One says he's positive there are other innocent men still behind bars.
By Rob Hoy Wednesday, October 14, 2009
About 50 Oklahoma City University Law students heard from three men who were wrongfully convicted of crimes.
Dennis Fritz was one of the speakers Wednesday night... He spent 11 years in prison in Oklahoma for a murder he didn't commit and he says he knows other inmates who he believes are innocent...
"It's like everybody that's been falsely convicted and has been down for a few years... you can tell when you look in somebody's eyes, another inmate, if they're telling you the truth."
Second year law student Justin Joseph says cases like Fritz's are incredible to hear...
"It seems like there's a lot of problems with our system that these guys are facing."
Two of the other speakers spent at least 15 years each behind bars for crimes they have now been cleared of.
Link
Showing posts with label exonerated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exonerated. Show all posts
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
New Jerseyans Favor Life Without Parole Over The Death Penalty
I like to post some good news stories from each state and from around the world. Here is a news release from the state of New Jersey.
New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
The goal of New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NJADP) is to win public and political support for the elimination of execution as a form of punishment in New Jersey. It is our conviction that the death penalty is by its nature unjust in application and immoral in principle.
Quinnipiac Poll Finds Majority of New Jerseyans Favor Life Without Parole Over The Death Penalty
Public Support continues to Trend Away from Executions
TRENTON – A Quinnipiac University poll released today shows that New Jerseyans prefer - by a 10-point margin - the punishment of life in prison without parole over the death penalty.
By a 51 to 41 % margin, the poll found that New Jerseyans believe that life in prison without parole is the more appropriate punishment for murder.
"This poll demonstrates that a majority of New Jerseyans agree with the conclusion of the distinguished Death Penalty Study Commission, which is that the death penalty in our state is a failed experiment in every respect and should be replaced with the tough punishment of life in prison without parole," said Celeste Fitzgerald, program director of New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
The poll results reflect a continued trend away from the death penalty, with an additional 6% of voters choosing life without parole over the death penalty from the last poll conducted by Quinnipiac University in 2003.
This trend away from capital punishment is also seen nationally. Last year for the first time, the national Gallup poll reported that Americans now prefer life without parole over the death penalty. According to the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington DC, in 2006, death sentences in the U.S. dropped to their lowest annual level in 30 years
NJADP has campaigned since 1999 for an end to the death penalty. It is the core group of more than 200 New Jersey organizations and 10,000 members representing a wide variety of groups and interests.
New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
The goal of New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NJADP) is to win public and political support for the elimination of execution as a form of punishment in New Jersey. It is our conviction that the death penalty is by its nature unjust in application and immoral in principle.
Quinnipiac Poll Finds Majority of New Jerseyans Favor Life Without Parole Over The Death Penalty
Public Support continues to Trend Away from Executions
TRENTON – A Quinnipiac University poll released today shows that New Jerseyans prefer - by a 10-point margin - the punishment of life in prison without parole over the death penalty.
By a 51 to 41 % margin, the poll found that New Jerseyans believe that life in prison without parole is the more appropriate punishment for murder.
"This poll demonstrates that a majority of New Jerseyans agree with the conclusion of the distinguished Death Penalty Study Commission, which is that the death penalty in our state is a failed experiment in every respect and should be replaced with the tough punishment of life in prison without parole," said Celeste Fitzgerald, program director of New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
The poll results reflect a continued trend away from the death penalty, with an additional 6% of voters choosing life without parole over the death penalty from the last poll conducted by Quinnipiac University in 2003.
This trend away from capital punishment is also seen nationally. Last year for the first time, the national Gallup poll reported that Americans now prefer life without parole over the death penalty. According to the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington DC, in 2006, death sentences in the U.S. dropped to their lowest annual level in 30 years
NJADP has campaigned since 1999 for an end to the death penalty. It is the core group of more than 200 New Jersey organizations and 10,000 members representing a wide variety of groups and interests.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Ron Williamson 's Words " I Hope I Neither Go To Heaven or Hell"
Here are Ron Williamson's words after he was exonerated and released April 1999.
