Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Texas Attorney General Media Advisory

AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott offers the following information about Lamont Reese, who is scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m Tuesday, June 20, 2004. On March 1, 1999, Reese participated in a gang-related shooting that resulted in the deaths of three men.

FACTS OF THE CRIME

After members of a gang made fun of his girlfriend outside a Fort Worth convenience store on March 1, 1999, Lamont Reese and three of his friends returned to the store to shoot the gang members. At the store, Reese shot and fatally wounded 17-year-old Riki Jackson, 25-year-old Alonzo Stewart and 26-year-old Anthony Roney.

Following the shooting, Reese and his friends returned to his girlfriend’s home, where they bragged about their crime. One of the men told another man who had not participated in the shooting that Reese had shot three people with an assault rifle. Reese did not dispute this statement. Reese boasted that he got the men who were at the pay phone at the store. On the heels of his arrest, police impounded Reese's vehicle and found five live cartridges in the glove compartment. The cartridges were identical to several live rounds of ammunition discovered at the crime scene.

While in jail after his arrest, Reese approached the jailer and asked if he was classified as a “celebrity inmate.” The jailer responded that Tarrant County had no such classification, but instead classified appropriate inmates as “high profile.” When he assured Reese that he would check on his classification, Reese announced, “Hell, I killed three people.”

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

May 25, 1999 -- Reese was indicted for capital murder for the three killings.
November 30, 2000 -- A jury found Reese guilty of capital murder, and he was sentenced to death by the trial court.
November 6, 2002 -- The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Reese’s conviction and sentence.
June 16, 2003 -- The U. S. Supreme Court denied Reese’s petition for writ of certiorari.
January 13, 2003 -- Reese filed an application for writ of habeas corpus in the state trial court.
April 30, 2003 -- The Court of Criminal Appeals denied Reese’s application for writ of habeas corpus.
June 26, 2003 -- Reese filed a federal petition for writ of habeas corpus in a Fort Worth federal district court.
August 14, 2003 The federal district court dismissed Reese’s federal habeas petition and denied a certificate of appealibility.
May 9, 2005 -- Reese requested permission to appeal from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
May 10, 2004 -- The 5th Circuit Court denied Reese’ request to appeal the district court’s denial of his federal habeas petition.
August 6, 2004 -- Reese petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari.
October 18, 2004 -- The Supreme Court denied Reese’s petition for writ of certiorari.
May 17, 2006 --Reese filed a 1983 claim in the Southern District of Texas asking for a permanent injunction against his execution by lethal injection.
May 26, 2006 -- The Southern District Court dismissed Reese’s 1983 claim.
May 25, 2006 -- Reese filed a 1983 claim in a federal district court, asking for a permanent injunction against his execution by lethal injection.
May 30, 2006 -- The federal court dismissed Reese’s 1983 claim.
June 2, 2006 -- Reese filed a notice of appeal in the Fifth Circuit Court on his 1983 claim.

Houston Chronicle

"Admitted drug dealer executed for triple slaying in Fort Worth," by MIchael Graczyk. (AP June 20, 2006, 7:06PM)

HUNTSVILLE — Proclaiming his innocence, an admitted drug dealer was executed Tuesday evening for a shooting spree that left three men dead and two others wounded outside a Fort Worth convenience store more than seven years ago. Lamont Reese, 28, had to be carried into the death chamber.

"I want everyone to know I did not walk to this because this is straight-up murder," he said. "I am not going to play a part in my own murder. No one should have to do that." He expressed love to his mother and to relatives of the murder victims as they watched from separate windows nearby. "I do not know all of your names and I don't know how you feel about me," he said addressing the victims' relatives. "And whether you believe it or not, I did not kill them." He said that he was at peace and he wanted them to be at peace. "You have to move past it. It is time to move on," he said. He said he was glad that the execution was occurring and that his time on death row was not "10 or 20 years."

As the drugs began taking effect, he said, "This is some nasty." Then he gasped. At that moment, his mother, Brenda Reese, began pounding with her fists on the chamber window and began screaming repeatedly, "They killed my baby." She kicked two holes in the death chamber wall and eventually was removed from the chamber. She sobbed loudly as she walked from the prison and nearly collapsed as she reached the prison administration building across the street.

