ONE CHILD AT A TIME: May 2013

Friday, 31 May 2013

Stand with Davonte Sanford

There seems to be some retaliation against Davonte we will keep you posted !

We call on people all over who love Truth, Justice and equality To stand with Davonte Sanford We need to hold those accountable to protect the Innocent, Davonte Sanford

make phone calls to the Governor of Michigan
PHONE: (517) 373-3400
PHONE: (517) 335-7858 - Constituent Services
FAX:(517) 335-6863
Executive Office Staff List
Governor Rick Snyder
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Northern Michigan Office
234 West Baraga Avenue
Marquette, MI 49855
(906) 228-2850 Washington D.C. Office
444 N. Capitol Street, Northwest
Hall of the States, Suite 411
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 624-5840
Other Requests
Flag Honors
Flag Request FormGov. Rick Snyder announces the appointment of Jackson County Sheriff Daniel Heyns to the post of corrections director in Lansing.
Daniel Heyns, Director
Michigan Department of Corrections
206 E. Michigan Ave.
Grandview Plaza
PO Box 30003
Lansing, MI 48909

Davontae Sanford case

To everyone knowledgeable about the Davontae Sanford case. The Michigan
Court of Appeals has still not yet scheduled oral argument. The latest
entry on the docket shows that the Court of Appeals sent Sanford's
attorney a letter a few weeks ago asking for copies of some transcripts.
I suspect once the court receives those transcripts, oral argument will
follow, probably in July or August, after which we will hold a
demonstration calling for his release outside the courthouse. After much
thought about my earlier plan, which was to form a human chain around
the assistant prosecutor outside after oral argument and shout him down
for their crimes in wrongfully convicting Mr. Sanford, so as not to
jeopardize his chances on appeal, it is best we use modesty at the rally
and educate the public about his case instead. We would not want any
acts of civil disobedience be imputed to Mr. Sanfrd in the eyes of the
three judge panel. As much as I wold love to commit civil disobedience
and even risk arrest given the significant constitutional issues in the
case, the risk to Mr. Sanford's appeal are too great to do that. And for
those who doubt my determination, you only need to ask those who have
seen me in action at rallies and demonstrations to know that I cut no
words and do not speak softly at the evildoers. There is a time and
place for civil disobedience, but the oral argument for Mr. Sanford is
not one of them.

Roberto Guzman

Doesn't Appear to Be Concerned

Just prior to the "confession", Devontae checks out the camera. He has a smile, an expression of a boy playing with a camera. Is that the kind of expression we would expect from a boy who is about to "confess" to the murder of several people? He doesn't seem to even know he is in trouble.

Interogation in which Devontae Made His "Confession" that has sent him t...

In the video we named "Doesn't Appear to be Concerned", a few minutes before this review of Devontae's "confession", he appears unconcerned. Here, the demeanor of the detective gives this young mentally challenged boy more of the impression that he is an English teacher going over the grammar of a document. He has no idea he is about to slam the door on himself for life!
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Petitioning Kym Worthy, Wayne County Prosecutor: Use Your Prosecutorial Discretion to Free Innocent Davontae Sanford

