PUBLISHER'S NOTE: (From the Innocence Project: Link below. As per this sentence, referring to incentives to give untruthful testimony. "There are many reasons why a witness might be compelled to provide untruthful testimony. The witness may have been promised cash or something else of value: leniency, reduced charges, a reduced sentence or immunity from prosecution. It's time to add 'sex for lies' to the list. HL.
"The witness may have been promised cash or something else of value: leniency, reduced charges, a reduced sentence or immunity from prosecution. Incentivized witnesses: (The Innocence Project): "There are many reasons why a witness might be compelled to provide untruthful testimony. The witness may have been promised cash or something else of value: leniency, reduced charges, a reduced sentence or immunity from prosecution. All of these motives can be tracked, controlled or otherwise regulated through a requirement that the prosecution disclose its arrangement with an incentivized witness to the defense. However, lying witnesses who have been promised nothing, but nevertheless act based on an expectation of some form of future compensation, fall outside of the scope of a prosecutorial disclosure requirement."
"https://www.innocenceproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Incentivized-Testimony-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Harold Levy. Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "On Thursday (December 5) at a court hearing, a Common Pleas Court judge Scott DiClaudio vacated his life sentence and accepted a plea agreement for third-degree murder, sentencing him to time served. DiClaudio stated that while this was not an exoneration, he called the resolution "appropriate" given the circumstances. Attorney Kevin Mincey, representing Williams, said his client accepted the plea as a means to regain his freedom, adding, "He still maintains his innocence."
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PASSAGE TWO OF THE DAY: "In March, Reuters reported that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was responsible for overturning many convictions such as those tied to the "sex for lies" scheme. Reuters said that many of the prisoners exonerated through Krasner's efforts were Black. While the detectives at the center of the "sex-for-lies" scandal are deceased, the investigation not only calls into question the credibility of past investigations but also highlights the push for accountability with four men now freed."
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STORY: "Freed From Prison After 41 Years in Review of 'Sex for Lies' Scheme, by Reporter Natalie Venegas, published by Newsweek, on December 9, 2024. (Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice issues, healthcare, crime and politics while specializing on marginalized and underrepresented communities. Before joining Newsweek in 2023, Natalie worked with news publications including Adweek, Al Día and Austin Monthly Magazine. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's in journalism."
GIST: A Philadelphia man has been released from prison after 41 years after his conviction was reviewed amid a probe tied to the city's notorious "sex-for-lies" scheme.
What Happened?
Russell Williams, 67, walked out of a Philadelphia prison after 41 years, becoming the fourth person to have his conviction overturned in the "sex for lies" investigation, which was allegedly tainted by detectives who offered to arrange sexual liaisons for witnesses in exchange for false testimony in the 1980s.
Williams was convicted of first-degree murder in 1982 for the killing of Fred Rainey in North Philadelphia.
On Thursday at a court hearing, a Common Pleas Court judge Scott DiClaudio vacated his life sentence and accepted a plea agreement for third-degree murder, sentencing him to time served.
DiClaudio stated that while this was not an exoneration, he called the resolution "appropriate" given the circumstances.
Attorney Kevin Mincey, representing Williams, said his client accepted the plea as a means to regain his freedom, adding, "He still maintains his innocence."
What Is the "Sex for Lies" Scheme?
The case against Williams, along with his co-defendant Andre "Shakur" Harvey—released under similar terms in October—has been marred by allegations of misconduct, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Williams and Harvey were two of three men convicted of killing Rainey on a North Philadelphia street in 1982. The third man died in prison.
The case unraveled when police reportedly withheld crucial evidence, including the existence of two alternate suspects, one of whom was linked to a gambling ring, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The revelations surrounding Williams' case are part of a broader investigation into systemic abuses by a now-deceased group of detectives.
Their tactics have unraveled several convictions, including those of Willie Stokes and William Franklin. Stokes was released in 2022 after spending decades behind bars, following revelations that a key witness in his trial in 1984 was charged with perjury just days after testifying.
Franklin, freed earlier this year after 44 years, saw his conviction overturned when a judge said she found the evidence that detectives had solicited the false testimony "credible and convincing."
In March, Reuters reported that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was responsible for overturning many convictions such as those tied to the "sex for lies" scheme. Reuters said that many of the prisoners exonerated through Krasner's efforts were Black.
While the detectives at the center of the "sex-for-lies" scandal are deceased, the investigation not only calls into question the credibility of past investigations but also highlights the push for accountability with four men now freed."
The entire story can be read at:
https://www.newsweek.com/man-released-prison-after-years-review-sex-lies-scheme-1997971
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. 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.
SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
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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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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;