Reese was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m., eight minutes after the drugs began to flow. He was the 12th inmate executed this year in the nation's busiest capital punishment state.

Reese, who described himself as "no angel" and acknowledged dealing crack cocaine for years, contended in an earlier interview he wasn't involved in the gunfire outside the convenience store the evening of March 1, 1999. Anthony Roney, 26, Riki Jackson, 17, and Alonzo Stewart, 25, were killed. A 24-year-old man and 13-year-old boy were wounded. "I was not at the crime," Reese insisted.

Reese's lawyers went to the federal courts to try to block the punishment, citing among their claims a U.S. Supreme Court ruling a week ago that condemned prisoners can file special appeals challenging the lethal injection method under a federal civil rights law after exhausting regular appeals. The high court, however, said inmates would not always be entitled to delays in their executions. In Reese's case, the justices rejected his appeals about 20 minutes before he was scheduled to be taken to the death chamber.

Evidence at Reese's trial showed his 18-year-old girlfriend, Kareema Kimbrough, walked out of the convenience store about four miles southeast of downtown Fort Worth and drew the attention of several men who were drinking and playing dice outside the place. Reese became angry with the men flirting with Kimbrough. The couple left, met up with three others, including a pair of juveniles, and armed themselves with handguns and assault rifles. With Kimbrough driving and accompanied also by her 2-year-old son, she dropped off the four near the store. The gunmen then sprayed the scene with bullets. Kimbrough drove back around, retrieved her friends and they all sped off.

Police were told by the victim of another shooting of people bragging about the convenience store gunfire. That led to the arrests of Reese, Kimbrough and their companions. Detectives found ammunition in Reese's car that matched bullets found at the shooting scene.

Sean Colston, one of the Tarrant County district attorneys who prosecuted Reese, said evidence was clear that Reese was responsible for the slayings. "When you're dealing with capital punishment, it's not that you get a sense of satisfaction," he said. "I feel it's a just punishment."

Reese grew up in Louisiana where he said he spent much of his childhood in state custody after his mother was sent to prison,

Kimbrough, now 26, is serving a life prison term on a capital murder conviction. The three others, including the two juveniles who were charged as adults, agreed to plea bargains and are serving sentences ranging from 35 to 50 years.

Scheduled to die next in Texas is serial killer Angel Maturino Resendiz, a former FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive, set for lethal injection June 27 for the fatal stabbing of Houston-area physician Claudia Benton in December 1998. Benton is among at least 15 victims police in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Illinois have linked to Resendiz, who became known as the "Railroad Killer" because many of the attacks were near railroad tracks and because he was known to hop on freight trains to travel around the United States.

Dallas Morning News

"Admitted drug dealer executed for FW triple slaying." (Associated Press 07:01 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 20, 2006)

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Proclaiming his innocence, an admitted drug dealer was executed Tuesday evening for a shooting spree that left three men dead and two others wounded outside a Fort Worth convenience store more than seven years ago.

Lamont Reese, 28, had to be carried into the death chamber. "I want everyone to know I did not walk to this because this is straight-up murder," he said. "I am not going to play a part in my own murder. No one should have to do that." He expressed love to his mother and to relatives of the murder victims as they watched from separate windows nearby. "I do not know all of your names and I don't know how you feel about me," he said addressing the victims' relatives. "And whether you believe it or not, I did not kill them."

He said that he was at peace and he wanted them to be at peace. "You have to move past it. It is time to move on," he said. He said he was glad that the execution was occurring and that his time on death row was not "10 or 20 years." As the drugs began taking effect, he said, "This is some nasty." Then he gasped.

At that moment, his mother, Brenda Reese, began pounding with her fists on the chamber window and began screaming repeatedly, "They killed my baby." She kicked two holes in the death chamber wall and eventually was removed from the chamber. She sobbed loudly as she walked from the prison and nearly collapsed as she reached the prison administration building across the street. Reese was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m., eight minutes after the drugs began to flow.

