BACKGROUND: "
The case against Strickland, who was 18 when he was arrested, was “thin from its inception” and relied almost entirely on the testimony of a traumatized woman who was shot during the murders, prosecutors now say. They began reviewing Strickland’s conviction in November after speaking with his lawyers and reviewing a Star investigation into his innocence claim. For decades, two men who pleaded guilty in the April 25, 1978, murders at 6934 S. Benton Ave. swore Strickland was not with them and two other accomplices during the shooting. The lone eyewitness also recanted and wanted Strickland released. A third suspect, who was never charged, said in 2019 that he knew there “couldn’t be a more innocent person than” Strickland, according to a Midwest Innocence Project investigator…………….Last month, a bill sent by lawmakers to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk would allow Baker to ask a judge to free Strickland. If signed, it would clear the way for innocence claims to be brought before trial courts whenever a prosecutor believes a person is innocent. At the time, Baker celebrated the General Assembly’s action. “My hope is that Mr. Strickland will not need this new fix because his case is before the Supreme Court now,” she said in a statement. “But I will use any pathway available to exonerate and free him.” Parson could also grant Strickland clemency. In May, the governor’s office said it was aware of Strickland’s case but declined to comment further.” Kansas City Star: June 8, 2021.https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article251833728.html: "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STORY: "Man held for decades on crime he did not commit now gets an expedited trial." by Reporter Matt Hoffmann, published by News-Press NOW on July 12, 2021.
GIST: "A man held at a Northwest Missouri prison was granted an expedited trial Monday after a Daviess County judge found he was wrongly held. The trial is set for August 12-13.
Kevin Strickland is being held at the Western Missouri Correctional Center for a 1978 triple homicide prosecutors say he didn't commit, though the governor declined to pardon him. Daviess County Judge Ryan Horsman ordered Strickland a new trial during a habeas corpus petition hearing in Maysville, Missouri."
The entire story can be read at:
https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/courts/man-held-for-decades-on-crime-he-didnt-commit-now-gets-an-expedited-trial/article_efbc72a2-e336-11eb-a478-a787ab51f818.html
Check this link for updates. HL.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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;
—————————————————————————————————
FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they’ve exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
