TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES District 40 ‘August 19, 2016 ‘Govemor Greg ADOT P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 ‘Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Executive Clemency Section 8610 Shoal Creek Boulevard ‘Austin, Texas 78757 Dear Governor Abbott, Chairman Gutiérez, and Board Members: ‘As a member ofthe 84* Texas Legislature, I join my colleague Representative Leach in his request that you to ‘commute Jeffrey Wood's death sentence toa sentence of life. As long as the State of Texas maintains the death penalty, it must ensure this punishment is reserved for only the most egregious crimes. I believe Mr. Wood's case falls short of this standard. [As we are sure you are aware, Mr. Wood was convicted of capital murder under Texas's Law of Parties, and his ‘ase is similar io that of Kenneth Foster, whose death sentence was commuted by Governor Perry in 2007. The facts ‘resented in his trial clearly demonstrate that he nether killed, nor anticipated that his codefendant, Daniel Earl Reneau, would use lethal force in the course of a convenience store robbery. In fact, Wood was outside the Texaco ‘while Reneau sought to steal the tore’s safe, and ultimately Kris Keeran on January 2, 1996. In addition, Wood struggles with borderline intellectual functioning, and was repeatedly assessed with a low 1Q and. ‘mental health issues throughout childhood and adolescence. Given the scope of Mr. Wood's involvement in this crime, hs lack of a criminal record, his intellectual and psychologicel impairments, and questions regarding his awareness of his codefendant’s capacity to use violence, I believe that Mr. Wood deserves to be imprisoned for his participation inthe robbery, bu that he should not be executed. | ind the facts of his case, as well asthe application of the Law of Parties to be particularly bothersome. ‘Thus, inthe interest of fairness, I call upon you and your respective offices to grant Mr. Wood clemency. Thank you for ‘your time and consideration, Very truly yours, £>~ State Representative Terry Canales