Crime and the Justice System

Fools of Babylon 9/30/07 *

BobbyMeade — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:27:11 -0500

I am bringing back this article because it is the twilight of the Demockracy that it describes. Note that this article includes among other things, the two greatest creations of the English language, my prior experiences with military forums, the truth of the PGW and 9/11, an explanation of pit bulls, the fate of Jim Morrison of the Doors, and the arrival of the prophet Elijah in November 1995.

Summary: In Washington, D.C., Babylon on the Potomac was found "the blood of the saints and of all who have been slain on the earth." (Rev. 18) "O God! Pride of Man, fallen in the dust again!" Quicksilver Messenger Service. 9/25 Bacterial cancers? 9/30 "Worshipping stupidity, heh?"

Coburn blocking 'Emmitt Till' legislation

indy-re — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:45:42 -0600

Senator Tom CoburnOklahoma Republican Senator is blocking a bipartisan bill aimed at enhancing investigations into older civil rights era crimes, like the murder of black teen Emmitt Till in 1957, which has never been solved.

from AP story:

The legislation would authorize $10-million annually over 10 years for the Justice Department to rejuvenate its prosecutions of pre-1970 civil rights murders. It calls for another $3.5-million annually for Justice to provide grants and other help to local law enforcement agencies.

Gov. Henry appoints Chris L. Ross new D.A. in Pontotoc County

BJTJ — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:06:43 -0600

Wrongful conviction case in county was subject of bestselling nonfiction book by John Grisham

The top assistant in the Pontotoc County district attorney's office has been named to head the office. Gov. Brad Henry announced the appointment of Chris L. Ross as district attorney for the 22nd District, which encompasses Pontotoc County, Oklahoma.

Ross succeeds William Peterson, who is resigning effective Jan. 1.

Chris L. Ross, who is 50 has 24 years of experience and has been with the prosecutor's office since 1983. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1979, Ross earned his law degree from the OU College of Law in 1982. Chris Ross is married and has two children.

Oklahoma Hate Actions raise awareness in Oklahoma City

dj — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:19:38 -0600

Start: 12/04/2007 - 4:00pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT-6

OKC Faith Leaders Protest Hate Crimes and Support Federal Anti-Hate Crimes Legislation
(S 1105, Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 )

Events planned in Oklahoma City, on Tuesday, December 4, will respond to the recent hate murder in the city of Steven Domer, targetted, according to Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater, because of his sexual orientation.

Sandra Day O'Conner to speak in Tulsa

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:46:59 -0500

Start: 06/01/2007 - 3:30pm

End: 06/01/2007 - 5:00pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT-5

Please join
The University Of Tulsa
College Of Law
For A Conversation With
The Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice (Retired)

A Life in the Law
Friday, June 1, 2007
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Great Hall
Allen Chapman Activity Center

Moderated by
Judge Robert H. Henry
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit

NBC Dateline 5/22 to feature Oklahoma wrongful convictions

Sat, 19 May 2007 07:23:52 -0500

NBC Dateline Tuesday May 22
The Ada Hour
Injustice of Wrongful Convictions Featuring Dennis Fritz Author of Journey Toward Justice

NBC Dateline will air on Tuesday May 22 The Ada Hour.
The Ada Hour will chronicle the repeated injustice of wrongful convictions.

In addition to John Grisham, District Attorney Bill Peterson, Barry Scheck and Robert Mayer, the piece will feature Dennis Fritz, the author of Journey Toward Justice.

Please feel free to post your comments about The Ada Hour on my blog, Barbara's Journey Toward Justice (link below)

John Grisham and Dennis Fritz Unite On A Journey Toward Justice

BJTJ — Mon, 14 May 2007 18:39:54 -0500

John Grisham, author of "The Innocent Man", published by "Doubleday Random House" and Dennis Fritz author of "Journey Toward Justice", published by "Seven Locks Press" Santa Ana, CA have a long term commitment to making appearances related to "the innocence movement" nationwide.

Grisham's first nonfiction book, "The Innocent Man" is a best seller on Amazon worldwide. Dennis Fritz has his first book "Journey Toward Justice" on Amazon and is a top seller worldwide.

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town, is a chronicle of the Oklahoma case that resulted in the wrongful conviction of former minor-league baseball player Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. Once asked whether his book is a kind of social activism, he says: "When I researched and wrote the book, it was impossible not to become indignant and infuriated. And that becomes an activism in itself."

After 21 Years in Prison – including 16 on Death Row – Curtis McCarty is Exonerated Based on DNA Evidence

indy-re — Fri, 11 May 2007 23:26:39 -0500

Oklahoma City case is one of the worst cases of government misconduct in the history of the American criminal justice system, Innocence Project says

(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK; May 11, 2007) – Curtis Edward McCarty, who was convicted twice and sentenced to death for the same murder in verdicts that were both thrown out based on evidence of his innocence and an extraordinary pattern of government misconduct, was released from prison this morning after a judge dismissed the indictment against him that would have led to a third trial. The prosecution said today that it will not appeal the decision – finally clearing McCarty after 21 years of wrongful incarceration, more than 16 of them on death row.

In 1986, McCarty was convicted of a 1982 murder in Oklahoma City and sentenced to die. Citing misconduct by the prosecutor and a police lab analyst, the Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the conviction, and McCarty was retried in 1989. He was again convicted and sentenced to death. In 1995, the appeals court upheld his conviction but threw out his death sentence; in 1996, he was sentenced to death again. In 2005, the Court of Criminal Appeals again overturned his conviction, citing the continued pattern of government misconduct – and new DNA tests showing that semen recovered from the victim did not come from McCarty.

Listen To Dennis Fritz on Internet Radio The Other Innocent Man In John Grisham's The Innocent Man

BJTJ — Thu, 03 May 2007 08:44:51 -0500

The Law Business Insider" Radio Show at www.lbishow.com is privileged to present a conversation with Dennis Fritz who was freed for a murder he did not commit.

Tune in or listen to Dennis at "The Law Business Insider," Here

Dennis Fritz - The Other Innocent Man in John Grisham's "The Innocent Man".

You can read more about the case and Dennis Fritz in his Book "Journey Toward Justice" Seven Locks Press 2006. Endorsed by John Grisham.

Dennis Fritz, along with co-defendant Ron Williamson, was convicted in 1988, in Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, of the murder of Debra Sue Carter. Her body had been found six years earlier. Fritz was sentenced to life in prison. Williamson was sent to death row..

BTL:Justice Department Tries to Restrict Lawyers' Access to Guantanamo Detainees

Thu, 03 May 2007 08:44:26 -0500

[btlsummary]Justice Department Tries to Restrict Lawyers' Access to Guantanamo Detainees BETWEEN THE LINES Syndicated Radio Newsmagazine --Weekly Summary --http://www.btlonline.org Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions http://www.squeakywheel.net =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Between The Lines For The Week Ending May 11, 2007 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Listen to the RealAudio version of program: http://www.btlonline.org/btl051107.ram (Needs RealOne Player) Listen to the MP3 version of program: http://www.btlonline.org/pub/btl051107v32.mp3 (Dialup connections: your browser must be set for streaming Fast connections: Your browser can be set for download/save to disk or streaming) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Justice Department Tries to Restrict Lawyers' Access to Guantanamo Detainees Interview with Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, conducted by Scott Harris http://www.btlonline.org/ratner