BACKGROUND: Myon Burrell was 16 when he was apprehended in the 2002 death of an 11-year-old African American girl, killed by a stray bullet while doing her homework. No gun, fingerprints or DNA were ever recovered, and the case against Burrell relied on the testimony of a teen rival who offered conflicting stories when identifying the trigger man, who was standing 120 feet away, mostly behind a wall, the AP reported. The AP also uncovered questionable police tactics in the case, including an investigator who offered cash for information, and interviewed a prison inmate who said that he was the triggerman and that Burrell was not on the scene when Tyesha Edwards was shot and killed.
The Associated Press;
----------------------------------------------------------
PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Tyesha was killed by a stray bullet while doing her homework inside her house. Burrell, who was found guilty when Klobuchar was the chief prosecutor, has consistently maintained his innocence. “While the second trial and conviction of Myon Burrell occurred after I left the office, I continue to feel an obligation to ensure that justice is done,” Klobuchar wrote. “That is why, in addition to my request for a review of the new and old evidence in this case, I am asking you to call for an independent investigation and an independent review of the case.” The Minnesota senator received heat on the 2020 primary campaign trail for her involvement in the case after The Associated Press published a yearlong investigation regarding the police investigation and evidence that put Burrell, then 16, behind bars for life."
------------------------------------------------------------
STORY: "Amy Klobuchar Calls For Independent Investigation Into Myon Burrell Case," by reporter Breaking News and Politics Reporter Sanjana Karanth, published by The Huffington Post on March 6, 2020.
SUB-HEADING: The senator urged Hennepin County’s top prosecutor to call for an independent review of the case Klobuchar handled that imprisoned a Black teen for life.
GIST: "Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) urged a top prosecutor in her home state of Minnesota to initiate an independent investigation into the high-profile case of Myon Burrell, a Black teen Klobuchar helped get sentenced to life in prison in 2002. In a letter Thursday to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Klobuchar wrote about how the county’s office twice tried Burrell’s case involving the slaying of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards. Tyesha was killed by a stray bullet while doing her homework inside her house. Burrell, who was found guilty when Klobuchar was the chief prosecutor, has consistently maintained his innocence. “While the second trial and conviction of Myon Burrell occurred after I left the office, I continue to feel an obligation to ensure that justice is done,” Klobuchar wrote. “That is why, in addition to my request for a review of the new and old evidence in this case, I am asking you to call for an independent investigation and an independent review of the case.” The Minnesota senator received heat on the 2020 primary campaign trail for her involvement in the case after The Associated Press published a yearlong investigation regarding the police investigation and evidence that put Burrell, then 16, behind bars for life. The AP report raised questions about whether Burrell, now 33, was wrongfully convicted in Tyesha’s shooting death. “While the second trial and conviction of Myon Burrell occurred after I left the office, I continue to feel an obligation to ensure that justice is done,” Klobuchar wrote. “That is why, in addition to my request for a review of the new and old evidence in this case, I am asking you to call for an independent investigation and an independent review of the case.” The Minnesota senator received heat on the 2020 primary campaign trail for her involvement in the case after The Associated Press published a yearlong investigation regarding the police investigation and evidence that put Burrell, then 16, behind bars for life. The AP report raised questions about whether Burrell, now 33, was wrongfully convicted in Tyesha’s shooting death. On Sunday, Klobuchar canceled a campaign rally in Minnesota after protesters demanded she drop out of the presidential race over her handling of Burrell’s case. Demonstrators from the NAACP’s Minneapolis chapter and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities took the stage chanting “Free Myon” while holding signs that read “SHAME.” The next day, Klobuchar dropped out. Klobuchar told Freeman in her letter that she met with Burrell’s family on Tuesday and told them she believes “that if any injustice was done in the quest for justice for Tyesha Edwards, it must be addressed.” Criminal justice reform advocates have criticized Klobuchar’s record of aggressive prosecution ― which included pushing for harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenders ― for contributing to the mass incarceration of Black and brown people. Her policies reflected the “tough on crime” approach to criminal justice that fueled mass incarceration but was widely applauded at the time. But the country’s views of criminal justice have shifted from a punitive approach to a more restorative one. “Since I have left the office, new conviction integrity work has occurred in prosecutors’ offices across the country,” Klobuchar wrote. “Many offices include Conviction Integrity Units, something I support. In recent years, work is also being done in the area of sentencing integrity to allow the system to look back at sentences to ensure that they are just. I think these are worthy and important ideas that advance the cause of justice. I will continue to advocate that our federal, state and individual offices throughout the country undertake these reviews.” The NAACP, which has repeatedly called for accountability from Klobuchar over the years and especially during her presidential campaign, said Thursday that the senator “displayed real leadership” by calling for an independent investigation into Burrell’s case. “The acknowledgment that this case warrants a review is the first step to righting the wrongs that were committed against Myon and the victim’s family,” said Leslie Redmond, president of the NAACP’s Minneapolis branch. “As the calls for an independent investigation grow, we expect that Attorney Mike Freeman will have the courage to assure justice and liberty is fairly granted. Freeman’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on whether he plans to call for an independent investigation. The county attorney released a video last month saying he believes “the right man was convicted in this heinous crime” but that his office will review any new evidence submitted."
The entire story can be read at:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/amy-klobuchar-independent-investigation-myon-burrell_n_5e6198fcc5b691b525efd42c?ncid=newsltushpmgnews
The entire story can be read at:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/amy-klobuchar-independent-investigation-myon-burrell_n_5e6198fcc5b691b525efd42c?ncid=newsltushpmgnews
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;
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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;
------------------------------------------------------------------
