Kim Kardashian was with Rodney Reed when he got news of his stay

Aaron Barker, Senior Digital Editor

Published: November 15, 2019 at 9:15 PM

LIVINGSTON, Texas – Kim Kardashian said she was with Rodney Reed on Friday as he got news of his stay of execution.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a halt to Reed's execution which was scheduled to happen Wednesday.

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Reed, 51, is on death row after being convicted in the 1996 killing of 19-year-old Stacey Stites in Bastrop. Prosecutors said Stites was raped and strangled.

Reed has maintained his innocence.

Lawmakers from both parties and celebrities have asked the government to stop Reed's planned execution. On Friday, the Texas parole board recommended a 120-day delay in Reed's execution and moments later the stay was handed down by the appeals court.

"Words cannot describe the relief and hope that swept over the room in that moment," Kardashian said in an Instagram post about her visit with Reed. "That hope had been building over the last few weeks around Rodney's case."

View this post on Instagram

Today, I had the honor of meeting #RodneyReed in person and the privilege of sitting with him when he got the news that the highest court in Texas had issued a stay of execution and remanded the case back to the trial court for further consideration. Words cannot describe the relief and hope that swept over the room in that moment. That hope had been building over the last few weeks around Rodney’s case. We have seen Democrats and Republicans come together. We have seen grassroots activists and lawmakers link arms. We have heard people all around the globe speak up. And all because of a deep belief that every man or woman accused of a crime - especially one punishable by death - deserves the chance to have all available evidence considered. So grateful for the commitment and passion of everyone who voiced their support, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles for their recommendation to issue a 120 day reprieve, and the courts for issuing a stay!

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Nov 15, 2019 at 4:21pm PST

Since Texas resumed executions in 1982, only three death row inmates have had their sentences commuted to life in prison within days of their scheduled executions.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.