on the opposing side just doesn't seem necessary if you are telling the truth to begin with. Also, the difference in the length was something that stuck out to me. Although it repeated itself multiple times, the website defending Skinner was far more lengthy in text than the other website. I suppose at first glance this might make somebody think that there is more evidence for this side of the argument, but as I mentioned, it ends up being repeated information. I also thought the pictures on both websites looked kind of ... sketchy for lack of better words. Why would pictures of the crime scene be posted on a website if the case is still not closed completely? I don't buy it. Which makes me think that these websites are less credible than I already thought. 


The media coverage seems in favor of calling off the execution of Skinner. I have to wonder if that is because of the circumstances of this case in particular, or because of a general distaste in capital punishment among the writers of the articles. 

Thoughts on the Hank Skinner Case

In the case of Hank Skinner I think an injustice was adverted with the November 7^th stay of execution.  If he had been executed, he would have died without the court knowing what the DNA from the crime scene revealed.  I believe that DNA testing should be allowed.  I do not see why DNA testing from the rape kit, jacket, and knives found at the crime scene would be a problem.  I would think that the court would want to get the bottom of the untimely death of a woman and her two sons, and that if DNA testing could help put the proper killer away, they should use the method.  It also makes Skinner look like he might be innocent if the court is refusing to allow the testing; it basically implies the court is trying to hide something.  Although I realize it would not prove his innocence, especially since he admits to being there, would it not introduce and confirm the idea that someone else was there if they find DNA that is unaccounted for?  If they found anything to suggest that he was not the only other one in the apartment that night or anything that shakes the theory they have of what happened that night, then they should further investigate using all the available evidence before sentencing him to death.

I think the DNA testing law passed in 2001 is a good idea and will hopefully prevent something like this from happening in the future.  I do not think DNA testing of the evidence at the crime scene should be an option, but rather just standard procedure, especially with the technological advances in crime scene technology.  

The “dueling websites” was an interesting concept.  While the url .com or .org does not necessarily mean that either one is more accurate or the “real” website, people tend to believe that .org makes the site more legitimate.  Because of this, people mind tend to believe that the .org website is more accurate.  Also, the .org website presents its case in a “decide for yourself” manner while the first think you see on the .com site is “not guilty” and the tone of the site is more of a confrontational manner.  If you want to gather information on this case, you should probably avoid either of these sites and concentrate on reputable media sites. 

I also think that the media played a heavy role in Skinner finally being able to have the DNA tests run and the court having to finally file the results. Without the attention of the media, the case could have slipped under the rug to the public, and then lawmakers would not have felt as much pressure to make the changes in the law (such as the 2001 law) and the progression of Skinner’s appeal case.

Hank Skinner

I believe that in the stay of execution, injustice was averted, at least for the time.  Based on the evidence presented in the media articles I have read, I cannot determine whether or not Skinner actually is guilty.  He does have the right to have all the DNA evidence tested, though, and even if it cannot exonerate him on its own, it can tell us if anyone else was there that night, which can provide reasonable doubt and the necessity to reexamine this case.  An execution is irreversible, and I find it irresponsible of the state to stand in the way of true justice just because they're afraid of setting "precedent" by allowing this man to defend himself in the legal system.

The "dueling websites" are very interesting.  Given the similarities of the url's (the only difference is really the .org and .com at the end), and the tone of the website against Skinner, I am led to believe that the pro-Skinner website came before the con-Skinner one.  I also think the con-Skinner website used such a similar url and layout in order to catch people trying to get to the pro-Skinner site (many people accidentally type .com instead of .org), and get them reading enough to convince them of Skinner's guilt (I would like to comment that this is a very low and cheap tactic that shows some sort of desperation).  The con-Skinner website also has an air of "we-know-better-so-listen-to-us", as demonstrated in their "the punk's rebuttal" section, where they "debunk" all of his defenses with a very high-minded tone.  Neither website, though, objectively reports the facts and in many cases the facts blatantly contradict each other between the two sites; as a result, I have no idea what the actual facts are, so it's impossible for me to make any judgment whatsoever.  Neither seems especially interested in justice, though, one just wants Skinner alive and the other wants him dead.

These sites seem more about sensationalism than actual reporting, but most of the media outside of these websites, regardless of position on the case, seem to be pushing for DNA testing of the evidence.  This suggests that the media at least does want actual justice, as even those who think Skinner is guilty support allowing him to defend himself with the DNA tests.

Hank Skinner Case

From the readings on the Hank Skinner case, I think that injustice was averted in the case. Regardless of the findings of additional testing, Skinner has a right to due process, which includes the examination of all evidence available. While I cannot make a claim regarding Skinner's innocence, the seemingly one-sided nature of the control of evidence seems to directly benefit those prosecuting a case. The cost-benefit of the situation clearly favored a stay of execution. There is no way to undo an execution, but a stay allows for the full pursuit of justice while taking precautions against an uncorrectable mistake.
Many of the articles seemed to take a one sided approach when reporting on the Skinner case. The primary focus of the articles tended to be on the impact the findings of the appellate courts would have on the broader justice system in Texas. The articles also tended to focus on the lack of DNA testing that had taken place, and offered little additional insight into why the prosecution declined to pursue DNA testing and why the court did not require the evidence be tested. The assumptions made in the articles do not foster a sense of objectivity.
The two web sites provide an interesting contrast in the case for the general public. Based on my readings from each site, I would imagine that the creators of each site possess only as much knowledge as any member of the public. Both websites fail to project a sense of objectivity or analysis, both completely forgoing any sort of fair representation. The similar construction of each site is interesting, in that both could have been made by the same individual. Both sites served to sensationalize the case in each polar extreme. Neither tool is particularly effective at persuasion due to the lack of consideration given for a balanced argument. I wonder what the motivation was for the creators of the sites. I also wonder which site was created first.
The ability for propaganda postings like these sites to influence public opinion is real. A waterfall effect can stem from unaccredited sources like these. A single mainstream journalist could fail to perform their due diligence and lend credence to some of the more moderate arguments made in the postings. The arguments made on both side focus more on sensationalism and generalization than actual matters of fact. This threatens both the integrity of the justice system and the ability of the accused, beyond just Skinner, to receive a fair trial.

