Herrera Collection EAD

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?
>
<ead xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9
http://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1"
dateencoding="iso8601" findaidstatus="new" langencoding="iso639-2b"
repositoryencoding="iso15511">
<eadid url="http://meg.library.albany.edu:8080/archive/view?
docId=apap300.xml">apap300</eadid>
<filedesc><titlestmt>
<titleproper>
Herrera, Leonel; Collection
<num>apap300</num>
</titleproper>
<author>Emily McCabe</author>
</titlestmt>
<publicationstmt>
<publisher>M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections &
Archives</publisher>

<date>2018</date>

</publicationstmt>
</filedesc>
<profiledesc>
<creation>
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on
<date>2018-03-09 00:28:45 -0500</date>.
</creation>
<langusage>English</langusage>
</profiledesc>
<revisiondesc>
<change>
<date>2018 April 17</date>
<item>Encoded in EAD by Emily McCabe</item>
</change>
</revisiondesc>
</eadheader>
<archdesc level="collection">
<did>
<langmaterial>
<language langcode="eng">English</language>
</langmaterial>
<repository>
<corpname>M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections &
Archives</corpname>
</repository>
<unittitle>Leonel Herrera Collection</unittitle>
<origination label="creator">
<persname source="local">Ellis, Norma Herrera, 1954-2008</persname>
<persname source="local">Herrera, Leonel, 1947-1993</persname>
</origination>
<unitid>apap300</unitid>
<physdesc altrender="whole">
<extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1.27 cubic ft.</extent>
</physdesc>
<unitdate normal="1954/2007" type="inclusive">1954-2007</unitdate>
<abstract id="aspace_56da5ca56faf23194b5d577eb87b3d7d">The Herrera Collection
contain materials associated with the trial of Leonel Herrera, as well as materials
included in the book <title><emph render="italic">Last Words from Death Row: The
Walls Unit</emph></title>, written by Leonel Herrera’s sister, Norma Herrera
Ellis.</abstract>
<langmaterial
id="aspace_0aa7ff74751da0c41539c4ef90576404">English</langmaterial>
<physloc id="aspace_b1a4b0be1f518326710c1eaa436f2f13">The materials are located
onsite in the department.</physloc>
</did>
<processinfo id="aspace_c45188b2a6f5b940c1eae8966ddc7645">
<head>Processing Information</head>
Processed in 2018 by Emily McCabe. </processinfo>
<accessrestrict id="aspace_eb5b7fb9cc54e2c9433d7b6c9fd68457">
<head>Access</head>
Access to this record group is unrestricted. </accessrestrict>
<userestrict id="aspace_7b9586164044734a44c882eb5b75969b">
<head>Copyright</head>
This page may contain links to digital objects. Access to these images and the
technical capacity to download them does not imply permission for re-use. Digital
objects may be used freely for personal reference use, referred to, or linked to
from other web sites. Researchers do not have permission to publish or
disseminate material from these collections without permission from an archivist
and/or the copyright holder. The researcher assumes full responsibility for
conforming to the laws of copyright. Some materials in these collections may be
protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) and/or by the copyright or
neighboring-rights laws of other nations. More information about U.S. Copyright is
provided by the Copyright Office. Additionally, re-use may be restricted by terms
of University Libraries gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy
and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. The University Archives are
eager to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified so that
appropriate information may be provided in the future. </userestrict>
<acqinfo id="aspace_6e2ede84379457b1b7c0b4d76d364f90">
<head>Acquisition Information</head>
All items in this collection were transferred to the University Libraries, M.E.
Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives in 2007. </acqinfo>
<bioghist id="aspace_df8927603c3114f3bd967c7791d3cfed">
<head>Historical Note</head>
Leonel Herrera (1947-1993)was born September 17, 1947. He was the second
of five children born to parents Jose and Maria Herrera in McAllen, Texas. He
attended local schools from 1954-1963, and then in 1967 enlisted in the Armed
Forces of the United States until given an Undesirable Discharge in 1969.
Leonel Herrera was arrested in 1981 and sentenced to die for the shooting
to death of Enrique Carrisalez, a police officer who stopped him for speeding in
the Rio Grande Valley. Leonel Herrera petitioned against the death penalty,
eventually claiming to have additional evidence that proved his innocence and
proved that his late brother, Raul Herrera, committed the murder. The additional
evidence was not accepted by Texas judges, who argued that regardless of what new
evidence might be presented Herrera was given an initial fair trial and therefore
the jury’s decision could not be overturned. The case ultimately went to the
Supreme Court of the United States which denied Herrera’s appeal in the 1993
decision <emph render="italic">Herrera v. Collins</emph>. The Supreme Court ruled
that a claim of innocence does not entitle a petitioner to habeas corpus relief by
way of the Eighth or Fourteenth Amendments. The State of Texas executed Leonel
Herrera on May 12, 1993.
As new evidence presented by Herrera's appeal lawyers could not be