To:
Kym Worthy, Wayne County Prosecutor, Michigan

On September 17, 2007, after four people were murdered in a known drug house in Detroit, fourteen-year-old Davontae Sanford, a developmentally delayed child who was blind in one eye, approached the police outside his apartment and asked them what was going on. The police responded that Davontae “knew what was going on”, and even though the boy was in his pajamas, took him into custody. There he was questioned and interrogated without a parent or attorney present, nor were these interrogations recorded, as the police department was capable of doing. After intense interrogations over the next few days, which included showing the young boy crime scene photographs and taking him to the actual crime scene, the officers typed out a “confession” for Davontae to sign. Only able to read at a 2nd to 3rd grade level and desperate to go home, Davontae signed what was put in front of him, not understanding the long-term implications of his actions. He was scared and wanted to return to his family.
It was later that the Police Officers realized that what was written in the “confession” did not mesh with the true facts of the case. Davontae, in his desperation to please the officers and go home made up many aspects of the confession, from the number of accomplices he had to the weapon that he used. None of these could be corroborated. In fact, these “facts” were easily proven false.
However, the police and the Prosecutors’ Office forged ahead, and young Davontae and his mother, innocent to the world of the criminal justice system were strongly encouraged to plead guilty to the crime. The lawyer Davontae had was Robert Slameka who had accumulated a frightening record: He had been admonished 11 times, reprimanded four times and one of his client’s convictions was overturned because of Slameka’s poor performance.
After Davontae pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 37 – 90 years in prison, a professional hitman named Vincent Smothers was arrested for another murder. While he was being interrogated (and it was being recorded), he admitted to committing the murders on Runyon Street. Once he was sentenced and incarcerated he saw Davontae in the very same prison as he was in. He told his lawyer that he would formally confess to the murders on Runyon Street.
Ms. Worthy, you know that Davontae Sanford’s confession is false. It has too many inconsistencies and it makes no sense. However, Vincent Smothers’ confession has all the details that you need in a confession. The AK-47 that Smothers’ confessed to using matched the ballistics at both the Runyon Street scene and another murder that he committed. In addition, Smothers identified an accomplice in the Runyon Street killings who used a 45 pistol, which when found, also clearly matched some of the casings and bullets at the crime scene.
Sadly, Davontae has been wrongfully incarcerated for the past six years. He is not thriving in this prison setting and has missed out on his childhood. Ms. Worthy, it is time you recognized the mistake that was made and do what needs to be done to remedy it so that this young man will not lose more of his precious life.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

http://www.change.org/petitions/kym-worthy-wayne-county-prosecutor-use-your-prosecutorial-discretion-to-free-innocent-davontae-sanford#share

Support for Christy Phillips

FIRST LETTER

We, the friends, family and supporters
of Christy Phillips are requesting that Govenor Jerry Brown review
Christy Phillips' case, as she is but one of many juvenile's unjustly
serving life without the possibility of parole. Christy, like other
innocent JLWOP's, was wrongly convicted due to authorities who
blatantly violated her constitutional rights and extracted a false
confession through intimidation, manipulation and scare tactics.

Below are a few of the
Constitutional Right's Violations Christy suffered at the hands of
authorities:

Christy was convicted solely on
her false confession. There was no physical evidence, forensics or
DNA linking Christy to the crime. There was a person at the scene of
the crime who was never charged. The coerced video taped confession
was all the “evidence” the prosecution had.

She was denied the right to
have a parent or legal counsel present during her interrogation. It
is also important to note that Christy was 15 years old at the time
of questioning by officers and was suffering from mental
disabilities.

Christy was denied her
Constitutional Right to remain silent.

After 13 years of being locked up for
a crime she did not commit, it is time that Christy receive justice.
We are requesting she either get clemency or immediate parole.

In support of other innocent JLWOP's,
we are requesting you pass Bill SB260 that would assist
prisoners sentenced as juvenile's to have a second chance at life,
which they deserve.

SB260 is smart legislation and
it is the right time for California to support this kind of change.
Thank you for your support of it.

Sincerely,

Signed

__________________________

Printed Name

_______________________

Address

_____________________________

SECOND LETTER

I, __________________________, support
Christy Phillips and I am writing Govenor Jerry Brown to tell him to
review Christy's case, and to pass Bill SB260 which will allow some
juvenile's serving life without the possibility of parole a chance
for re-sentencing after serving 10 years. This bill is a crucial step
to bring about justice for wrongly convicted JLWOP's like Christy.
Christy, like other innocent JLWOP's, was wrongly convicted due to
authorities who blatantly disregarded the law and violated her
constitutional rights, by doing so, they were able to extract a false
confession through intimidation, manipulation and scare tactics. If
her mother or lawyer were allowed to be present during the
interrogation, Christy would be free and there would be no need for
this letter.

Below are some of the Constitutional
Right's Violations Christy suffered at the hands of authorities:

Christy was convicted solely on
her false confession. There was no physical evidence, forensics or
DNA linking Christy to the crime. There was a person at the scene of
the crime who was never charged. The coerced video taped confession
was all the “evidence” the prosecution had.

