The affidavit of Eddie Ledbetter be admitted as evidence

Mr. Valle moved that the affidavit of Eddie Ledbetter be admitted as evidence for similar reasons. Mr. Ledbetter is the Assistant Editor for the Statesboro Herald in Statesboro, Georgia who also witnessed the Blankenship execution. Mr. Ledbetter reported that Mr. Blankenship jerked and twinged after the administration of the pentobarbital, that he jerked his arms twice, lifted his head from the gurney and, while looking at his right arm, he appeared to say ―Ow.‖ Mr. Blankenship continued to mumble after his head dropped back down to the gurney. Mr. Ledbetter‘s affidavit affirmed that he wrote an article for his newspaper based on his account of the execution, provided the link for the article on the newspaper‘s website and stated that articles are routinely posted online in the regular course of business of reporting the news. Mr. Ledbetter also attested to the truth and accuracy of the attached article. The court‘s refusal to admit these affidavits was error.