presented in Texas courts 10 years later, the case ultimately went to the Supreme
Court of the United States which denied Herrera's appeal in the 1993 decision
Herrera v. Collins. The State of Texas executed Herrera on May 12, 1993 at 4:49
AM.
A retired nurse, Norma Herrera Ellis (1954-2008), Leonel Herrera’s sister,
published <title><emph render="italic">Last Words from Death Row: The Walls
Unit</emph></title> in 2007. <title><emph render="italic">Last Words from Death
Row: The Walls Unit</emph></title> is a biography following Leonel Herrera’s trial
and press coverage. Norma Herrera Ellis wrote <emph render="italic">Last
Words</emph> as part of a promise to tell her brother’s story. She continued to
advocate for his innocence until her death on January 14, 2008, at age 54.
</bioghist>
<scopecontent id="aspace_8114c52f5f6df86d1f7f2642001032cb">
<head>Scope and Contents</head>
The Leonel Herrera Collection contain research materials on the death
penalty in the United States with a focus on the right of the convicted to submit
evidence of their innocence to delay their own execution.
The collection, donated by Leonel Herrera's sister Norma Herrera Ellis,
includes photographs, court documents, news clippings, official and person
correspondences, VHS tapes, and religious memorabilia either owned by or involving
Leonel Herrera. Additional materials are included because of their usage in Norma
Herrera Ellis' book <emph render="italic">Last Words from Death Row: The Walls
Unit</emph>. Many newspaper clippings refer to the drug cartel the Herrera family
and local police were involved in. Other newspaper clippings discuss the Leonel
Herrera Case with a focus on opinion pieces about later courts refusing Herrera’s
additional evidence to his innocence. Photographs are mixed family photos,
postcards, and rally photos, with the bulk being family photos. Dates in collection
items range from 1954-2007.
</scopecontent>
<separatedmaterial id="aspace_">
<head>Separated Materials</head>
The archivist transferred one monograph: <title><emph render="italic">Last Words
from Death Row: The Walls Unit</emph></title> by Norma Herrera Ellis to the book
division of Special Collections. It was catalogued and included in Minerva, the
University Library Catalog. </separatedmaterial>
<arrangement id="aspace_967b5a0554f6069cc098f38e159cdf99">
<head>Arrangement of the Collection</head>
The collection is organized chronologically. There are no series.
</arrangement> </arrangement>
<prefercite id="aspace_c81f82def93cee4fe429cb147f0cf39b">
<head>Preferred Citation</head>
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:Identification of
specific item, series, box, folder, Leonel Herrera Collection, 1954-2007. M.E.
Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries,
University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the
Herrera Collection). </prefercite>
<controlaccess>
<subject source="lcsh">Capital punishment Texas</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Texas</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Records and briefs</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Personal correspondence</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Business correspondence</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Speeches</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Photographs</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Albums (Books)</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Legal documents</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">Clippings</subject>
<subject source="lcsh">VHS</subject>
<subject source="meg">Death Penalty</subject>
<subject source="meg">United States. Supreme Court.</subject>
<subject source="meg">Capital Punishment United States</subject>
<subject source="meg">Herrera, Leonel</subject>
</controlaccess>
<dsc>
<c id="aspace_" level="file">
<did>
<unittitle><title> <emph render="italic">Leonel Herrera Report Cards,
Elementary to High School</emph> </title></unittitle>
<container id="aspace_" label="Mixed Materials" type="Box">1 (Herrera
Collection)</container>
<container id="aspace_" parent="aspace_" type="Folder">1</container>
</did>
</c>
<did>
<unittitle><title render="italic">Photos and Postcards, Leonel Herrera
and Family</title></unittitle><unitdate normal="1959/2007" type="inclusive">after
1959</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
<did>
<unittitle>Military Service Records of Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
<did>
<unittitle>Notice of Overpayment to IRS by Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
<unitdate normal="1970/1970" type="inclusive">1970 May 22</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
<did>
<unittitle>Raul Herrera Judgement</unittitle>
<unitdate normal="1973/1973" type="inclusive">1973 May 22</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
<did>
<unittitle>Food Establishment Permit Issued to Leonel
Herrera</unittitle>
<unitdate normal="1976/1976" type="inclusive">1976 Feb 13</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
<did>
<unittitle>Original Indictment, Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
<unitdate normal="1981/1981" type="inclusive">1981 Oct 14</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<c level="file" id="aspace_">
<did>
<unittitle>Precept to Serve</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1981/1981">1981 Dec 29</unitdate>
<container label="Mixed Materials" type="Box" id="aspace_">1 (Herrera
<container type="Folder" id="aspace_" parent="aspace_">8</container>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Judgement of Conviction, Incomplete</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1982/1982">1982 Jan 21</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Craft Arts and Cards Created by Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1982/1990">1982-1990</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Legal Correspondence Regarding Leonel Herrera
Case</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Newspaper Clippings</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Injury Report and Solitary Confinement Physical
Examination</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1983/1983">1983 June</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Affidavits, Leonel Herrera Case</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Inmate Files, Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Polygraph Reports, Leonel Herrera Case</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Ex Parte Motion for Compensation</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1990/1990">1990 Dec 12</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Appendix 1/2</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1990/1990">1990</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Appendix 2/2</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
- <did>
<unittitle>Amended Order on Application for Writ of Habeas
Corpus</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Judge Clinton Response to Habea Corpus
Application</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1991/1991">1991 May 29</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Habeas Corpus Application Response</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1991/1991">1991 August 7</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Correspondence to Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1991/1993">1991, 1993</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Open Letter by Robert McGlasson</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1992/1992">1992 Feb 19</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>National Public Radio Transcript</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1992/1992">1992 Oct 7</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Newspaper Clippings, Kept by Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1992/1992">1992 May</unitdate>
</did>
</c>

