Paul House to Be Released

Paul House, who has spent nearly 23 years on Tennessee's death row for a crime new evidence indicates he did not commit, will be released from the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility in Nashville tomorrow, July 2, between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m.
House's mother, Joyce, had planned to use her Crossville home to post a property bond to ensure her son's release. But today, in a surprising turn of events, an anonymous donor provided the money for bail, and House will be released tomorrow morning to head home for the first time in 23 years.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers, actions, and support of this effort to free Paul House. This day would not have come if not for your passionate cries for justice. Please plan to be at the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow if you are able, and wear your "Free Paul House" t-shirt. We will have some extras on hand. Warm up your voices, ready to whoop and holler when Paul House is wheeled out those doors. The Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility is located at 7575 Cockrill Bend Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209, click HERE for a map. Once you get to the end of Cockrill Bend Blvd., turn left and follow the road to a large parking lot.

House still faces retrial in October and will remain under house arrest until that time. On June 27, Senior Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood reduced the bond from $500,000 to $100,000 during a special hearing in Union County. House must remain at his mother's home while awaiting trial and can only leave for medical appointments and court appearances. He will have a 24-hour electronic monitoring device and will register as a sex offender.

Since House's conviction for the murder of Union County woman, Carolyn Muncey, in 1985, new evidence has emerged which casts grave doubts on his guilt. In his trial, the state argued that rape was the motive for the murder. However, DNA evidence has since proved that House did not rape Muncey and revealed instead that the semen on the body belonged to her husband, Hubert Muncey, who had a history of domestic violence, and who later confessed his guilt to at least two people.

In June 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that, "this is the rare case where—had the jury heard all the conflicting testimony—it is more likely than not that no reasonable juror viewing the record as a whole would lack reasonable doubt." Since this ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, House has been waiting for the lower courts to decide his fate as he has remained on Tennessee's death row, confined to a wheelchair struggling with multiple sclerosis.

This day has been a long time coming, and we give thanks that we are almost there.

Stacy Rector
TCASK