Man convicted of killing Limerick priest in America is exonerated
THE TEXAS Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled that a Native American was wrongfully convicted of the murder of a Limerick priest.
After 40 years, James Reyos has been declared innocent of killing Fr Patrick Ryan from Doon. The Innocence Project of Texas (IPT), which works to free the innocent and prevent wrongful convictions, revealed the news.
Fr Ryan, aged 49, was found in a motel room in Odessa, Texas on December 21, 1981. He was beaten to death.
The savage killing of the Pallottine priest made headlines in the USA, Ireland and Limerick. A then 24-year-old Apache Indian (Mr Reyos) was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the heinous crime.
The IPT filed a lawsuit earlier this year asserting Mr Reyos’ innocence as a result of recently discovered evidence by members of the Odessa Police Department.
Campaigner Scott Lomax has supported the efforts of James Reyos to clear his name for almost two decades. He wrote a book, The Case of James Harry Reyos: A Wrongful Conviction Revealed.
Mr Lomax told the Limerick Leader the “truly amazing news” was shared with him by Allison Clayton, of IPT, who has been representing James in recent years.
"Allison shared with me the official document of exoneration. This document makes reference to a 1996 case at the Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas (Ex parte Elizondo) which found that in order to be exonerated, an applicant must demonstrate that 'If newly available evidence were added to the evidentiary mix, no reasonable jury would have found the State's case to have been compelling enough to defeat the systemic presumption of innocence'.
"The court has ruled that the new fingerprint evidence, which points to three other individuals having been responsible for the murder of Fr Patrick Ryan is sufficient in meeting the burden of Elizondo and therefore the court has ruled that James is exonerated," said Mr Lomax, who couldn't be happier for Mr Reyos.
"It has been an incredibly long battle for James, who has spent the past 40 years trying to clear his name, and a battle I have been involved in for 19 years. At times I felt like this day would never come.”
He said the painstaking work undertaken by Allison and IPT has been phenomenal.
“They are an incredible organisation. And the Odessa Police must be given huge credit for everything they have done. It is incredibly difficult to overturn a murder conviction, let alone a conviction in Texas for a murder committed as long ago as 1981," said Mr Lomax, who also feels sad that justice was never achieved for Fr Ryan.
“His killers took their secret to their graves.”