BACKGROUND: "On April 20, 2017, after 24 years in prison, Ledell Lee was executed for the 1993 murder of Debra Reese in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Lee always maintained his innocence — from the day he was arrested to the day he was executed. Lee was denied DNA testing which could have proven his innocence. And even after his execution, local officials still refuse to test the DNA or search unidentified fingerprints from the crime scene in the national print database. Now, new analysis from top forensic experts provides further reason to doubt Lee’s guilt. This evidence could identify the person who killed Debra Reese and posthumously exonerate Lee — but local officials are still refusing to release it for testing. The Innocence Project, the ACLU, the ACLU of Arkansas, the law firm Hogan Lovells US LLP, and Little Rock attorney John Tull are suing on behalf of Lee's sister Patricia Young to demand this evidence be tested."
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BULLETIN: "Arkansas judge OKs testing of evidence on executed inmate...An Arkansas judge on Tuesday approved an agreement to allow new tests of fingerprint and DNA evidence that two groups say could exonerate a man executed in 2017.".........Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen approved the agreement between the city of Jacksonville and the sister of Ledell Lee, who was executed for the 1993 slaying of Debra Reese. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Innocence Project had sued the city seeking the evidence released. "The entire bulletin can be read at:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/crime/article/Arkansas-judge-OKs-testing-of-evidence-on-15030357.php
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;
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FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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