Archive for July, 2009

Lorain County Prosecutors Seek to Send Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen Back to prison

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Dear Friend of Justice,

I had been expecting to read a news story like this for the past month, ever since Judge Burge ordered the acquittals of Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen:   http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/07/24/the-fight-continues-for-head-start-pair-smith-and-allen/

I once heard a prosecutor say on television that convicting an innocent person was his worst nightmare. That is true for good prosecutors. But for far too many prosecutors, their worst nightmare is convicting an innocent person and not getting away with it.

Bernard Baran was released from prison in June of 2006. But his legal battle continued for three more years. He fought the battle outside the walls — far better than fighting from inside. And onerous restrictions had been placed on Baran, restrictions that do not apply to Smith and Allen.

During the past three years, more and more people found out about the Baran case and realized that it was a monstrous miscarriage of justice. When they did, people realized that DA David Capeless was either completely immoral or a total fool. Eventually, continuing the fight became politically untenable for him.

My hope is that there will be increased media attention paid to Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen, both locally and nationally. Some prosecutors may not be bothered by sending innocent people to prison. But, fortunately, a great many American citizens still are.

-Bob

Some Documents in the Paul Shanley Case

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Dear Friend of Justice,

I have just posted some important documents in the Father Paul Shanley case on the website of the National Center for Reason and Justice .

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will be hearing arguments in the case in early September.

-Bob

Kids recant abuse claims after dad jailed 20 years

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

____________________________________________________________

The following appeared on Boston.com:
Headline: Kids recant abuse claims after dad jailed 20 years
Date:     Jul 12, 2009

“Former Vancouver police officer Clyde Ray Spencer spent nearly 20 years in prison after he was convicted of sexually molesting his son and daughter. Now, the children say it never happened.”
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To see this recommendation, click on the link below or cut and paste it
into a Web browser:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/07/12/kids_recant_abuse_claims_after_dad_jailed_20_years?s_campaign=8315

____________________________________________________________

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Martha Coakley Does it Again!

Friday, July 10th, 2009

Dear Friend of Justice,

I live in Massachusetts, the witch-hunt state, where the spirit of Salem still lives. The enemies of justice here are many. There are former Attorneys General Scott Harshbarger and Tom Reilly, who built their political careers railroading the innocent Amirault family into prison.

There’s the motley crew in Berkshire County: the late Gerard Downing, “therapist” Jane Satullo, current DA David Capeless, Judge Daniel Ford. Perhaps their greatest victory against justice was the corrupt imprisonment of an innocent teenager, Bernard Baran, finally recently cleared of charges after twenty-five years. But we must not forget Robert Halsey, Bruce Clairmont, Paul Litchfield, Lou Piccone, Michael O’Laughlin, and many others.

And then there’s the current Massachusetts Attorney General, Martha Coakley. She is probably the most powerful and most dangerous of the enemies of justice, because the political careers of Harhsbarger and Reilly are, thankfully, at an end. Coakley built her career prosecuting and demonizing two innocent grandparents, Ray and Shirley Souza. As DA of Middlesex County she left no stone unturned to prevent the reversal of a successful wrongful prosecution. She is perhaps best known for her battle to preserve the conviction of the Amiraults. But there was at least one incident in which she tried to plea bargain someone after he had been exonerated by DNA.

Michael O’Laughlin’s conviction was recently unanimously thrown out by the First Circuit Court of Appleas, not a Court known for its sympathy for defendants. Now Coakley is coming to the aid of her buddy David Capeless and is attempting to reinstate Michael’s conviction.

See:

Coakley seeks to reverse ‘flawed’ decision

Coakley seeks to reverse ‘flawed’ decision –

By Jack Dew Berkshire Eagle Staff LEE — The attorney general is seeking to keep Michael O’Laughlin, convicted of beating a Lee woman View Full Story

Coakley is ruthless and ambitious. She has made no secret of her desire to be a United States Senator. She was ready to go after it when there was a chance that John Kerry might be elected President and would have to give up his Senate seat. Now she is lusting after Ted Kennedy’s seat. Kennedy is seriously ill. Coakley would likely be the only prominent woman in a crowded race. She would almost certainly have the endorsement of the wretched Boston Globe. And she just made a major (and cynical) play for the gay and lesbian vote by challenging the Federal Defense of marriage Act.

And after the Senate, there’s always the Presidency.

-Bob Chatelle