GIST: "For 20 years, people have smiled and nodded politely as Charles Keith has made his case that his younger brother Kevin was railroaded into a conviction for a triple murder he says he didn't commit. Charles Keith's life has become monastic; one of court papers, police reports, newspaper clippings and phone calls. He calls himself a "telephone-book lawyer." "I wasn't educated at Ohio State. I was educated by the state of Ohio," he said.  On Valentine's night in 1994, two women and a child were fatally shot in an apartment in Bucyrus, Ohio. Police called it a crime of retribution involving drugs. Kevin Keith, who lived in nearby Crestline, was awaiting trial on a drug trafficking charge. His mugshot was identified by a surviving witness who also was wounded, though the witness told police that the shooter's face was partially covered by a scarf. Another child in the apartment, who also was wounded, told investigators that the shooter was a friend of her father's — not Keith. Eyewitnesses who saw the killer flee the complex could not agree on whether Keith fit the description. Evidence included shoe prints, a partial imprint of a license plate in a snow bank, and a shell casing found in another part of town. No weapon was ever found. Keith, a McKinley High School graduate, was convicted and sentenced to death. The case was even mentioned by then-President Bill Clinton when he visited Crawford County to tout his crime bill. The Keiths may have gotten a break. On Oct. 30, The Columbus Dispatch published an investigation of retired BCI investigator G. Michele Yezzo amid accusations that she was derelict and incompetent in collecting and analyzing evidence, and slanted her findings to benefit prosecutors and police. Yezzo, who testified at Keith's trial, denies the accusations. Yezzo's personnel file contains letters of reprimand and numerous employee complaints of harassment, bullying, racial slurs, and an overall hostile work environment. In 1989, BCI union employees filed a complaint with then-Attorney Gen. Anthony Celebrezze, accusing Yezzo of fostering "never-ceasing conflicts, run-ins and confrontations." In at least one incident, Yezzo's own union, the Fraternal Order of Police, refused to support her. In 1993, she was placed on a 10-day administrative leave. On July 1, former Ohio Attorney General Lee Fisher filed an affidavit with Crawford County Common Pleas Court, listing several concerns about Yezzo's investigation of Keith's case. Fisher, who was in office when Keith was convicted, wrote: "From my review and discussions, I believe Ms. Yezzo's opinions were very likely wrong and that the prejudice in this case is very significant. Ms. Yezzo's testimony has a particular harm in this case because it not only gave the jury forensic evidence to convict Keith Keith but it also directed the police away from another man who certainly should have been closely investigated. "Had I known in 1994 what I know now, I would not have permitted Ms. Yezzo to provide testimony against Kevin Keith. I also would have ordered the submitted evidence to be reexamined by a separate analyst. ...I'm deeply concerned Ms. Yezzo's conclusion and testimony led to a miscarriage of justice in Mr. Keith's case.  Retired FBI forensic investigator William Bodzik, who reviewed evidence Yezzo presented during Keith's trial, sent a report to his attorney, describing her work as cursory and unsatisfactory. Keith also has the support of former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro, who now opposes the death penalty. However, Keith has exhausted appeals for a new trial. In 2010, two weeks before Keith's execution, then-Gov. Ted Strickland commuted his death sentence to life in prison."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.cantonrep.com/opinion/20161120/charita-m-goshay-investigator-may-have-imperiled-cases-including-canton-mans

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.