Booker Diggins: Louisiana; Judge changes mind and decides against new trial for allegedly robbing and raping a woman in 1987 as exoneration attempt, originally backed by the Innocence Project, implodes. But the story, referred to by The Advocate as reading like a "legal thriller," is not over yet. His lawyer vows to appeal.

 STORY:  "Convicted rapist won't get new trial, is sent back to Angola by judge: No new trial based on DNA from '87 crime," by reporter Claire Galofaro, published by the Advocate on September 25, 2013.

 GIST: "One of the most tangled sagas in recent memory at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court came to an unexpected end Wednesday, when a judge reversed his own order and sent a convicted rapist, once seemingly exonerated, back to prison for the rest of his life. Booker Diggins, once hours away from walking out of prison a free man, will no longer get a new trial for allegedly robbing and raping a woman in 1987. Criminal District Court Judge Frank Marullo changed his mind and scrapped his order overturning Diggins’ 1988 conviction. He reinstated his original conviction and sentence, sending Diggins back to spend the rest of his life at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. This history of the Diggins case reads like a legal thriller........."

The entire story can be found at:

http://theadvocate.com/news/7157776-123/convicted-rapist-wont-get-new

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.

I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located  near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.

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

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