APPEARING TODAY: SECOND EPISODE OF MY NEW, WEEKLY 'SELFLESS WARRIORS' BLOG:
Ex-Rugby star Joe Karam: Selfless Warrior for David Bain (New Zealand) who, like Iwao Hakamada (first post) was wrongly convicted of murdering a family. Sign 'Follow by email' to have the posts delivered weekly to your inbox. HL.
CHECK IT OUT AT:
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WORDS TO HEED: FROM OUR POST ON KEVIN COOPER'S APPLICATION FOR POST-CONVICTION DNA TESTING; CALIFORNIA: (Applicable wherever a state resists DNA testing): "Blogger/extraordinaire Jeff Gamso's blunt, unequivocal, unforgettable message to the powers that be in California: "JUST TEST THE FUCKING DNA." (Oh yes, Gamso raises, as he does in many of his posts, an important philosophical question: This post is headed: "What is truth, said jesting Pilate."...Says Gamso: "So what's the harm? What, exactly, are they scared of? Don't we want the truth?"
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Excellent analysis of the disturbing 'racial' background to this case:
A TASTE: "The state is now pursuing the execution of Pervis Payne, scheduled for Dec. 3. Payne is a Black man with intellectual disabilities from Millington who was convicted and sentenced to death in 1987. Payne had no criminal history and has been unwavering in his assertion that he is innocent of this crime for more than 30 years. During his trial, prosecutors used racial stereotypes to portray him as a hypersexual, violent drug user who attacked a white woman, even though Payne had no history of drug use. Such unfounded accusations have been used to justify lynching black men since the 1800s. "
Read the entire commentary word for word at:
https://mlk50.com/pervis-payne-and-the-color-of-capital-punishment-in-the-south-24fbc4fbe560
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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