PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "This evidence, attorneys
argue, is among several allegations uncovered years later that a jury never
heard, including:
— An alternative suspect’s statement he
was paid to “cripple” the informant responsible for the drug raid just weeks
before the shootings.
— Documents showing the same suspect
was known during crimes to wear a mask similar to the one Keith was alleged to
have worn that night.
— The location of a bullet casing used
to implicate Keith may have been wrong.
--------------------------------------------------------------
SECOND PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "In 2010, then-Gov. Ted Strickland commuted
Keith’s sentence to life without parole, citing questions about the evidence
and a “troubling” failure to investigate other suspects."
--------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "The Supreme Court is expected to decide on Thursday whether they will hear Keith’s arguments, with an announcement next week. Both sides know it is a long shot: the court takes a fraction of such petitions. Keith also has cases pending in lower courts."
--------------------------------------------------------------
STORY: "Ohio Inmate Claims
Innocence in Slaying of 3, Wants Retrial," by reporter Andrew
Welsh-Huggins, Associated Press as published by Forensic Magazine on May
23, 2018.
PHOTO CAPTION: “This July 14, 2010, file photo,
shows Kevin Keith, at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown, Ohio. Keith,
an Ohio inmate who has long maintained his innocence in the 1994 slaying of
three people is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a new trial based on evidence
never heard by a jury. Lawyers for Keith say the personnel file of a state
forensics investigator who worked on his case contains allegations she had a
habit of providing police departments answers they wanted in cases.”
GIST: “From the day of his arrest in
1994 for fatally shooting three people, Kevin Keith has proclaimed his
innocence. He pointed to alibi witnesses who placed him elsewhere, an
alternative suspect and a host of inconsistencies in the evidence against him. Keith’s
arguments did not stop his conviction and death sentence for killing two women
and a 4-year-old girl in what prosecutors said was retaliation for his arrest
in a northern Ohio drug sweep. In 2010, then-Gov. Ted Strickland commuted
Keith’s sentence to life without parole, citing questions about the evidence
and a “troubling” failure to investigate other suspects. Still fighting, Keith,
now 54, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to grant him a new trial based on
evidence never heard by a jury. Keith’s lawyers say the personnel file of a
state forensics investigator who worked on his case contains allegations she
had a habit of providing police departments answers they wanted in cases. Attorneys
for Keith, who is black, also say the file shows the investigator was mentally
unstable and used racial slurs against co-workers. This evidence, attorneys
argue, is among several allegations uncovered years later that a jury never
heard, including:
— An alternative suspect’s statement he
was paid to “cripple” the informant responsible for the drug raid just weeks
before the shootings.
— Documents showing the same suspect
was known during crimes to wear a mask similar to the one Keith was alleged to
have worn that night.
— The location of a bullet casing used
to implicate Keith may have been wrong.
“There is no way what he got in 1994 is
anything close to a fair trial,” said Rachel Troutman, supervising attorney of
the State Public Defender Office’s death penalty division. Killed in the
shootings were Marichell Chatman, 24; her 4-year-old daughter, Marchae; and
Marichell’s 39-year-old aunt, Linda Chatman. Richard Warren, Marichell
Chatman’s boyfriend, survived his injuries and fingered Keith as the shooter.
Keith’s attorneys say he was led by investigators to improperly identify Keith.
Two children survived: Linda Chatman’s niece, 6-year-old Quanita Reeves, and
nephew, 4-year-old Quinton Reeves. The prosecution says a jury already
heard much of the information and came to its own conclusion, one upheld by
dozens of courts over the years. “There is overwhelming evidence of guilt in
this case,” said Matthew Crall, the elected prosecutor for Crawford County,
about 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of Columbus. The Supreme Court is
expected to decide on Thursday whether they will hear Keith’s arguments, with
an announcement next week. Both sides know it is a long shot: the court takes a
fraction of such petitions. Keith also has cases pending in lower courts. At
the heart of Keith’s latest arguments is the personnel file of Michele Yezzo, a
now-retired forensics analyst with the state Bureau of Criminal Identification.
Keith’s attorneys first learned of the file two years ago. Yezzo’s “findings
and conclusions regarding evidence may be suspect. She will stretch the truth
to satisfy a department,” according to a 1989 memo in the file. Yezzo also had
a reputation of giving police answers if they “stroke her,” according to an
investigator’s handwritten notes elsewhere in the file. Prosecutors say lower
courts properly ruled nothing in Yezzo’s personnel file would have made a
difference in the outcome. They also say Yezzo was placed on administrative
leave until she met with a counselor about her interactions with colleagues,
but that was unrelated to her proficiency as an analyst. They also say Yezzo
provided key evidence favoring Keith, that footprints from the scene did not
match his shoes. Strickland, a Democrat, stopped short in a recent interview of
saying Keith is innocent. But there is no question he deserves a new trial based
on problems with the defense, prosecution and investigation, the former
governor said. “Certainly the way I view this case now, it would have been
tragic if Ohio had taken this man’s life,” Strickland said."
The entire story can be read at:
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.
