Update (July 29, 2003):

Great news! Governor O'Bannon has given Darnell Williams a 60 day stay of execution so that DNA testing can occur.

Background (the original alert):

Governor O'Bannon has no plan to stop the scheduled August 1 execution of Darnell Williams by the state of Indiana -- despite compelling evidence that he did not murder Henrietta and John Rease and thus should not face the death penalty. 

Darnell Williams was outside the home of Henrietta and John Rease when they were killed in an attempted robbery gone bad in 1987. Although he was found to have blood on his shorts, the blood was not identifiable as being from the victims and a witness placed him away from the scene of the murder. Furthermore, his trial lawyers were unable to render a reasonable defense and present this evidence and other mitigating factors. 

Take Action! Urge Governor O'Bannon to grant clemency -- or at least temporarily stay the execution -- to allow for additional forensic testing. 

  Fairness demands that new evidence and technologies be used whenever available. 
Newly discovered information from the state's blood expert that was not provided to the prosecutor or defense attorney at the time of the trial suggests blood on Williams' shorts may not be from the victims. DNA testing techniques not available in 1987 could establish whose blood was on his shorts. The evidence is strong enough that the prosecutor and more than one juror have asked for DNA testing. 

 Williams did not kill.

 Williams' trial counsel was incompetent. 
Williams' lawyers were unaware that unidentified blood had been found on his shorts and so were completely unprepared to defend against it. In addition to failing to review and present a witness statement that placed Williams away from the scene of the murder, his counsel also failed to investigate and present important mitigating information, including that he suffered brain damage at birth and his need for special education services.