10 Apr Jailhouse Snitches and Prosecutors that use it

JAILHOUSE SNITCHES, THEIR TESTIMONY, AND THE PROSECUTORS THAT USE IT TO GET FALSE CONVICTIONS. Recently our friends at The National Registry of Exonerations looked back through their list to determine the amount of cases on their registry that included testimony by a jailhouse informant. Unfortunately it is not a rare situation for the State to offer a jailhouse informant as a witness, someone who is strongly motivated to lie in order to receive something in return. More often than not the prosecutor will mislead or withhold the deal they have struck from the defense, and as a result innocent people have been sent to prison, even death row, and in the case of Cameron Todd Willingham executed.

14 Mar THE TRIAL OF LEO FRANK, Part 2

THE MURDER THAT SHOCKED GEORGIA AND THE TRIAL OF LEO FRANK PART-TWO As the July 28 date for the opening of the Frank trial approached, Atlanta detectives, Solicitor Dorsey, and Conley's own lawyer, William Smith, engaged Jim Conley in what later be called "midnight séances": late-night sessions designed to turn Conley into the most effective possible prosecution witness. The men smoothed and refined the content of the sweeper’s testimony, as well as educated him on the importance of maintaining eye contact with the jury and other fine points of polished delivery. Smith played the role of Frank's lead lawyer, Luther Rosser, subjecting Conley to test-runs of what was expected to be one of the roughest cross-examinations in Georgia's criminal trial history. Smith later candidly stated his primary goal was "to render Conley impervious to cross-examination."

13 Mar THE TRIAL OF LEO FRANK Part 1

THE MURDER THAT SHOCKED GEORGIA AND THE TRIAL OF LEO FRANK PART-ONE Around 3 a.m. on April 27, 1913, Newt Lee, the night watchman for the National Pencil Factory, carried a lantern with him to the factory basement to help him light his way to the "Negro toilet." When his light fell upon a prone human form, Lee called Atlanta police, who arrived ten minutes later. The body was that of a thirteen-year-old girl. Her skull was dented and caked with blood. A piece of jute rope was wrapped around her neck. A worker at the factory called to the scene identified the body: "Oh my God! That's Mary Phagan."

26 Feb THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE, Part 5

THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE PART FIVE - THE JURY DELIBERATES AND THE AFTERMATH Jury deliberations began on Wednesday, June 16, sequestered in a windowless room with institutional-green walls. Television news trucks filled the parking lots, and reporters invaded Boise's local establishments, sitting on pins and needles waiting for word.

21 Feb THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE, Part 4

THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE PART FOUR - THE CLOSING ARGUMENT OF GERRY SPENCE ON BEHALF OF RANDY WEAVER (as transcribed June 15, 1993) *(This is long, but worth it.) Thank you, Your Honor. If it may please the court, please counsel, ladies and gentlemen of the jury....

20 Feb THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE, Part 3

THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE PART THREE - GERRY SPENCE FOR THE DEFENSE, AND THE TRIAL OF RANDY WEAVER AND KEVIN HARRIS. On the same day that Randy Weaver surrendered to law enforcement, he met with attorney, Gerry Spence. Spence (born Gerald Leonard Spence, 1929), was and...

19 Feb THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE, Part 2

THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE PART TWO - THE SEIGE Kevin Harris, the teenager who had been taken in by the Weavers, Sammy Weaver, and Striker, the family dog, were walking down the trail to their home. They heard a noise coming from the brush. Striker led...

18 Feb THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE, Part One

THE INCIDENT AT RUBY RIDGE I'm going to do a series on an important event in American history, the incident at Ruby Ridge. I have wanted to do this for a couple of reasons, I believe that Ruby Ridge is a poster child for abusive governmental...