Paul House: Freed from Tennessee's Death Row After Two Decades, Dies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Paul "Greg" House, who was incarcerated for twenty years on Tennessee’s death row prior to his release and subsequently advocated against capital punishment, passed away on March 22 at the age of 63, as reported by his long-time legal representatives.

According to a statement from Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee, "Mr. House's innocence was vigorously defended by both his lawyers and his mother, Joyce House." The statement continues, "Despite spending an unjustly long period incarcerated and under threat of execution, Mr. House managed to enjoy 17 years of freedom alongside Joyce and his relatives before passing away peacefully, fully aware that his innocence had finally been acknowledged."

The house succumbed to complications from pneumonia, having lived for many years with multiple sclerosis.

In 1986, House was found guilty and received a death sentence for the murder of his neighbor Carolyn Muncey in rural Union County, Tennessee. Despite numerous appeals over many years, House consistently proclaimed his innocence. In 2004, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided not to reverse the state’s decision denying him a retrial. Dissenting judge Ronald Lee Gilman expressed significant concern about this outcome, stating, "I believe we have what amounts to a genuine 'whodunit' scenario here; I fear that the person set to face execution might actually be innocent."

The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where in 2006 the majority ruled that House would not have been found guilty considering the new DNA evidence that came to light years following his trial.

Nevertheless, House stayed incarcerated as the prosecutors announced their plans to put him on trial again. He was eventually freed in 2008, thanks to an anonymous benefactor who covered his $100,000 bail. Upon leaving prison, he shared with journalists, "I'm feeling quite well. My main anticipation is heading home and enjoying some chili verde and pizza. I'm relieved to have this behind me; it has indeed been a lengthy period."

He was put under house arrest at his mother's place in Crossville as the possibility of yet another trial hung over him. Ultimately, in May 2009, state prosecutors decided to drop the charges against him.

Joyce House stated to journalists back then that they were "soaring above on Cloud Nine. ... It took far too long for this to happen."

Stacy Rector, the director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, collaborated with Joyce House over several years to advocate for Paul House’s release. Following this, she also assisted him in sharing his story publicly. Eventually, he became part of Witness to Innocence, an organization against capital punishment composed of individuals exonerated from death row as well as their family members.

He was quite upfront regarding his feelings about how he had been handled by the system," Rector stated on Monday. "His comments were often rather harsh.

Following his discharge, House felt "quite satisfied" living with his mother, despite having lost the capacity to walk.

He felt an immense relief to escape that scenario and received care," Rector mentioned. "He adored his mother's cuisine.