He was the 12th inmate executed this year in the nation's busiest capital punishment state.

Reese, who described himself as "no angel" and acknowledged dealing crack cocaine for years, contended in an earlier interview he wasn't involved in the gunfire outside the convenience store the evening of March 1, 1999. Anthony Roney, 26, Riki Jackson, 17, and Alonzo Stewart, 25, were killed. A 24-year-old man and 13-year-old boy were wounded. "I was not at the crime," Reese insisted.

Reese's lawyers went to the federal courts to try to block the punishment, citing among their claims a U.S. Supreme Court ruling a week ago that condemned prisoners can file special appeals challenging the lethal injection method under a federal civil rights law after exhausting regular appeals. The high court, however, said inmates would not always be entitled to delays in their executions. In Reese's case, the justices rejected his appeals about 20 minutes before he was scheduled to be taken to the death chamber.

Evidence at Reese's trial showed his 18-year-old girlfriend, Kareema Kimbrough, walked out of the convenience store about four miles southeast of downtown Fort Worth and drew the attention of several men who were drinking and playing dice outside the place. Reese became angry with the men flirting with Kimbrough. The couple left, met up with three others, including a pair of juveniles, and armed themselves with handguns and assault rifles. With Kimbrough driving and accompanied also by her 2-year-old son, she dropped off the four near the store. The gunmen then sprayed the scene with bullets. Kimbrough drove back around, retrieved her friends and they all sped off.

Police were told by the victim of another shooting of people bragging about the convenience store gunfire. That led to the arrests of Reese, Kimbrough and their companions. Detectives found ammunition in Reese's car that matched bullets found at the shooting scene.

Sean Colston, one of the Tarrant County district attorneys who prosecuted Reese, said evidence was clear that Reese was responsible for the slayings. "When you're dealing with capital punishment, it's not that you get a sense of satisfaction," he said. "I feel it's a just punishment."

Reese grew up in Louisiana where he said he spent much of his childhood in state custody after his mother was sent to prison,

Kimbrough, now 26, is serving a life prison term on a capital murder conviction. The three others, including the two juveniles who were charged as adults, agreed to plea bargains and are serving sentences ranging from 35 to 50 years.

Scheduled to die next in Texas is serial killer Angel Maturino Resendiz, a former FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive, set for lethal injection June 27 for the fatal stabbing of Houston-area physician Claudia Benton in December 1998. Benton is among at least 15 victims police in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Illinois have linked to Resendiz, who became known as the "Railroad Killer" because many of the attacks were near railroad tracks and because he was known to hop on freight trains to travel around the United States.

Reuters News

"Texas man executed for 1999 triple murder." (Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:38pm)

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (Reuters) - A 28-year-old Texas man was put to death by lethal injection on Tuesday for killing three men in 1999 outside a Fort Worth convenience store.

Lamont Reese was condemned for shooting the three men on March 1, 1999, with an assault rifle after they talked to his girlfriend, Kareema Kimbrough, who was sentenced to life in prison for her part in the shootings. Two other people were wounded in the attack.

Reese claimed he had no part in the murders and again protested his innocence in a final statement while strapped to a gurney in the death chamber. "Whether you believe it or not, I did not kill them," he said. "The people that did this -- they know. I am ready, warden. Love you all."

Reese was the 12th person executed in Texas this year and the 367th put to death since the state resumed capital punishment in 1982, six years after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a national death penalty ban, a total that leads the nation.

For his final meal, Reese requested fajitas, enchiladas, a bacon cheeseburger, pizza, chicken salad, tacos and fried chicken.

Texas has 13 more executions scheduled through October 2006.

