Mother Convicted in Son's Slaying Gets New Trial

May 26, 2005 — -- Three years ago this month, an Illinois jury unanimously found Julie Rea-Harper guilty of the brutal stabbing death of her 10-year-old son, Joel Kirkpatrick, and sentenced her to 65 years in state prison.

Two years into her sentence, however, an appeals court dismissed her conviction.

Rea-Harper was released from prison in July 2004, after the appeals court ruled that the appointment of lawyers from the state appellate prosecutor's office to obtain the indictment and to prosecute the case violated state law. That law has since been amended to allow attorneys from the office to handle murder cases, and Rea-Harper will face the same prosecutors in a new trial on first-degree murder charges brought by the state.

A series of developments in the case continue to cast it back in the spotlight. Tommy Lynn Sells, a convicted serial killer on death row in Texas, has claimed multiple times that he murdered a boy around the time and place Rea-Harper's son was killed. At least three of his confessions have been publicly recorded. Diane Fanning included Sells' confession to her in a chapter of "Through the Window," her biography of Sells. His confession to Illinois Special Prosecutor David Rands and two Illinois State Police officers was recorded on audiotape. And a third confession -- to "20/20" corrspondent Lynn Sherr -- was videotaped. [Click here to read the transcript of Lynn Sherr's interview with Tommy Lynn Sells.]

In a victory for Rea-Harper's defense team, the Illinois trial court judge in Lawrence County ruled in March of this year that Sells' confessions would be permitted as evidence in her new trial. It will be compelling testimony given that Sells has recounted committing a murder at the same time and in the same area of the country.

The question now is whether Sells' confessions are credible.

Sells claims he entered a home at night, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, entered a bedroom and began stabbing. He further recounted being surprised by a woman and wrestling with her both inside and outside of the house before fleeing.

All of these events are similar to those recounted by Rea-Harper in her original trial defense. They also match the methods used by Sells in other murders he has confessed to and been convicted of.

State prosecutors have said they don't believe Sells' confession. Rea-Harper's defense team believes it strongly. The showdown in trial court is expected to begin in early December.

"20/20" will continue to cover this story as it unfolds and add to the reporting that began nearly three years ago when Julie Rea-Harper was originally convicted of the crime. [To read "20/20's" original report, see Related Stories.]