Paul “Greg” House, who spent two decades on Death Row in Tennessee before being liberated and becoming an advocate against the death penalty, passed away on March 22 at 63, as reported by his legal team. House’s release was fervently supported by both his legal counsel and his mother, Joyce House, and he spent the remaining 17 years of his life with his family. He died peacefully, knowing that his innocence had been acknowledged.
House’s death was due to complications arising from pneumonia and a long-standing battle with multiple sclerosis. His legal troubles began in 1986 when he was convicted for the murder of his neighbor, Carolyn Muncey, prompting a death sentence. Despite maintaining his innocence, his appeals for a new trial were initially unsuccessful. In 2004, one judge on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals expressed significant doubt, describing the situation as a genuine murder mystery where the wrong man might suffer execution.
The case advanced to the U.S. Supreme Court, which, in 2006, determined that new DNA evidence would have prevented House’s conviction. Despite this ruling, House remained incarcerated until he was granted a $100,000 bond in 2008, paid by an anonymous benefactor. Upon his release, House expressed joy and anticipation for simple pleasures like home-cooked meals.
For a time, House lived under house arrest at his mother’s home, with the shadow of another trial looming overhead. Eventually, in May 2009, state prosecutors decided to drop the charges. Joyce House vividly recalls the relief of the moment, likening it to being on “Cloud Nine.”
Stacy Rector, the director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, was a close collaborator with Joyce House in campaigning for Paul’s release. Post-release, Paul House shared his experiences through the group Witness to Innocence, comprised of former death row inmates and their families advocating against capital punishment. Rector noted House’s candidness about his treatment by the justice system and his occasional spicy language.
After his release, House found contentment living with his mother despite mobility issues. He deeply appreciated the care he received and his mother’s cooking, reflecting the solace and comfort he experienced in his final years.