She was denied the right to
have a parent or legal counsel present during her interrogation. It
is also important to note that Christy was 15 years old at the time
of questioning by officers and was suffering from mental
disabilities.

Christy was denied her
Constitutional Right to remain silent.

After 13 years of being locked up for
a crime she did not commit, it is time that Christy receive justice.
We are requesting she either get clemency or immediate parole.

In support of other innocent JLWOP's,
we are requesting you pass Bill SB260 that would assist
prisoners sentenced as juvenile's to have a second chance at life,
which they deserve.

Thanks you for your support of this
important legislation.

Sincerely,

Signed

_____________________________

Printed Name

_____________________________

Address

_____________________________

_____________________________

http://freechristyphillips.wordpress.com/about/

Beyond Scared Straight: Girls Just Want To Be Bad

Female correctional officers and inmates at Oneida County Correctional Facilty in New York tell of the unique dangers faced by teenage girls. Watch More: http://www.aetv.com/beyond-scared-str...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BeyondScaredS...

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

My name is Christy Clinton Phillips

About Christy

My name is Christy Clinton Phillips. I am being held in prison under violations of my civil and political rights I need help in fighting for the protection of these rights. The issue of my case in short form, is as follows: I was 15 yrs. old when my crime occurred and was sentenced to life in prison. According to the UN INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS(to which the United States is a party to) AND CRC(Convention/Committee on the rights of the child). a life sentence for a child is explicitly prohibited under article 37(a) of CRC and(article 6 the right to life, survival and development) paragraph 11 and paragraph 77.

Under article 14(g)4 the court procedure must be such as will take account of a juvenile persons age and the desire ability of promoting their rehabilitation. In my case, the court did not take my age into consideration nor did they promote rehabilitation by sentencing me to LIFE in prison. “LIFERS” in prison are mostly denied access to rehabilitative services because of the lengthy sentence. Article 14(g) also prohibits law enforcement to cause a child to be compelled to testify against himself or to confess guilt. In my case, I reported a homicide, I was held in the lounge area of the Rialto Police Station over night and interrogated the next day. I requested to the interrogating officers three times if I could be taken to a telephone to contact my mother I was told that I could not contact anyone outside the police station until after I was interrogated.

After being held away from home and in a police station over night, I was intimidated confused and tired so under duress I cooperated with them I was under the impression that I would not be allowed to go home until after I cooperated with them. During my interrogation the detectives made it clear that they wanted me to admit guilt and would not end the interrogation until after I had done so, I did and was convicted and sentenced to life in prison based on that coerced confession.
Letter of support:Christy Phillips W-94100 C.C.W.F. P.O.BOX 1508 512-15-2up Chowchilla, Ca. 93610
www.gofundme.com/20h29c
www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-christy-clinton-phillips-cdc-w-94100. http://tobtr.com/3046483

http://christyphillips308.wordpress.com

http://pinterest.com/irishgreeneyes2/christy-phillips/

https://twitter.com/ChristyPhillip1

https://www.facebook.com/christy.phillips.129

https://www.facebook.com/groups/190341227781152/

Davontae Sanford Detroit Forgotton Child

Davontae Sanford is now 19. He has spent the last five years of his short life in adult prisons, convicted of murdering four people on Runyon Street on Detroit’s east side on Sept. 15, 2007, when he was 14. He is 5’6,’’ slightly-built, blind in one eye, and “developmentally disabled.”
Vincent Smothers
Shortly after Davontae was sentenced to 37 to 90 years in prison in 2008, Vincent Smothers, now 28, of Shelby Township, confessed to the Detroit police on videotape that he and a different man committed the murders as part of a series of drug-related hits. Highly placed members of the police department have testified they believe Davontae is innocent, including a former chief of homicide who says Davontae was with him at the time of the murders.

Help us to end this gross miscarriage of justice, sign, share and be counted…No Justice No Peace!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justice-for-innocent-teen
https://twitter.com/JUSTICEDAVONTAE
http://freedavontaesanford-irishgreeneyes.blogspot.com/
http://detroitforgottonchild.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/davontae-sanford-detroit-forgotton-child/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreeDavontaeSanford/