This is very Important, please read:

[MrScorpio]

http://www.justiceforreggie.com/?cat=2

In 1991, two young women went missing after visiting the abandoned Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis Missouri — a popular hang-out with local teens — with their cousin. The cousin told the police an impossible tale: that the girls had been pushed from the bridge, but he was ordered to jump by an unknown assailant and survived the nearly 80-foot fall into strong currents with no injuries and dry hair. The police were naturally skeptical of his account and, within hours, he confessed to killing the girls.

Yet this man, who is white, has never spent a day in jail. Instead, the police arrested four local youths who were also on the bridge that night. Three of the young men, all African-American, received the death sentence. The fourth young man, who is white, received a 30-year sentence and will be eligible for parole soon.

Reggie Clemons photo1Reggie Clemons is one of the youths that received the death sentence, even though prosecutors conceded that Reggie neither pushed the women nor planned their deaths. The prosecutor simply theorized that Reggie was an “accomplice” even though there is no physical evidence linking Reggie to the crime for which he received the death penalty: no fingerprints, no DNA, no hair or fiber samples.

Many of Reggie’s claims have never been heard in a court of law because of procedural rules that have barred the presentation of important evidence. After reviewing the evidence, two federal judges voted to overturn his death sentence and found that Reggie was denied a fair trial. But Reggie’s sentence of death remains.

There is still hope for Reggie.

There's an online petition, please consider signing it.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. Done.

:kick:

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Jesus.

Who needs any other reason to oppose the DP; if the system can fuck up that bad, how can we let it have that kind of power?

[Maraya1969]

3. Done

[bobthedrummer]

4. Ever hear of Ernest Lacy in Milwaukee?

There are so many victims of conspiracies that the time has come to recall them all.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Signed! I am familiar with this story.

Thanks for posting this, and the link to the petition.

[Cleita]

6. I see racism is still alive and well in Missouri just like it

was back in 1961 when I was visiting Kansas City. I will sign your petition gladly.

[Theduckno2]

7. Done. n/t

[Old and In the Way]

8. Done...sounds like another miscarriage of justice.

[Catherine Vincent]

9. Done!

[nofurylike]

10. done. thank you so much for posting this, MrScorpio. eom

[northofdenali]

11. Done

Dear God, MrS - are we still as base as this? I'll put out the petition to everyone I can think of. Is it posted on DemocraticWarrior.com yet?

[MrScorpio]

13. I don't think so

Please spread the love

[ThomCat]

12. Done

It boggles the imagination that this kind of shit happens and that people continue to prop up this kind of injustice.

All this time in jail for a crime everyone knows someone else committed. Facing death for something a stranger did.

:grr:

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

15. Done, Mr. S.

This boggles my mind beyond belief...

[EstimatedProphet]

14. Signed

This is a perfect reason why the death penalty is wrong. If he is executed and is later found out to be innocent, he can't get his life back.

[Ani Yun Wiya]

16. Done.

n/t

[SeattleGirl]

17. Kicking, because this IS important. Please read this. n/t

[file83]

18. Missouri sounds like a shitty place to party on bridges. KICK & R.

:kick:

[dorkulon]

19. I don't get it.

"After reviewing the evidence, two federal judges voted to overturn his death sentence and found that Reggie was denied a fair trial. But Reggie’s sentence of death remains."

What does this mean?

[MrScorpio]

21. Read this:

http://www.stlamerican.com/articles/2005/12/08/news/local_news/localnews02.txt


More info

[IndyOp]

25. Thank you for the St Louis American article -

This is key folks:

“They said his name had come up in an investigation and they needed to ask him some questions,” Thomas said. She added that the detectives would not tell her where they were taking her son and that they told her she did not need to contact a lawyer. She did not hear anything from the detectives until around 11 p.m. that night (April 6), when a detective called to inform her that he had “some bad news” and that Reggie had confessed to the rapes and murders of Robin and Julie Kerry.

Clemons’ parents were denied access to their son before, during and after the police interrogation. When Thomas was finally allowed to see her son days later, she said he professed his innocence and said that detectives had beaten a confession out of him.

Most people have no clue that detectives are by law allowed tremendous leeway in 'questionning' any suspect - they can lie to them about the evidence they've found, lie to them about what might happen to them, keep them apart from everyone but their lawyer. Most innocent people believe that because they are innocent, they don't need a lawyer.

The beating was obviously illegal. I have a friend who used to work in a hospital in Los Angeles. When the police brought in people who were under arrest, many of the 'street smart' people would beg my friend to X-ray them in the emergency room with the portable machine instead of sending them upstairs to X-ray. They would still have to go upstairs eventually, but at least there would be a comparison film - so if the cops broke any bones in the elevator there would be evidence.

:grr:

[salin]

26. K & R

Disturbing.

[EFerrari]

20. Done.

[w8liftinglady]

22. done,and kicked

[Mikimouse]

23. Thanks for posting this...Done!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for him.

[rosesaylavee]

24. Done - thanks for posting. K/R ...eom

[cantstandbush]

27. God, why hasn't the ACLU taken an interest in this case? Done. n/t

[pacco]

28. Done

NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security
Agency (NSA) may have read this email without warning, warrant, or
notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight.
You have no legal recourse, nor protection from this intrusion on your
personal freedoms. You may not review your file which is secret.
The President reserves the right to use "signing statements" to give
himself permission to ignore the law, as he is above accountability.
 

[patdem]

29. Done & commented upon...thanks for the link n/t

[sheelz]

30. Done!

[Gregorian]

31. With liberty and justice for all.................or maybe not.

This is enraging beyond all limits of known emotion. America exists because it is a bully. What has been done in this case, and all others like it (including Limbaugh), is worse than the original crime. This was not a mistake.

Thank you for posting this. You have served to expose a small bit of injustice in this monster of injustice we live amongst. I hope my little signature will do something. 1991! Inhuman.

[havocmom]

32. Done, K & R

Thanks for posting this info.

[helderheid]

33. where's the petition? K & R

[helderheid]

34. never mind - the coffee hadn't hit yet

[Robeysays]

35. done

[countingbluecars]

36. Done n/t

[SeattleGirl]

37. Kicking

[Nikia]

38. It is horrible that this crap still happens

They use the justice system to do their lynchings.
Yes, I signed the petition.

[Iowa]

39. Done... K&R

My faith in our "justice" system is nil. And this is a perfect example of why I have no faith.

Unfortunately, Blunt is a real puke - a rich Daddy's boy who has had an incredibly easy life. I have no doubt that he'd gladly stand by and let this innocent young man die, and then sit down to a big meal without the slightest twinge of conscience. I hope I'm wrong.

[mom cat]

40. This is deeply disturbing. Signed and reccommmended.

[marcapolo]

41. Done!

[sagesnow]

42. Done. n/t

[catchnrelease]

43. Done

[KitchenWitch]

44. Done, Kicked, and Recommended!

I hate that this kind of thing still happens in our country.

[ourbluenation]

45. done

[Vektor]

46. Done, K&R...

What a tragic story.

[Marie26]

47. Signed & kicked

This case is a perfect example of why the death penalty should be abolished.

[MrScorpio]

48. Kicking for Reggie

:kick:

[kitkatrose]

49. Done.

Not quite the way I wanted to start my day though. :(