Friday, October 8, 2010

DATES FOR CALENDAR: MAJOR CASES THIS BLOG WILL BE FOLLOWING IN THE NEXT THIRTY DAYS; MUCH GRIST FOR OUR FORENSIC MILL!

October 13, 2010; Hank Skinner: Will the U.S. Supreme Court open the door to the DNA tests that Hank Skinner says will show that he is innocent?

October 14, 2010; Cameron Todd Willingham: Will judge Baird recuse himself from the case - as requested by prosecutors - or will he choose to conduct the Court of Inquiry into whether Texas executed an innocent man?

October 18, 2010; Alan Shadrake: Back in court on vague charges of casting doubt on the impartiality and independence of the judiciary. Will this be a vIctory for freedom of expression in Singapore? (The world is watching!);

October 19, 2010; World Premiere of Documentary about Todd Willingham "Death by Fire". Documentary can be watched on air and online beginning Tuesday, October 19th at 9 pm on PBS (check local listings) and at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/death-by-fire.

November 8, 2010: Judge Kevin Fine holds a hearing to determine whether there's a substantial risk the state's death penalty law law allows for the possible execution of an innocent person. Judge Fine's decision to allow evidence concerning whether the Texas death penalty is constitutional has sent shock waves across the state, including Wichita Falls, as many elected officials have expressed their displeasure with his decision.

Decision pending; (No fixed date set for release:

Sharon Keller: How will a special court of review rule on Presiding Judge Sharon Keller’s motion to void her rebuke over a 2007 death-row appeal that never got filed in her court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals? The court must decide whether to dismiss the charges against Keller or proceed with her appeal of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct rebuke. The agency found that Keller violated her judicial duties by closing her court to an after-hours appeal from inmate Michael Richard, who was executed later that night for rape and murder.

John Thompson: U.S. Supreme Court: Will the USA's highest court permit him to retain his #14 million judgment - or will the court back off holding prosecutor's accountable in the circumstances.

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be accessed at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=120008354894645705&postID=8369513443994476774

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;