District Attorney agrees longest serving inmate facing death should get new punishment hearing

Posted on: Wednesday, 3 February 2021
District Attorney agrees longest serving inmate facing death should get new punishment hearing
Houston

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The longest-serving inmate on death row should be given a new punishment hearing, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Monday.

In a response filed with the Court of Criminal Appeals last week, Ogg agreed with defense attorneys that 70-year-old Raymond Riles, a truck driver sentenced to die for a 1974 capital murder, is entitled to the same legal protections now afforded to defendants in 2021.

“Death penalty law has evolved and now requires jurors to be able to meaningfully consider and weigh mitigation evidence about an offender such as childhood abuse and trauma,” Ogg said. “In 1976, Riles’ capital murder jury was not given this opportunity.”

In December 1974, Riles, then 24, and another man murdered 31-year-old John Thomas Henry at John Henry Motors, a car lot he owned in the 8500 block of Irvington. Riles and his co-defendant, Herbert Washington, went to the car lot to confront Henry over the condition of a car purchased there and shot him while demanding the money back. Washington was also sentenced to death, but his sentence was overturned, and he later pleaded guilty to two related charges, receiving 50 and 25 year sentences.

“Our prosecutors notified the crime victim’s son, and these cases are heartbreaking because the process takes so long that laws can and sometimes do change, and it just prolongs justice and healing for the families of the dead. Nevertheless, we believe the law requires a new punishment hearing for Riles.”

Under Texas law, although prosecutors and defense counsel agree, that decision ultimately remains with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals where a ruling is pending.

Comments:
My question is why has it taken so long

Posted by Lon Craft at 2/3/2021 11:41:04 AM

The other victims from that event...

Like Paul Harvey “AND NOW THE REST OF THE STORY “
Mr. Riles and Washington began their crime spree that morning in North Houston where they murdered a used car salesman. They fled the scene and committed and armed robbery of a southeast Houston business but took no other innocent lives.
Two Houston P.D. / CID officers were simply driving on OST and noticed these two gentlemen wearing heavy leather jackets and black leather gloves, the sunny fall day was very warm and did not dictate the dress of these two.
While running the plate both officers observed the suspects to face forward only.
When the two got to then South Park they tuned south bound and immediately turned into a neighborhood. The passenger officer knew the street made a U-turn at the end so he directed his partner to go to the next right where they could meet the suspects head on and get a good facial description.
The suspects knocked off the UC/LOL Dodge sedan and the chase began.
The suspects ran the red light at South Park and Griggs impacting an innocent citizen. The crash was violent and disabled the suspects vehicle. Both suspects exited their vehicle with a bank bag in one hand and a gun in the other this was a major clue; however, the murder and robbery were still unknown to the CID Officers.
The officers placed the innocent citizen in the back seat of the UC/LOL Dodge and followed the suspects.
The suspects ran into the Montgomery Wards parking lot headed for the southern most fence, the passenger officer knowing the area directed the driver to go behind the strip mall so not to lose sight of the suspects.
The suspects were climbing the fence surrounding the Montgomery Wards and the officers with their citizen witness headed west on Browncroft where it intersected with Lisa street, as the pair enter the intersection with the officers closing in at Mach 3, both suspects began shooting at the approaching officers and citizen.
Mr. Riles proceeded to the center of the corner yard, Mr. Washington stood his ground in the street shooting at the officers, the passenger officer opened the door stood on the door base holding to the roof and disarmed Mr. Washington with a single round to his gun hand thumb taking him to the ground.
Mr. Riles stood his ground continuing to fire at the UC/LOL Dodge. The passenger officer put out an Assist on not only the CID Channel and had to switch to Park Place dispatch to again put out the Assist to surrounding units.
The gun fight was still in progress with Mr. Riles and the passenger then returned to the fray striking Mr. Riles who fled to the next southern street.
A Park Place unit arrived at that time as well as a H.P.D. Helicopter flown by Gary Daniels, who was at light pole height and distracted Mr. Riles, the Park Place officer was Dominique Chrishonie. The passenger officer went to officer Chrishonie and traded his empty Walther .380 for the 44 mag he knew officer Chrishonie to carry. Chris was known to carry a .30 carbine, so he was not left unarmed.
The gun used by Mr. Washington was a Star 9mm, it was it was given to the CID driver by th passenger officer that had retrieved it, as he had also emptied his Llama .380.
Mr. Riles disappeared into the neighborhood so a house-to-house search began.
Shortly after the search began H.P.D. dispatch received a call of a Citizen Holding a Suspect. Both CID officers went to the address and found the suspect Riles on the floor of the home bleeding.
The home Mr. Riles picked was owned by a San Jacinto College Police Officer who had just made a sandwich for lunch when he heard his front door being opened. This S.J.C.P.D. officer said Mr. Riles told him people were trying to kill him, the officer was wearing a white t-shirt and matching pants to H.P.D. The S.J.C.P.D. officer told Mr. Riles to give him his gun a .357 revolver and take his sandwich, and he would protect him. When the trade was completed the S.J.C.P.D. officer took control of Mr. Riles and called dispatch.
Driver Jerry Robbins who passed away some time back in Livingston Texas.
Passenger D. C. Wells Recently Retired 2020
S.J.C.P.D. Officer Earnest Byrd who later came to H.P.D.?
At this time, I do not recall the Citizens name, but he never ducked and watched the whole incident unfold and testified to that in Court without using the words used at the time.

LONG STORY TO SAY THE LAW HAS EVOLVED TO ALLOW PERSONS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED WHO RECEIVED THE DEATH PENALTY ORIGINALLY TO BE REVISITED AND THAT IS THE REASON FOR A NEW PUNISHMENT PHASE.
THE HEADLINE IS SOMEWHAT MISLEADING THE COURT OF APPEALS MAKES THE FINAL DECISION ON MITIGATION OF FACTS / EVIDENCE PROVIDED TO THE JURY, IN GIVING A DEATH PENALTY VERDICT ON AN INDIVIDULE DEFENDANT, ALL FACTORS MUST BE CONSIDERED WEATHER WE AGREE OR NOT.

My cousin always said that he was “Bad Till Bad Got There “, well maybe Mr. Riles and Mr. Washington had that same frame of mind, when they were up against unarmed individuals / VICTIMS. See Less

Posted by D.C. at 2/7/2021 11:58:41 AM

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