in Danbury, Stokes County Superior Court judge John O. Craig ordered a new trial for Rex Penland

in Danbury, Stokes County Superior Court judge John O. Craig ordered a new trial for Rex Penland, whose murder conviction in the stabbing of Vernice Alford was thrown in doubt by DNA evidence.
Alford was raped and stabbed to death Nov. 30, 1992. Investigators seized a blood-stained hunting knife from Penland, but DNA testing last year showed that the blood was Penland's and not Alford's. DNA testing also showed that the semen evidence collected in the crime was not Penland's.
Penland, 44, was sentenced to death after his conviction on charges of 1st-degree murder, rape, sexual offense and kidnapping in the slaying. He has been on death row for 11 years.
New tests were ordered by a Stokes County judge last year, after a defense motion, because of advances in the science of DNA testing.