The Daily
The Daily

Jun 28, 2026 · 46 min

Texas lawyers scramble to stop execution as key evidence is questioned

The Last 12 Weeks

This case highlights the extreme difficulty of overturning decades-old capital convictions in Texas, even when new evidence suggests the original trial was compromised.

3 key takeaways
  1. 1A former inmate claims El Paso authorities fabricated jailhouse informant testimony to convict David Wood in 1987.
  2. 2Defense attorney Greg Werchuck has less than three months to investigate the claims and convince the district attorney.
  3. 3The defense team faces an immediate setback when a key media ally leaves her news station to work for the prosecution.

Don't miss

The defense team learns their key media ally is leaving her news station to work directly for the prosecution they are fighting.

The brief

Texas defense attorney Greg Werchuck has just 12 weeks to halt the execution of David Wood, who has spent over 30 years on death row for a series of 1987 desert murders in El Paso. The race against time begins with a sudden claim of fabricated informant testimony.

The defense team is banking on a tip from former inmate George Hall, who alleges authorities fabricated jailhouse testimony to secure Wood's conviction. To save Wood, the lawyers must quickly verify these decades-old claims and pressure the local district attorney.

A major setback hits the defense when a crucial television interview with a local news anchor is lost to a corrupted file. The situation worsens when the anchor abruptly leaves her station to take a job working directly for the prosecution.

Books & mentions

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Texas lawyers scramble to stop execution as key evidence is questioned | PodLume