"In a sharply divided decision, the state Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a new trial for Raymond D. “Beaver” Tempest Jr., affirming a lower court ruling that vacated his conviction in the 1982 bludgeoning and strangulation murder of Doreen C. Picard. In a 3-1-1 decision, the majority concluded that the prosecutor who argued the case against Tempest during his 1992 trial unlawfully withheld witness statements that could have changed the verdict had the jury been afforded an opportunity to hear them......... Thursday’s ruling by the high court came after a rare judicial proceeding known as a hearing for post-conviction relief that took place over the span of 24 days in early 2015. The proceeding was spearheaded by lawyers from the New England Innocence Project, who initially sought a new trial in 2004 on grounds that DNA evidence would prove that Tempest was innocent. Ultimately, the judge ruled that the DNA evidence was moot, but he concluded that Tempest’s civil rights were violated by the misconduct of police and prosecutors."
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Raymond Tempest: Rhode Island; Bulletin: The state Supreme Court has upheld a lower court decision that vacated his conviction in the 1982 bludgeoning and strangulation murder of Doreen C. Picard..."Thursday’s ruling by the high court came after a rare judicial proceeding known as a hearing for post-conviction relief that took place over the span of 24 days in early 2015. The proceeding was spearheaded by lawyers from the New England Innocence Project, who initially sought a new trial in 2004 on grounds that DNA evidence would prove that Tempest was innocent. Ultimately, the judge ruled that the DNA evidence was moot, but he concluded that Tempest’s civil rights were violated by the misconduct of police and prosecutors." woonsocketcall.com
"In a sharply divided decision, the state Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a new trial for Raymond D. “Beaver” Tempest Jr., affirming a lower court ruling that vacated his conviction in the 1982 bludgeoning and strangulation murder of Doreen C. Picard. In a 3-1-1 decision, the majority concluded that the prosecutor who argued the case against Tempest during his 1992 trial unlawfully withheld witness statements that could have changed the verdict had the jury been afforded an opportunity to hear them......... Thursday’s ruling by the high court came after a rare judicial proceeding known as a hearing for post-conviction relief that took place over the span of 24 days in early 2015. The proceeding was spearheaded by lawyers from the New England Innocence Project, who initially sought a new trial in 2004 on grounds that DNA evidence would prove that Tempest was innocent. Ultimately, the judge ruled that the DNA evidence was moot, but he concluded that Tempest’s civil rights were violated by the misconduct of police and prosecutors."
