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Thread: Reinaldo Dennes - Texas Death Row

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    Reinaldo Dennes - Texas Death Row





    Summary of Offense:

    On January 24, 1996, Dennes murdered Janos Szuc during an elaborate robbery scheme. In planning the robbery, Dennes and his brother had set up an office in the same building as the victim in order to learn its layout and the location of surveillance cameras. They employed a maid to leave a back door open to the building on the day of the robbery.

    The victim was shot to death as he sat at his desk inside his office. His office safe was emptied of $4.25 million in loose diamonds and gems along with more than $250,000 in cash. After killing the victim and cleaning out the safe, Dennes disguised himself with a baseball cap and fake mustache and went to the first floor with the intention of removing the surveillance videotape that had recorded he and his brother's entry to the building. There he was confronted by an unarmed security guard who was shot twice and left for dead. Dennes took the tape from the surveillance camera and fled. He was arrested after a gunsmith who fashioned a silencer for the 9mm pistol Dennes used in the robbery went to police. The wounded security guard recovered to identify Dennes as the gunman.

    Dennes was sentenced to death in Harris County in December 1997.

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    Death Row Artist's Show Raises Controversy

    Reinaldo Dennes, a convicted killer on death row in Texas, has his own exhibit at Gallery 325 in Kansas City.

    "His crime involved robbery of diamonds, about $4 million," said Kristin Schodorf, who runs a program to teach art appreciation to inmates "Now he refers to them as worthless rocks.They're not doing him any good now."

    Dennes has been in a Texas prison for 14 years. He and his brother planned an elaborate scheme to get their hands on the diamonds portrayed in some of his paintings. During the heist, police said he killed the owner of the diamonds and shot a security guard after leaving the building.

    The exhibit opened Friday during the monthly First Fridays. The gallery heard from people who think the exhibit shouldn't be there at all.

    "Sometimes they say they don't deserve education, they don't deserve attention," said Schodorf. "Eighty percent of prisoners in the U.S. will get out someday, they will be our neighbors. Do you want them educated or do you want them becoming better criminals?"

    We talked to several people at the gallery to get their thoughts on a convicted killer's art.

    "They are still people that deserve to be able to live the best they can in the circumstances that have put them there," said Mike Kulikowski, who bought a painting.

    "It's the act of creating something rather than keeping it inside," said Ramon Valdez.

    Part of the challenge of being an incarcerated artist is the the limitation of materials you can use. All of these paintings were done with crushed up colored pencils. Dennes added water to make paint.

    Schodorf understands the hesitation of showcasing work done by a killer, but she says the vivid color from such a dark place causes a reaction. She said that's what art is meant to do.

    "Interesting and inspiring art can come from anyplace," she said.

    http://www.kctv5.com/news/28128562/detail.html

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    EX PARTE REINALDO DENNES

    In today's Texas Court of Criminal Appeals opinions, Dennes' post-conviction application for writ of habeas corpus was DENIED.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    On January 6, 2014, Dennes filed a habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/tex...v00019/1144115

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    On March 23, 2017, Dennes' habeas petition was DENIED in Federal District Court.

    https://docs.justia.com/cases/federa...019/1144115/36

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    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On April 20, 2017, Dennes filed an appeal before the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

    https://dockets.justia.com/docket/ci...s/ca5/17-70010

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    On May 15, 2019, oral argument will be heard in Dennes' appeal before the Fifth Circuit.

    http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/clerk/ca...5/17-70010.htm

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    Dennes' panel will be made up of Judges Jones (Reagan), Smith (Reagan) and Dennis (Clinton).

    http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/clerk/ca...5/17-70010.htm

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    Senior Member CnCP Legend FFM's Avatar
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  10. #10
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    I don’t expect him to be executed with Ogg in office

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