The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has rejected a request for a new trial from Rodney Reed, a death row inmate convicted of the 1996 murder of 19-year-old Stacey Stites. Reed has consistently maintained his innocence, alleging that Stites' fiancé, former police officer Jimmy Fennell, is the true perpetrator.

The court's decision upholds a 2021 lower court ruling that dismissed Reed's claims, including his assertion of innocence. While Reed's execution is not imminent, the legal battle continues. The U.S. Supreme Court granted Reed the opportunity to argue for testing of crime scene evidence, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered further legal briefs regarding additional DNA testing.

Reed's defense team argues that Fennell, motivated by Stites' alleged affair with Reed, committed the murder. They also accuse the prosecution of withholding evidence. Prosecutors, however, maintain that Reed's claims of an affair lack evidentiary support, Fennell has been cleared, and Reed has a history of sexual assault.

The appeals court's 129-page ruling concludes that Reed failed to demonstrate a likelihood of innocence. Reed's attorney, Jane Pucher of the Innocence Project, criticized the decision, vowing to continue fighting for his freedom. The Texas Attorney General’s Office has not commented on the ruling.

Stites's sister, Debra Oliver, expressed gratitude for the court's decision, emphasizing her family's belief in Reed's guilt and denying any relationship between Stites and Reed. She lamented the media attention surrounding the case and called for Reed to take responsibility.

Reed's 2019 execution was stayed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, leading to a review of the case by Judge J.D. Langley. In 2021, Judge Langley rejected Reed's claim of suppressed evidence and questioned the credibility of witnesses supporting Reed's claims of a relationship with Stites. The appeals court echoed this sentiment, describing the witnesses as "frankly unimpressive."

Forensic experts testified in 2021 that Stites's time of death differed from the prosecution's timeline, suggesting she may have died when Fennell claimed to be with her. However, the appeals court determined that this forensic evidence did not definitively prove Reed's innocence.

Reed's fight for a new trial garnered significant public attention in 2019, including support from celebrities like Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Oprah Winfrey, as well as bipartisan calls from lawmakers for further examination of the case.