PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Although Governor Greitens has been forced to resign in disgrace, he deserves credit for commuting Rodney Lincoln's sentence, as overdue that this may be. The former governor has nothing gain from this commutation. Rodney Lincoln's story belongs in this Blog's 'enough to make you weep' department for several reasons - let alone the fact that in the face of exculpatory DNA evidence the State of Misouri kept fighting his appeals.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
-----------------------------------------------------------
PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Decades after the murder, the victim’s daughter told prosecutors how police manipulated her into wrongly identifying Lincoln. “I had to tell you guys. Rodney did not do that. He was not in my house,” the victim’s daughter later told prosecutors in a recorded interview. “I would be willing to take a lie detector or whatever you want but he was not in the house. He did not kill my mom,” the victim’s daughter said. She agreed to the taped interview after learning Lincoln is left handed, unlike the man who killed her mom and stabbed her. “He sat on top of me and used this hand [right hand] to stab me. I told the cops that,” the victim said in the recorded interview. DNA tests later showed the hair presented at trial is not Lincoln’s, but the state keeps fighting his appeals.“They’ll do whatever they have to do to get a conviction,” Lincoln said.""
STORY: "Governor Greitens pardon's Rodney Lincoln," published by KSHB on June 2, 2018.
Read the 41 Action News story referred to above at the following link. It's headed: "Innocence isn't enough to free wrongly imprisoned", by Patrick Fazio, and produced by Taylor Shaw: "Innocent until proven guilty is a fundamental right in America’s criminal justice system. If you are ever wrongly accused, you might think your best defense is your innocence. Our 41 Action News year-long investigation uncovered a disturbing trend – innocence is not always enough, especially in Missouri.........The Midwest Innocence Project said 550 inmates are on its waiting list for legal help. Independent studies estimate two to five percent of all felony convicts in the U.S. are wrongly imprisoned. “Even if it’s only two to five percent, that’s a lot of people in our five-state region. That’s like 5,000 people,” said Tricia Bushnell, Midwest Innocence Project director. Bushnell said they only have enough staff to work on the most obvious innocence cases -- 16 right now. “The victim wants him out. That’s what’s incredibly shocking,” Bushnell said of Rodney Lincoln’s case. Previous story: 34 years later: Rodney Lincoln gets chance to prove his innocence in 1982 St. Louis murder The then 7-year-old victim’s daughter in that case told police in 1982 that a man with short hair murdered her mom. But detectives made her pick from a lineup of men with long hair. except for Lincoln.........Photo caption. "Decades after the murder, the victim’s daughter told prosecutors how police manipulated her into wrongly identifying Rodney Lincoln."......... “That little girl walked up in front of me and pointed her finger at me. I can’t describe the pain,” Lincoln said. Police arrested him for the murder of the girl’s mother in St. Louis. He’s serving a life sentence for it. “I’ve lasted this long because I know I’m innocent,” Lincoln said. Decades after the murder, the victim’s daughter told prosecutors how police manipulated her into wrongly identifying Lincoln. “I had to tell you guys. Rodney did not do that. He was not in my house,” the victim’s daughter later told prosecutors in a recorded interview. “I would be willing to take a lie detector or whatever you want but he was not in the house. He did not kill my mom,” the victim’s daughter said. She agreed to the taped interview after learning Lincoln is left handed, unlike the man who killed her mom and stabbed her. “He sat on top of me and used this hand [right hand] to stab me. I told the cops that,” the victim said in the recorded interview. DNA tests later showed the hair presented at trial is not Lincoln’s, but the state keeps fighting his appeals.“They’ll do whatever they have to do to get a conviction,” Lincoln said."......... Governor Admits Problems.........“Our judicial system is broken,” Missouri Governor Eric Greitens said in January 2017 State of the State Address. During his speech, Greitens acknowledged problems in the state’s court system and talked about upholding the constitution. “I believe in the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees the right to a fair trial and adequate legal representation for all,” Greitens said during his address. "We need a justice system that does justice by all of our people. As a constitutional conservative, I believe, as you do, that the constitution applies to every citizen. I believe in the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees the right to a fair trial and adequate legal representation for all."
https://www.kshb.com/longform/innocence-isnt-enough-to-free-wrongly-imprisoned-especially-in-missouri
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/c
