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DNA Reprieve For Condemned Tennessee Inmate

A condemned Tennessee man, accused and convicted of raping and murdering a U.S. Marine in 1985, has been granted a reprieve from his scheduled execution, set for Wednesday. State Governor Phil Bredesen made the decision after the State Board of Probation and Parole recommended further DNA testing.

Bredesen says he believes Sedley Alley is guilty, but he reluctantly granted the reprieve out of respect for the board. Alley was accused of raping and impaling Marine Lance Cpl. Suzanne M. Collins, 19, with a tree branch. He confessed to most of the crime, but has since recanted his statement. Governor Bredesen ordered defense attorneys to ask for new testing.

If the courts reject the request, the state Supreme Court would then be asked to set a new date for Alley`s execution. Defense lawyers want to see if DNA found at the scene matches a boyfriend or someone in the federal criminal DNA database. Had Alley been put to death as scheduled, it would have been the second time since 1960 that Tennessee executed a prisoner.