04:40 PM CST on Tuesday, February 28, 2006

By Mike Zientek & Reggie Aqui / 11 News

Video: Reggie Aqui's 11 News report

Audio: Mike Zientek's 11 News report

Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman testified on behalf of convicted killer Max Soffar on Tuesday.

KHOU

Friedman told jurors he believes Soffar is innocent.

Soffar was convicted last week of killing three people at a Houston bowling alley in 1980. His first conviction and death sentence were overturned on appeal.

Friedman testified he doesn't believe Soffar should be executed because he believes he is innocent.

"The system is imperfect," Friedman said after testifying. "There's no evidence against him and I can't believe he was brought to trial in the first place."

Friedman said he met Soffar while writing an article for Texas Monthly. He interviewed Soffar twice and death row and exchanged letters with him through the years.

Friedman was only on the stand for a few minutes.

"I've seen the problems with the lawyers, everybody's dead, all the witnesses are dead, there's no evidence against him," Friedman said. "I said he had a higher innocence, an earned innocence, an achieved innocence. Like a guy who comes back from Iraq or Vietnam, from a war. He's struggled with his demons and has conquered them."

Victims' families react to Friedman's testimony

Jurors also heard from Jackie Bryant whose sister was killed at the bowling alley.

"It's very hard to believe that it's been 25 years because you know, the pain is still there," Bryant said. "It's very fresh, it's very raw, and he has had a chance to live for 25 years and get married and experience things in life that my sister never had a chance to do."

Bryant hopes Soffar gets the death penalty and she wasn't swayed by Friedman's testimony.

"He has a political agenda in mind. And I don't see how he could possibly know Max Soffar well enough to make a determination of guilt or innocence," said Bryant.

Testimony in the punishment phase ended shortly after Friedman's testimony and the trial wrapped up for the day.

Jurors will return for closing arguments Wednesday before deciding whether to sentence Soffar to life or death.