"I hope I go to neither heaven nor hell. I wish that at the time of my death that I could go to sleep and never wake up and never have a bad dream. Eternal rest, like you've seen on some tombstones, that's what I hope for. Because I don't want to go through the Judgment. I don't want anybody judging me again. ... I asked myself what was the reason for my birth when I was on death row, if I was going to have to go through all that. What was even the reason for my birth? I almost cursed my mother and dad -- it was so bad -- for putting me on this earth. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't be born."
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz
Both Served: 11 years
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999. Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were convicted in 1988 of the murder of Debra Sue Carter in Oklahoma. Her body had been found six years earlier.
Fritz was sentenced to life in prison.
Williamson -- whose story is the focus of John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" -- was sent to death row.
The 21 year-old victim was found raped and murdered in her apartment after returning from her waitress's job. Fritz and Williamson were known to frequent the establishment where the victim worked.
The prosecution presented evidence that the victim had previously complained to a friend that they "made her nervous." Williamson had been seen at the restaurant the night of the murder without Fritz. DNA testing revealed that neither Fritz nor Williamson deposited the sperm found in the victim.
Further testing proved that none of the many hairs that were labeled "matches" belonged to them.
The profile obtained from the semen evidence matched Glenn Gore, one of the state's witnesses at trial, who was later arrested.
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999. Williamson had, at one point, come within five days of execution. The two had been wrongfully incarcerated for eleven years.
Taken from The Innocence Project
You can read about the case in Dennis Fritz's Book. "Journey Toward Justice" click On Amazon Here
International Orders Order Here "Journey Toward Justice" by Dennis Fritz From Around The World click on here Amazon International Just type in Journey Toward Justice Author Dennis Fritz
"I hope I go to neither heaven nor hell. I wish that at the time of my death that I could go to sleep and never wake up and never have a bad dream. Eternal rest, like you've seen on some tombstones, that's what I hope for. Because I don't want to go through the Judgment. I don't want anybody judging me again. ... I asked myself what was the reason for my birth when I was on death row, if I was going to have to go through all that. What was even the reason for my birth? I almost cursed my mother and dad -- it was so bad -- for putting me on this earth. If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't be born."
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz
Both Served: 11 years
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999. Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were convicted in 1988 of the murder of Debra Sue Carter in Oklahoma. Her body had been found six years earlier.
Fritz was sentenced to life in prison.
Williamson -- whose story is the focus of John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" -- was sent to death row.
The 21 year-old victim was found raped and murdered in her apartment after returning from her waitress's job. Fritz and Williamson were known to frequent the establishment where the victim worked.
The prosecution presented evidence that the victim had previously complained to a friend that they "made her nervous." Williamson had been seen at the restaurant the night of the murder without Fritz. DNA testing revealed that neither Fritz nor Williamson deposited the sperm found in the victim.
Further testing proved that none of the many hairs that were labeled "matches" belonged to them.
The profile obtained from the semen evidence matched Glenn Gore, one of the state's witnesses at trial, who was later arrested.
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999. Williamson had, at one point, come within five days of execution. The two had been wrongfully incarcerated for eleven years.
Taken from The Innocence Project
You can read about the case in Dennis Fritz's Book. "Journey Toward Justice" click On Amazon Here
International Orders Order Here "Journey Toward Justice" by Dennis Fritz From Around The World click on here Amazon International Just type in Journey Toward Justice Author Dennis Fritz
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Ron Williamson Exonerated and Released April 1999 From The Innocence Project
Ron Williamson
Time Served: 11 years
Outcome: Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were convicted in 1988 of the murder of Debra Sue Carter in Oklahoma. Her body had been found six years earlier. Fritz was sentenced to life in prison. Williamson -- whose story is the focus of John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" -- was sent to death row. The 21 year-old victim was found raped and murdered in her apartment after returning from her waitressing job. Fritz and Williamson were known to frequent the establishment where the victim worked. The prosecution presented evidence that the victim had previously complained to a friend that they "made her nervous." Williamson had been seen at the restaurant the night of the murder without Fritz. DNA testing revealed that neither Fritz nor Williamson deposited the sperm found in the victim. Further testing proved that none of the many hairs that were labeled "matches" belonged to them. The profile obtained from the semen evidence matched Glenn Gore, one of the state's witnesses at trial, who was later arrested. Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999. Williamson had, at one point, come within five days of execution. The two had been wrongfully incarcerated for eleven years.
