Monday, June 25, 2018

Brendan Dassey: Wisconsin: False confession case: His co-counsel, Jerome Buting, has just had published a book called "Illusion of Justice: Inside Making A Murderer And America's Broken System" - to the background of bad news: The U.S. Supreme Court has just rejected Dassey's application for leave to appeal.)

 

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This Blog is interested in false confessions because of the disturbing  number of exonerations in the USA, Canada and multiple other jurisdictions throughout the world, where, in the absence of incriminating forensic evidence the conviction is based on self-incrimination – and because of the growing body of  scientific research showing how vulnerable suspects   are to widely used interrogation methods  such as  the notorious ‘Reid Technique.’

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY "It's a broken system right now. It really is. Particularly for people who don't have resources," said Buting. Buting represented Steven Avery in a case that became the subject of the popular Netflix documentary "Making A Murderer." Buting is now an author and has written "Illusion of Justice: Inside Making A Murderer And America's Broken System."

STORY: "'Making A Murderer' Lawyer Takes On Justice System In New Book," published  by  Lex18.com,  on June 12, 2018.

GIST:  "A criminal defense attorney in a high-profile murder cases was in Lexington (Kentucky) on Tuesday to talk about his new book. Jerome Buting knows that America's judicial system has its flaws. "It's a broken system right now. It really is. Particularly for people who don't have resources," said Buting. Buting represented Steven Avery in a case that became the subject of the popular Netflix documentary "Making A Murderer." Buting is now an author and has written "Illusion of Justice: Inside Making A Murderer And America's Broken System." The release comes as Brendan Dassey, a co-defendant in the murder case of Teresa Halbeck, could have his verdict overturned by nine justices in D.C. ”They may or may not take the case. They're at a point where they have to decide if they should hear his appeal," said Buting. Buting will hope for that hearing and a reversal. He stands firm in his belief that neither his client, Steven Avery, nor Brendan Dassey, committed the crimes of which they were accused and convicted. "Unfortunately, the judge ruled we couldn't point the finger at anybody, so Steven's jury never got to evaluate whether or not someone else could have done it," said Buting. Buting said that could be because of Dassey's confession as a 16-year-old. To this day, it remains possibly the biggest misuse of evidence Buting said he has ever seen.  They knew they were dealing with someone with limitations and they went too far," he said. "It's really time for the courts to say, 'enough is enough.'" Buting's book can be purchased on Amazon. On Tuesday, he hosted a book signing at the Kentucky Theater in Lexington."

The entire story can be found at:
http://www.lex18.com/story/38407141/lawyer-from-making-a-murderer-releases-book-about-american-justice-system

"Illusion of Justice: Inside Making A Murderer And America's Broken System", can be purchased from Amazon at the link below: "Over his career, Jerome F. Buting has spent hundreds of hours in courtrooms representing defendants in criminal trials. When he agreed to join Dean Strang as co-counsel for the defense in Steven A. Avery vs. State of Wisconsin, he knew a tough fight lay ahead. But, as he reveals in Illusion of Justice, no-one could have predicted just how tough and twisted that fight would be—or that it would become the center of the documentary Making a Murderer, which made Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey household names and thrust Buting into the spotlight. Buting’s powerful, riveting boots-on-the-ground narrative of Avery’s and Dassey’s cases becomes a springboard to examine the shaky integrity of law enforcement and justice in the United States, which Buting has witnessed firsthand for more than 35 years. From his early career as a public defender to his success overturning wrongful convictions working with the Innocence Project, his story provides a compelling expert view into the high-stakes arena of criminal defense law; the difficulties of forensic science; and a horrifying reality of biased interrogations, coerced or false confessions, faulty eyewitness testimony, official misconduct, and more. Combining narrative reportage with critical commentary and personal reflection, Buting explores his professional and personal motivations, career-defining cases—including his shocking fifteen-year-long fight to clear the name of another man wrongly accused and convicted of murder—and what must happen if our broken system is to be saved. Taking a place beside Just Mercy and The New Jim Crow, Illusion of Justice is a tour-de-force from a relentless and eloquent advocate for justice who is determined to fulfill his professional responsibility and, in the face of overwhelming odds, make America’s judicial system work as it is designed to do."

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Illusion-Justice-Inside-Murderer-Americas/dp/0062569317/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0/260-0355107-6776615?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SMYMCKPX32D4ZFR8A2CY

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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 found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;