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Simpson execution still on schedule
As of mid-day Wednesday, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials say condemned killer Danielle Simpson of Palestine remained scheduled to die sometime after 6 p.m. for the January 2000 murder of 84-year-old Geraldine Davidson.
The 30-year-old Simpson would become the 22nd person in the state to be executed this year.
Shortly after noon Wednesday, TDCJ spokesperson Jason Clark told the Herald-Press that Simpson's execution remained scheduled for Wednesday night, barring a final hour reprieve.
Harris County offender Gerald Eldridge was set to die Tuesday night, but less than two hours before his scheduled execution won a reprieve from a federal judge.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Simpson's attorneys David R. Dow and Katherine C. Black filed a postconviction writ of habeas corpus; a motion for a stay of execution; and a motion asking Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller be recused from any participation in the case.
Dow and Black are attorneys for the Texas Defender Service and their motion on Simpson's behalf alleges the judge "has made disparaging statements about TDS" in the past, which they say compromises "her ability to rule impartially in a case involving a party represented by the TDS."
Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe said he was hopeful Simpson's execution would proceed as scheduled.
"I think we're still optimistic it's going to go forward," Lowe said.
Davidson's body was found floating face down in the chilly waters of the Neches River by a passing motorist on U.S. 79 between Palestine and Jacksonville on Jan. 27, 2000. Her hands were bound behind her back and she had a cinder block attached to her ankles, according to authorities.
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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com
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