URGENT PETITION:
A petition, set up on
'Color of Change' by supporter Marlene Belliveau on behalf of
Rodricus Crawford's family, implores Caddo Parish District Attorney
James
Stewart, "to look at the concrete evidence and facts before you. Mr
Crawford did not kill his son. You have sworn to justice...it is your
duty to exonerate this young man." The petition can be found at the following link. (In
view of the rapidly approaching appeal - set for Wednesday September 7 -
supporters should get their message to Mr. Stewart as soon as possible.
HL);
https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/on-death-row-for-a-murder-that-wasn-t
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: (A): Rodricus Crawford's appeal is set for Wednesday, September 7, 2016. It is imperative that public attention be brought to this appeal as there is a ominous danger that Louisiana will be executing an innocent father whose 1-year-old son died of pneumonia - unless the Louisiana Supreme Court intervenes. (Contrary to the the testimony of the pathologist testifying for the prosecution who dismissed the medical factors as the cause of death without a scientific basis for doing so, also gave his equally unscientific opinion that Rodricus Crawford had smothered Roderius to death - as is demonstrated by forensic evidence (affidavits) filed by his lawyers which will be published later in this series.) As will be seen over the course of the series, it didn't help that Crawford was prosecuted by the notorious Dale Cox in Caddo Parish, which, as the Fair Punishment Project reports, has a disproportionate number of death sentences. I implore whoever reads these posts to share them as widely as possible, to make sure that Louisiana's Supreme Court understands the urgency of stopping this execution in its tracks and put an end to the prosecution. This third post in the series focuses on a letter that Rodricus Crawford's 11-year-old nephew La'Marion wrote because he wanted to help his uncle Rodricus.
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: (B): In the numerous cases I investigated in relation to the former pathologist Charles Smith - who had a knack for turning tragic deaths caused by illness into murders committed by parents, such as Rodricus Crawford, (and care-givers as well) I had the opportunity to talk to many of the saddened, bewildered family members of the grieving parent who had been wrongly investigated and charged let alone convicted to death after the child died of pneumonia. I was therefore moved to learn that Rodricus Crawford's now 11-year-old nephew La'Marion (picture below) had started writing a letter because he wanted to help his uncle Rodricus. I therefore requested a copy of the completed letter, which is so special as La'Marion was only7-years old at the time of his cousin Roderius' death. I am told that La'Marion's vivid account of answering the phone on that awful day, so candid and raw, serves as a reminder that the impact of this tragedy has affected everyone in the family.
Not only has this writing been therapeutic for him in expressing emotions that were guarded until now, it has been helpful to his family in understanding the impact this has had on him as a child.
I am grateful to La'Marion and his mother for permitting me to bring this letter to the attention of our readers. I only wish it could be in front of every member of the Louisiana Supreme Court, when they hear Rodricus Crawford's appeal on Wednesday September 7.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
The letter reads as follows: "My name is La'Marion Sharp. I am Rodricus Crawford 11 year old nephew. I remember the day I was up getting ready for school (I think it was a Thursday because I had an important test) my mother phone rung and she told me to answer because she was in the bathroom. When i answered the phone it was my Aunt Shamichael sound like she was crying asking me Stank where your mama at? I took my mother the phone and she started crying and we got in our white car and left. We went to my Great Grandmother Betty Jean house and I remember police everywhere and they was taking all my grandmother stuff out her house in black bags. My Grandmother Abbie Gail was crying. Everybody all around me was crying. I don't know how Rodricus got in the police car but i looked over there and my Uncle was in the car. I remember everybody still crying the whole time. I hugged my mom and she said something like BoBo died. I started crying. I had to use the lady bathroom across the street that my granny knew because I couldn't go in the house. I remember a man coming up to me askimg me some questions but I can't remember what he asked me because I could barely hear him. All my family started coming and we stayed at my Granny house for alot of days with her because she was sad and crying. These were the worst days of my life seeing my Granny Aunties and Mother cry. I didn't know what to do. I remembered at church my Pastor Dent said when something going wrong just pray. So I prayed for them and my Uncle and Kissy. I remember going to BoBo funeral. He was clean with his Polo shirt on but that really didn't look like BoBo. When my Granny said she won't see BoBo no more I started crying and my daddy took me to the store to get some Hot chips and when we came back it was over. I wish BoBo was still here so I can play with him and teach him how to play football because he was fat. When he came over our house when we lived on Canal St. my Mama bought him a happy meal and he was eating it. I wish my Uncle Rodricus will get out of jail. Everyday my mama tell us don't forget to pray for our Uncle Rodricus. I even Google his name on my cell phone and read about him. Alot of it is not true because my Uncle didn't kill BoBo or he is not a bad person. He was a great Uncle and a loving person. He was the life of the party. If you was sad he was the one to make you smile. Don't think just because he was funny he couldn't give you a good life lesson. He always talked to me about football. Even now when he writes me he tells me to make a touch down for him and stay in school and plus he say I bet not be messing with them little girls.
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
I am monitoring this case. 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;
