Anthony Graves' second chance at freedom
05:34 PM CST on Friday, January 5, 2007
This trip ended just the last one to Galveston.
Anthony Graves arrived in cuffs and shackles and went back the same way.
His hopes were once again dashed.
KHOU - TV
“Of course we have high hopes for the federal courts because they’re the only ones who gave given a damn about the Bill of Rights and done the right thing in this case from the beginning anyway,” said Jeff Blackburn who is Graves’ attorney.
Graves has been on death row for 14 years, ever since Robert Carter fingered him as his accomplice in a gruesome murder of six people. Four of those victims were children.
Carter later recanted his confession clearing Graves.
Carter did it right before his execution but that did not matter.
At least not to former DA Charles Sebesta who was accused of misconduct by a federal court.
When Graves’ case went back to the district court in Burleson the judge without a hearing set bond at $1 billion and gagged everyone involved in the case.
“I would never violate a gag order in the state case,” said Blackburn.
Federal Magistrate John Fesler said that setting that $1 million bond sounded oppressive.
But added that the state court had the authority to do it.
Bob Bennett is an expert on ethics and law. “The amount itself, set on a man who had been in prison for 15 years, it’s very unusual.”
Fesler told Graves’ attorney that they’d have to fight it out in federal court.