ProDeathPenalty.com

Lamont Reese was convicted by a jury and sentenced to death for murdering Anthony Roney, Riki Jackson, and Alonzo Stewart during the same criminal transaction. Also injured were a 13-year-old black male and a 24 year old black male. Just before the shooting, Lamont Reese, his girlfriend Kareema Kimbrough and several friends went to a convenience store in Fort Worth, Texas. According to testimony at trial, while Reese was inside, Kimbrough got into an argument with several men hanging out at the store getting high, getting drunk and playing dice. Some of those men belonged to a gang faction that often feuded with Reese's friends, who belonged to a rival faction. After Reese and his friends left, and the men at the store resumed their party. A while later, Reese and his friends returned. Within minutes, the 3 men were dead, and a 24-year-old and a 13-year-old were wounded. After the shooting, Reese and his friends bragged about the killing, witnesses said. Some of the men outside the convenience store were gang members, but they were unarmed that night, prosecutors conceded during their closing arguments. "They were not posing a threat to anyone."

Texas Execution Information Center by David Carson.

Lamont Reese, 28, was executed by lethal injection on 20 June 2006 in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of three men.

On 1 March 1999, Reese, then 21, went to a convenience store in Fort Worth with his girlfriend, Kareema Kimbrough, and several of his friends. Several young men, who were reportedly gang members, were standing outside the store, drinking and shooting dice. Kimbrough went outside and exchanged words with the men, and then they got into an argument with Reese and his friends, because they were flirting with Kimbrough. Reese's group left and gathered up some firearms, then Kimbrough drove them back to the store, bringing her 2-year-old son with her. Reese shot and killed Anthony Roney, 26, Alonzo Stewart, 25, and Riki Jackson, 17. Two other unidentified people, ages 24 and 13, were also injured.

A jury convicted Reese of capital murder in November 2000 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in November 2002. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied. Kareema S.S. Kimbrough was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. She remains in custody as of this writing. Jason Leadley, Brian Johnson, and Steven Kindred pleaded guilty to murder and received sentences ranging from 35 to 50 years in prison. At this writing, no information was available on their status.

When the time came for his execution, Reese refused to walk into the death chamber, and was carried in by guards. "I want everyone to know that I did not walk to this, because this is straight-up murder," he said after he was strapped to the gurney. "I am not going to play a part in my own murder. No one should have to do that." Reese also addressed the victims' relatives who were in attendance. "I do not know all of your names, and I don't know how you feel about me," Reese said, "and whether you believe it or not, I did not kill them."

Despite his proclamation of innocence, Reese said that he was glad he was being executed now, rather than spending ten or twenty years on death row. Reese's lengthy last statement was cut short after the warden signaled for the lethal dose to be started. Starting to feel the effects of the drugs, Reese said, "This is some nasty," then he gasped and lost consciousness.

Reese's mother, Brenda Reese, watched the execution from a viewing room. At the moment Reese gasped, she screamed, "They killed my baby!" and sobbed loudly, and pounded on the reinforced glass window that separated her from her son. She also kicked two holes in a wall and was eventually removed from the chamber.

Reese was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m.

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

Lamont Reese, TX - June 20

Do Not Execute Lamont Reese!

Lamont Reese, a black man, awaits execution on Texas’ death row for the shooting deaths of Alonzo Stewart, 25, Riki Jackon, 17, and Anthony Roney, 26 outside of a convenience store in March 1999. Reese had gone to the convenience store with several friends and his girlfriend, where the three victims were hanging out. A verbal altercation ensued between the groups after Reese’s girlfriend got into an argument with one of the men. Reese and his friends left, but returned later and shot Stewart, Jackson, and Roney. Prosecutors fingered Reese as the triggerman, but Reese’s attorneys maintain that he was not the shooter.

An argument often used by proponents of the death penalty is that it is cheap and effective. However, capital cases are more expensive in every stage of the judicial process than non-capital cases. Moreover, while a sentence of life in prison is costly, the costs are spread out of several decades. In contrast, the brunt of death penalty costs is accrued during the trial and the early appeals. County budgets and taxpayers bear a considerable burden as a result of these costs. As a result, money that could otherwise be put towards more effective means of crime control such as education, rehabilitation, drug treatment programs and mental health treatment is diverted to supporting an unfair and ineffective policy.

Please write to Gov. Rick Perry on behalf of Lamont Reese!

