Court rejects gay porn star’s appeal over murder of his parents
The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has rejected an appeal from a gay man, a former porn star, who was convicted of murdering his parents back in 2005.
Brandon Dale Woodruff, who has always maintained his innocence, has appealed his ruling numerous times at different US courts, including to the Sixth District Court of Appeals and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which have either affirmed his conviction or refused to hear his case.
Supporters of Woodruff claim that the legal system that convict him was homophobic and are demanding that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals re-opens the case.
Prosecutors reportedly theorised at the time that Woodruff, who had not yet publicly come out in 2005, had the ability to lie about the murders because he concealed his sexual orientation and secretly went to gay discos and starred in a number of porn films made in Florida, reports OutSmart Magazine.
Woodruff’s parents, Norma and Dennis Woodruff, were murdered at their home in Royse City, Texas in October 2005.
The 31-year-old is currently serving a life prison sentence and has been behind bars since 2009.
Brandon Woodruff. (Change.org)
Woodruff is the subject of an upcoming documentary, Texas Justice: Brandon Woodruff.
Filmmaker Scott Poggensee, who is working on the production for the documentary, has set up a website—FreeBrandon.org—to protest his innocence and detail his case.
The latest ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, LA, on September 20 means that the next step for Woodruff is to appeal his case to the Supreme Court.
However, OutSmart Magazine reports that Woodruff’s lawyers have said that taking his case to the high court could cost around $5,000, and there is only a slim chance that it would be considered.
A Change.org petition set up to campaign for Woodruff’s release, which so far has 670 signatures, states: “Brandon Woodruff was convicted in a small homophobic East Texas Courthouse led by corrupt prosecutors who willfully and intentionally violated his Constitutional rights.”
In a video message to his supporters, posted on YouTube on August 5, Woodruff said: “I did not commit this crime. I’m innocent. And I really hope that people that are watching this, if you will just know anything at all, I hope that you’ll know that I did not kill my parents. I would never even hurt them.
“They were really, really good people to me. They raised me well. They loved me unconditionally. No matter what, they would always be there for me.”
