For more than 30 years, Pervis Payne has maintained his innocence while on death row in Tennessee. But despite strong doubts about his guilt and the fact that he is living with an intellectual disability, he is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 3, 2020.
There are so many issues with this case. Just last December, Pervis’ lawyers found out that evidence was hidden from them — evidence that has never been tested for DNA and could help prove his innocence.
On Wednesday, a team of lawyers filed a request for DNA testing of that newly discovered evidence. This gives us hope, but we’re still a long way away from getting Pervis the justice he deserves.
The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. www.innocenceproject.org