Houston Chronicle

"Condemned inmate claims he's no killer; Man convicted in a triple murder is set to die tonight. (AP June 19, 2006, 10:38PM)

LIVINGSTON - Condemned prisoner Lamont Reese acknowledges a disreputable past. "I'm no angel," Reese said from a tiny visiting cage outside Texas death row. "I can tell you that. I was selling drugs. That's what I did. I sold crack for so many years." But he said he's not a killer, wasn't the gang member he was portrayed as at his trial and wasn't involved in one of Fort Worth's bloodiest shootings in recent times. Reese, 28, faces lethal injection tonight in Huntsville for the slayings of three men outside a convenience store in 1999. Two others were wounded in the gunfire.

In a recent interview at the Polunsky Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, home of death row, Reese said an innocent person was being put to death. "They said I was the ringleader," he said. "I was not at the crime. ... They're saying I killed those guys. I had no idea who they were."

Constitutional challenge

Lawyers went to the federal courts, challenging the constitutionality of the lethal injection drugs, to try to keep Reese from becoming the 12th Texas inmate executed this year and the second of three scheduled to die this month.

On the evening of March 1, 1999, Reese's girlfriend, 18-year-old Kareema Kimbrough, walked out of a convenience store about four miles southeast of downtown Fort Worth and drew the attention of several men who were drinking and playing dice outside the place, according to police. Reese emerged a few moments later from the store and became angry at the men flirting with her. The couple then went to a house where they met up with three others, including a pair of juveniles, and armed themselves with handguns and assault rifles. Kimbrough, whom Reese describes as his wife and who brought her 2-year-old son with her, was behind the wheel and dropped off the four near the store.

The gunmen sprayed the scene with bullets. Kimbrough swung back, retrieved her friends and they sped off. Anthony Roney, 26, Riki Jackson, 17, and Alonzo Stewart, 25, were killed. A 24-year-old man and 13-year-old boy were wounded.

A day after the shooting, police caught a break investigating another shooting. A man told them some of the people involved in the store shooting were bragging about it, and when he told them they were crazy, he got shot. That led to the arrests of Reese, Kimbrough and the others. Detectives found ammunition in Reese's car that matched bullets found at the shooting scene.

Evidence pretty clear

"The evidence in court was pretty clear that he was the triggerman," said Sean Colston, a Tarrant County assistant district attorney who prosecuted Reese.

From death row, Reese said he wasn't at the convenience store but was "at a dope house in the same neighborhood." He also said some 20 minutes after the time of the shootings, he and Kimbrough were seen on a surveillance tape at a video store, checking out a movie, suggesting he couldn't have been involved in the gunfire. Defense attorneys at his trial produced the tape and also took issue with some of the prosecution witnesses, described as drug addicts and felons.

Jurors didn't buy the defense, returning a guilty verdict, then deliberating for about two hours before deciding Reese should be put to death. Reese, who said his lawyers advised him not to testify at his trial, said he thought jurors were swayed by testimony indicating the shootings may have been gang-related. "I wish I had testified," he said.

Kimbrough, now 26, is serving a life prison term on a capital murder conviction. The three others agreed to plea bargains and are serving sentences ranging from 35 to 50 years.

DeathRow-USA

Lamont Reese #999374
A.B.Polunsky Unit D.R.
3872 FM 350 South
Livingston - Texas 77351 U.S.A.

Lamont received his death warrant. He is scheduled to be executed June 20, 2006

My name is Lamont Reese, but you can just call me "Mont." I'm 28 years old. I enjoy reading books and magazines. It's very lonely here without any family or friends to help me get through all this madness. I've only been here a short time, but in that time it's been very lonesome. So a few words from anyone who really cares would be welcomed. I like to try and write poems. Not very good yet, but I'm working on it. Well I hope to hear from someone soon.

Best wishes, Mont

From: MICHAEL TONEY
3872 F.M. 350 S. #999314
Livingston, Texas 77351
Website: www.michaelaim.org
Email: innocentmanintx@yahoo.com
June 15, 2004

***URGENT PLEA FOR HELP******

On March 1st, 1999 at approximately 9:00 PM as 21-year-old Lamont Reese, his 18- year-old girlfriend, Kareema Kimbrough and their 2-year-old son were at a Hollywood Video Store returning some videos and renting others, a gang related shooting was taking place at a convenience store about three miles away.