-<did>
<unittitle>Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Appendix</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Petition for Stay of Execution</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>CBS Evening News "Eye on America" Transcript</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>CBS Evening News "Leo: Eye on America"</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1954/2007">approximately
1992</unitdate>
<container label="Mixed Materials" type="Video-tape" id="aspace_">1
(Herrera Collection)</container>
<container type="Folder" id="aspace_" parent="aspace_"></container>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Leonel Herrera and Gary Graham Rally Memo</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Request to the Governor for Ninety Day Reprieve of Death
Sentence</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Personal Correspondence to Norma Herrera</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Leonel Herrera Funeral Pamphlets</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1954/2007">probably 1993</unitdate>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Herrera Family Album</unittitle>
<unitdate type="inclusive" normal="1954/2007">Undated</unitdate>
<container label="Mixed Materials" type="Oversized" id="aspace_">1
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Herrera Family Album 1/2</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Herrera Family Album 2/2</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Newspaper Clippings</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Photos of Anti-Execution Rally</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Photos of Leonel Herrera Grave</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>Religious Memorabilia Owned by Leonel Herrera</unittitle>
</did>
</c>
-<did>
<unittitle>
<title>
<emph render="italic">Video Made for Leo's Appeal</emph>
</title>
</unittitle>
<container label="Mixed Materials" type="Video-tape" id="aspace_">2
<container type="Folder" id="aspace_" parent="aspace_"></container>
</did>
</c>
</dsc>
</archdesc>
</ead>

Herrera Collection EAD

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?

<p>As new evidence presented by Herrera's appeal lawyers could not be

-<c level="file" id="aspace_">

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