Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Texas is set to put Edward Busby Jr. to death on Thursday, May 14, 2026, despite unanimous expert findings, and even the State’s agreement, that he is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for execution. This directly defies U.S. Supreme Court precedent barring the execution of people with intellectual disability.
On Friday, May 8, 2026, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit temporarily stayed the execution, pending further order of the court. On Monday, the State filed an application to vacate the stay with the Supreme Court of the United States. As of 3:30 PM on May 13, the Court has not ruled.
There’s also been no word from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on Mr. Busby’s clemency application, in which he seeks the commutation of his death sentence or at least a 60-day reprieve.
Mr. Busby was sentenced to death in 2005 by a Tarrant County jury for the kidnapping and murder of Laura Lee Crane. He has faced multiple execution dates in the last six years.
Who We Are
The Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (TCADP) is the only statewide grassroots advocacy organization dedicated solely to ending the death penalty in Texas. Together with local, state, and national partners, TCADP is working to reduce use of the death penalty in Texas and, ultimately, end this arbitrary, irreversible, and unfair punishment.
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Learn more at Texas Death Penalty Facts and follow us on social media for the latest developments.