5 young men were shot, 3 died. The two survivors testified that they did not see who shot them. The following day 15-year-old Steven Kindred shot 18-year-old Curtis Sealy purportedly to silence him in regard to the previous nights murders. Steven Kindred, AKA: “Little Hoova,” was subsequently arrested for the aggravated assault (shooting) of Curtis Sealy. During police interviews Kindred began trying to “deal” his way out of his predicament. When he was questioned about the convenience store shootings he pointed the finger at someone other than Lamont Reese and Kareema Kimbrough. In his efforts to save his own skin, his stories evolved and he eventually pointed the finger of blame at Lamont and Kareema. As time progressed and the lies became more complex, a total of five people were charged in the shooting, including Steven Kindred.

Desperate for someone to corroborate his version of the events, 15-year-old Kindred turned to his 25-year-old girlfriend. He in turn told her to tell the authorities that Lamont Reese went to her house minutes after the shooting and allegedly “confessed” to her and then went to the video store. When Kindred’s adult girlfriend approached the police with her story, she was told that she could be charged with “aggravated sexual assault of a child,” because of her sexual relationship with the juvenile, Kindred.

To make a long story short, 3 of the 5 who were charged with this crime (shooting, murders) used lies to bargain their way out of death or life sentences. Lamont Reese was sentenced to death, and Kareema, life in prison. Kindred’s girlfriend was given “transactional immunity” for the charge of Aggregated Sexual Assault in return for her testimony. If that wasn’t adequate motive for perjury, I’m sure it was enhanced by her desire to help her juvenile lover.

No physical evidence was presented to support the testimony of Kindred’s girlfriend, who admitted she had been smoking crack all the day of the shooting.

I have no way of verifying any of this and no investigator has ever attempted to talk to any of the co-defendants or supposed witnesses, including the “crack smoking child molester.” However, Lamont has in his possession a receipt that shows he was in fact at the Hollywood video around 9 PM returning videos and renting more. He frequented this store often. The store security video shows Lamont, his girlfriend and their child in the store around this same time. The tape has never been properly analyzed to break down the exact times.

The problem is he is about to get an execution date. His case has moved through the courts at an alarming rate of speed. The crime happened March 1st, 1999. He was sentenced to death December 4, 2000. His direct appeal was affirmed November 6, 2002, the state writ application; relief was denied April 30th, 2003 and then by law he had one year to prepare and file his Petition for writ of Habeas Corpus in Federal Court, but the judge ordered it due in 45 days. The state responded 45 days after that and relief was denied August 14th, 2003. Now the Fifth Circuit has denied COA, May 10th, 2004. He expects an execution date very soon.

His federal writ attorney (appointed) was none other than Lisa Mullen, who as an Assistant D.A. in Tarrant Co. sent a handful of men to death row. Some have been killed.

I’m trying to be as brief as possible, but it seems if someone would take enough interest and investigate the case, especially the crack smoking lady who was given “immunity” for the charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, enough new evidence may be found that allows Lamont to file a “Subsequent State Writ Application.”

Also, Lamont may very well be mentally retarded. The federal judge stated something to the affect “If he was smart enough to go to the video store for an alibi, he is not mentally retarded.” That is not a direct quote, but a synopsis of what was written in the opinion.

I, too, am without question a victim of a miscarriage of justice in the same county, so I know how easily it happens. If I could be wrongfully convicted in my situation, I’m certain he could be in the scenario I have just described. Personally, I believe Lamont is telling the truth. I believe him, because he has not detoured from his story under my constant scrutiny, because of the video receipt and tape, but mostly because he is determined to help his girlfriend obtain justice after he is (God forbid) killed by the State of Texas. He is more concerned with helping someone he loves than he is with himself. I perceive that as indicative of an innocent person.

Anyone who is willing and able to help Lamont can contact him at the following address.

Mr. Lamont Reese #999374
3872 F.M. 350 S.
Livingston, TX 77351

Lamp of Hope

“We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over. So in a series of kindness there is at least one which makes the heart run over…”

It is with this quote that I find it in myself to reach out to you today. It is my hope that you'd reach out back to me, and from there we can form a friendship. Greetings to you. My name is Lamont Reese and I'm 26 years old. It is very hard to reach out from such a place as Death Row, but I do feel that not everyone wishes death upon me.

As I am forced to sit here in this sometimes cold and very unforgiving place, I found that it's nothing like having a good friend you can count on through the roughest of times, to let you know you're not alone. Nor are you forgotten. It really is the greatest effect at times. I hope that something inspires you to reach out to me, if not for anything, but to let me know you feel all life has a purpose. With that, I ask that to all that read my words, please find it in you to reach out back to me, or even another guy here on the row.

Believe me, any form of kindness from you to make me or anyone at his last ends a part of your life, can make a world of difference to you and me. Just give it a chance. I ask that you please smile for me, because a smile to me is a form of hope that better days will soon come (smile!)

Peace and Blessings, Mont.

Lamont Reese
Polunsky Unit/999374
3872 FM 350 South
Livingston, Texas 77351 USA

ABOLISH Archives

4-23-02

Dear Friends:

I am coming to you now that I have broken my hunger strike to offer my sincere thanks to all who have called or written to my attorneys or other officials in my behalf. Just to bring you all up to date: my writ attorney has written to me and changed course.

Before I began my hunger strike, and before you all began contacting my attorney he has sent me a letter advising me that the filing deadline was April 17, 2002 and that he would be filing my State application for writ of habeas corpus. Now he has filed for an extension of time to file my writ in order "to investigate additional issues." Thanks to you all he realized that he had to do a better job for me and at least he is doing something.

In the month that I was on a hunger strike I lost over 30 pounds but am feeling well. I also used that time to file two motions in the trial court:one asking for a complete copy of my trial record (so that I can actually do some serious review and research) and the other motion to obtain a new attorney to file the additional claims on my State habeas writ. The trial court DENIED both of my motions.

I still need your help to continue contacting my lawyer-letting him know of all the issues he should be raising in my case. Some of those were mentioned in my first letter and here are a few more of the most important issues:

1. An actual innocence claim: (must obtain affidavits from: "eye witnesses" and investigate every aspect of the offense).

2. An ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and on direct appeal claim: (requires extensive investigation of facts and careful examination of the trial record).

3. Obtain affidavits supporting my innocence from others who plead guilty to murders in plea agreements.

4. Obtain records of mental health problems and affidavits from family and friends regarding childhood to support ineffective assistance of counsel on punishment.

5. Have evidence tested or examined by independent experts in support of innocence claim.

6. Raise issues concerning jury selection if they are properly preserved (which I believe they are)

7. Investigate all of the issues and sub-issues within each of the above claims and leave no stone unturned.

In closing I again want to express my deepest appreciation for all of our efforts and I thank you for caring from the bottom of my heart. If you have any questions or comments please write and I will do my best to answer.

In Hope & Peace,

Lamont Reese #999374
3872 FM 350 S.
Livingston, TX 77351

Reese v. Dretke, 99 Fed.Appx. 503 (5th Cir. 2004) (Habeas)

Background: Petitioner sought federal habeas corpus relief after he was convicted and sentenced to death for committing multiple murders in single criminal transaction. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas denied petition. Petitioner applied for certificate of appealability (COA).

Holdings: The Court of Appeals held that:
(1) petitioner was not entitled to COA on claim that Texas death penalty statute and imposition of death penalty on petitioner was cruel and unusual punishment under Eighth Amendment, and
(2) state death penalty statute did not violate Apprendi rule. Application denied.

Reese v. Livingston, 453 F.3d 289 (5th Cir. 2006) (1983)

Background: Inmate appealed from order of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, John H. McBryde, J., entered in his civil rights action challenging death by injection as method of execution and seeking stay of execution.

Holding: The Court of Appeals, Patrick E. Higginbotham, Circuit Judge, held that inmate's three year delay after his state capital murder conviction became final in filing civil rights action precluded stay of execution. Stay denied.