"More than once, those of us who worked on Tim’s case said someone should tell the true story of what happened to him. We knew that if the story, which was far deeper than the one described by headlines and thirty-second TV spots, could just get out there, more people would come to understand that what happened to Tim Cole was by no means a rare aberration. We knew that if all the facts of this case were revealed, the public might have a lesson in injustice and what it takes to fix it."
Jeff Blackburn: foreward to "A Plea for Justice: The Timothy Cole Story"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Reporter Fred B. McKinley has written a soon to be published book about the horrifying wrongful prosecution and execution of Timothy Cole. The forward, by Jeff Blackburn, founder and chief counsel, the Innocence Project of Texas indicates why this promises to be a very important work.
Harold Levy:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In 1985, Tim Cole, a college student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, was arrested on a brutal rape charge," the foreward begins.
"A decent young man with his whole life ahead of him, he was convicted, sentenced, and sent to prison, where he died during an asthma attack. He was entirely innocent of the crime of which he was accused," it continues.
"Those of us who work to free the innocent in Texas confront a great many problems: the legal system is a stacked deck; there is no real funding for the work; there are too many people who have been framed in this state; and too few volunteers to work at getting them released. The worst problem of all, however, is the lack of public support.
As the founder of, and chief counsel for, the Innocence Project of Texas, I travel all over the state trying to garner support for our movement. From Rotary clubs and rallies, church groups and caucuses, I’ve learned that freeing the innocent is not a popular cause. I’ve come to realize that most people believe very few of their fellow citizens are falsely convicted. They think the problem, such as it is, is being handled by the system. Finally, they’re convinced that nothing like this could ever happen to them.
A Plea For Justice: The Timothy Cole Story demonstrates how misguided such thinking is. Objective and detailed, the book reveals the facts of this tragic case. McKinley’s authorial voice is not overheated, rhetorical, or angry, and he grinds no political axes. Instead, he sets out a balanced account of just what happened. By telling the story as an honest reporter, McKinley has done more to reveal the flaws of the Texas system than any reform advocate or “movement person” ever could.
More than once, those of us who worked on Tim’s case said someone should tell the true story of what happened to him. We knew that if the story, which was far deeper than the one described by headlines and thirty-second TV spots, could just get out there, more people would come to understand that what happened to Tim Cole was by no means a rare aberration. We knew that if all the facts of this case were revealed, the public might have a lesson in injustice and what it takes to fix it.
As it turns out, Fred B. McKinley is the writer who has told the story. Anyone who wants to know the truth about how our criminal justice system really works should read this book. Anyone who wants to know what the system does to its victims should also read it. When told well, as in these pages, truth has the power to change people’s minds.
Until that day, some of us will keep fighting for the Tim Coles of the world, but now, armed with this book, we'll do so with more faith than we had before.
Details for purchasing "A Plea for Justice: The Timothy Cole Story" can be found at:
http://www.timothybriancole.com/
Harold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com;
Is The Age of Progressive Prosecutors Over?
20 hours ago