Hank Skinner Case

I think injustice was adverted by the issuance of a stay of execution on November 7, 2011 in the case of Hank Skinner.  There are several sides to the story in this case and many questions are still unanswered as to what happened that night.  It is important to make sure an innocent man is not put to death.  Therefore, these questions must be answered and it must be determined who exactly is responsible for the murders that night before a man, who may possibly be innocent, is punished with the death penalty.

I thought the “dueling” websites regarding Hank Skinner’s case were very interesting.  They were set up in the same design, but each presented a variety of ideas from the case that could prove his innocence or guilt.  Both websites are in support of major public concerns about the case.  One is worried about finding justice for Twila Busby and her family, while the other is concerned with giving an innocent man the death penalty.  Both sides have strong opinions from the public eye.  They only included information that supported their view of Skinner; they did not mention facts of the case unless they could explain them in a way that followed their story from that night.  Both websites seem very biased and I do not believe either one contains only facts.

The media seems to be split in a similar way to the two websites about Skinner’s case.  The media wants to find justice for Twila Busby, her two sons, and their family they left behind when they died, but the media is also concerned with what the DNA evidence might find and if an innocent man has been punished with the death penalty.  I think the media is pushing for the testing of the DNA evidence to obtain more information about this case and in order to make sure the right man is being punished for these crimes.

Hank Skinner

I believe that the case involving Hank Skinner will never truly be solved.  There are so many things left to speculation because of what state Skinner was in when the murder took place.  I do however believe that an injustice was averted with the last stay of execution in November 2011.  I think that every piece of evidence should be tested and analyzed to ensure that Twilia and her two sons get justice and to make sure that an innocent man is not executed.  Regardless of whether or not Skinner is just trying to put off his execution, the evidence should be tested.  The decision that was made at the beginning of the trial to not test the evidence not only by the defense, but also by the prosecutors, was a bad one.  The prosecutors may have just wanted to put Skinner behind bars, but it should be more important that someone innocent not be punished.  It seems that law enforcement decided who they wanted to have committed the crime within the first 48 hours.  Whether or not Skinner actually committed the crime should be proven without a doubt by the evidence present on the scene.  The technology we have now is much more advanced than the 1990's and could be used to test the evidence and maybe piece together the story of what really happened that night.

The dueling websites about Skinner's case show just how much we as a society are fascinated by murder and criminals.  I can only imagine the media firestorm that was surrounding this case at the beginning.  The fact that people spend time trying to mock someone's claim of innocence by stealing the same website design and layout  is ridiculous.  Skinner was already convicted and put on death row and that fact will never change.  The odds are not in his favor when it comes to overturning his conviction.  The amount of evidence that it will take to prove his innocence is huge.  The people on the website that believe he is guilty should spend less time on mocking Skinner's claims and more time trying to get the evidence tested as fast as possible.  After all, if he is guilty the evidence should prove that even more so.

I think that the media is more in favor of Skinner being innocent.  Then the law enforcement who was involved with his case would have made multiple errors and be under extreme scrutiny for arresting an innocent man, which makes for a better news story.  If it turns out Skinner did actually brutally murder three people and he is executed, the law enforcement did their jobs which is a pretty boring story.  The media seems to only want to report when people make mistakes, especially ones that potentially can cost someone his or her life, so the media is leaving that as a possibility when covering this story.  

Skinner

The media bias within this case is overwhelming, and the multiple different views make it seem as if nobody really knows what happened.  If this is the case, then why is this man sentenced to death? A death sentence is absolutely ridiculous when dealing with reasonable doubt.  If doubt is your only reason, that is nothing; that proves nothing. The fact that DNA was later tested and then found inconclusive, matching someone other than Skinner,which resulted in the halt of further investigation is absolutely appalling. Yes of course we do not want to sentence a person to death without evidence, but we also want to worry about bringing Skinner to justice, whether that be innocence or guilt. It seems that the fact that Skinner is still in jail (being punished for something that he may or may not have done) is being ignored. Why were the tests stopped? It should not matter whether people think he is innocent or guilty; without forensic evidence, the death penalty option should be moot. In addition, time is ticking and something needs to be done before this man wastes any more of his life away in jail. Injustice was averted by his further stay of execution, however justice still has yet to be gained and that is the most important factor here. Relatives of the victims may feel justice now that they have someone to blame, but if Skinner is not the perpetrator, then their justice is being falsely assured. The two articles that argue each other are far too biased for anyone to make a definite conclusion. I am personally not even sure whether or not I can believe any of these websites. In addition, this case has gone on for so long and there have been so many outside influences on potential jurors, there is no way a fair trial could be given without full-fledged forensic evidence. New teams need to be put on all these cases to ensure that meddling was not a factor in this case, which, from my findings and reading here, it very much seems to be.