Taken from The Innocence Project
You can read about the case in Dennis Fritz's Book.
Journey Toward Justice Author Dennis Fritz click here On Amazon Here
International Orders Order Here Journey Toward Justice by Dennis Fritz From Around The World click on here Amazon International Just type in Journey Toward Justice Author Dennis Fritz
Time Served: 11 years
Outcome: Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were convicted in 1988 of the murder of Debra Sue Carter in Oklahoma. Her body had been found six years earlier. Fritz was sentenced to life in prison. Williamson -- whose story is the focus of John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" -- was sent to death row. The 21 year-old victim was found raped and murdered in her apartment after returning from her waitressing job. Fritz and Williamson were known to frequent the establishment where the victim worked. The prosecution presented evidence that the victim had previously complained to a friend that they "made her nervous." Williamson had been seen at the restaurant the night of the murder without Fritz. DNA testing revealed that neither Fritz nor Williamson deposited the sperm found in the victim. Further testing proved that none of the many hairs that were labeled "matches" belonged to them. The profile obtained from the semen evidence matched Glenn Gore, one of the state's witnesses at trial, who was later arrested. Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were exonerated and released in April 1999. Williamson had, at one point, come within five days of execution. The two had been wrongfully incarcerated for eleven years.
Taken from The Innocence Project
You can read about the case in Dennis Fritz's Book.
Journey Toward Justice Author Dennis Fritz click here On Amazon Here
International Orders Order Here Journey Toward Justice by Dennis Fritz From Around The World click on here Amazon International Just type in Journey Toward Justice Author Dennis Fritz
Friday, February 9, 2007
From Library Journal November 01, 2006 Dennis Fritz's Journey Toward Justice
Library Journal (Wednesday, November 01, 2006)
In April 1999, Fritz walked out of court a free man after spending 11 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. He maintained his innocence from day one against the pressure of detectives, prosecutors, the judge, and the jury. The tide began to turn after Barry Scheck's Innocence Project took on his case. While the blow-by-blow descriptions of Fritz's arrest, hearing, trial, and prison life can be tedious, this book is hard to put down. Readers will keep wondering when someone is going to listen to Fritz and do the right thing, but in the meantime it's almost like watching a train wreck in slow motion. In the process of sharing his story, Fritz comes across as truly remarkable and resilient. The only thing missing from the book is the story of his life since his release. Did the prosecutor and detectives express any remorse? What of the details of the real murderer's conviction? And how has the victim's family fared? There should be plenty of buzz for this book as John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" (not available for advance review), which tells the story of Fritz's also-exonerated codefendant, Ron Williamson, is due to be released at the same time. Recommended.Karen Sandlin Silverman, Ctr. for Applied Research, Philadelphia Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
On Amazon Here
In April 1999, Fritz walked out of court a free man after spending 11 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. He maintained his innocence from day one against the pressure of detectives, prosecutors, the judge, and the jury. The tide began to turn after Barry Scheck's Innocence Project took on his case. While the blow-by-blow descriptions of Fritz's arrest, hearing, trial, and prison life can be tedious, this book is hard to put down. Readers will keep wondering when someone is going to listen to Fritz and do the right thing, but in the meantime it's almost like watching a train wreck in slow motion. In the process of sharing his story, Fritz comes across as truly remarkable and resilient. The only thing missing from the book is the story of his life since his release. Did the prosecutor and detectives express any remorse? What of the details of the real murderer's conviction? And how has the victim's family fared? There should be plenty of buzz for this book as John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" (not available for advance review), which tells the story of Fritz's also-exonerated codefendant, Ron Williamson, is due to be released at the same time. Recommended.Karen Sandlin Silverman, Ctr. for Applied Research, Philadelphia Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
On Amazon Here
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