Those in prison fighting to prove their innocence
Click on Harry's name and go to the Factual Background section for more information.
Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Miskelley's story has been featured on HBO videos, Paradise Lost and Paradise
Lost 2. There is compelling evidence proving their innocence in the killing of three young boys, and yet the
courts will not reconsider their case. Mara Leveritt, a highly respected writer who has researched their case
has published the book, Devil's Knot, that carefully explores this case. As it is, Damien is still on death row in
Arkansas and Jason and Jessie are still serving life sentences. Click on Damien's name to read more of their
story on the West Memphis Three web site. THE LATEST: DNA evidence indicates strongly the innocence of
these men. Go to PETITION to print and get signatures in order to help EXONERATE these wrongly incarcerated
individuals.
Harry Bout #180741
Carson City Correctional Facility
PO Box 5000
Carson City, Michigan 48811-5000 USA
Harry has just written on June 1, 2009 to say that all of his appeals have been denied.
To whom it may concern:
My name is Harry Bout and I am a Dutch national who has been incarcerated in a Michigan State Prison since 1985. I was falsely
accused and wrongly convicted of first degree murder even though the evidence against me did not support such a conviction. For
more information see my web page. I was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and I have no current prospects to
live any part of my life outside prison walls.
In addition to problems surrounding the facts underlying my conviction, I was also entitled to certain rights as a foreign national accused
of a crime in the United States. The Vienna Treaty on Consular Relations allows foreign consular officials to visit with, speak with and
exchange correspondence with detained persons. Consular authorities are also afforderd the right under the Treaty to assist in obtaining
apropriate legal representation. I was never afforded these rights. As a consquence, the defense of my case was not of the quality that I
would have had if the Dutch Government had been allowed to intervene and assist on my behalf. Thus far, the judicial system has
ignored my requests for a new trial and has minimized the importance of the treaty violations.
I did not commit murder and I am dedicated to proving my innocence and returning home to The Netherlands. However, to accomplish
these goals, I need financial assistance to pay lawyers and other legal costs. Any amount of money that you can provide for my benefit
would be helpful.. Donations in my name may be made to:
FFUP Defense Fund
PO Box 285
Richland, WI. 53581
email: harrybout@yahoo.com
I appreciate any assistance that you can provide to help prove my innocence and return home. I also appreciate any assistance, ideas
or advice, to bring attention to my website information.
Sincerely yours,
Harry Bout
For more information about Harry - here is a web page by his friends. Also, a website containing evidence and if you have questions,
email his friends, Annabelle and Sandra.
AN UPDATE ON HARRY AS OF October 2005
He writes: "Last night I received the original October 15th newspaper clipping of the article published in the Dagblad van net noorden,
which is the second largest newspaper in the Netherlands. I think it's a really good article, but quite lengthy taking up 3/4 of a whole
page. Sandra wrote that the same article ended up being published in 2 other newspapers there too, so it was in 3 different newpapers
altogether! I don't know the names of the other newspapers yet but I already wrote back to ask about that. Apparently there has been
a lot of traffic to the websites as a result of this article, 4,200 hits as of October 16th alone (within 24 hourse of the article). So this is
great progress I think.
And there's more good news. I also received a letter from attorney/professor G.J. Knoops of the Dutch law firm Knoops and partners,
and they are offering to assist me without delay to sue the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the high court of the Netherlands,
seeking to compel MFA to take legal action in support of my appeal. Right now while the court is considering my appeal, there is
nothing before the court from the Dutch government to consider. if it's too late we will have lost an opportunity to positively influence
the court.
The organization called "Fair Trials Abroad" (an organization of European lawyers) posted my case on their website and highlighted me
as prisoner of the month."
|
SK 931
Varner SuperMax
PO Box 400
Grady, AR.
71640-0400
Tim Howard SK 954
Tim was arrested for a crime in south Arkansas when close friends were killed and he was arrested for their murder. As a friend of the
family, Tim's fingerprints were all around their house and, unfortunately, along with being buddies, they sold drugs together. It appears
that there were those who had an interest in implicating Tim and although there was only circumstantial evidence to connect him to the
crime, he was arrested, tried and sentenced to death. There has been a review of this case by the Arkansas Supreme Court and by a
most unusual close vote, refused his appeal. At this point, there is some interest in his case by new lawyers who believe in his
innocence.
If you would like to know more about Tim Howard's case, see a wonderful article in the Arkansas Times, August 9, 2002
(www.arktimes.com) written by Mara Leveritt, The Case for Killing Tim Howard.
Daniel Risher
Damien's Book is NOW AVAILABLE:
ALMOST HOME: MY LIFE STORY VOL. 1 has been published and is available at amazon.com. From the book
description: "Almost Home is a message to ou from a faraway place. It is a message from a 12 foot by 9 foot cell in a cinderblock
building surrounded by coils of razor wire in the middle of a dirt fireld in Arkansas. It was written by a young man named Damien
Echols and it chronicles his life and his experiences in a way that clearly illuminates him, not as a monster, but as a human being. For
over 10 years Damien has been an inmate on death row for a crime he did not commit. He, along with Jason Baldwin and Jessie
Misskelley have become known as The West Memphis Three, and though the story of their arrest and conviction is widely known,
most people don't know the real people behind the sound bites and the TV news segment clips. Damien has spent much of his time
behind bars diligently maintaining his integrity and his sanity by writing.
Almost Home is the product of the self-discipline, and in it you will meet someone who has survived an ordeal many of us would
find impossible to live through. There are a few who still believe that Damien is a devil-worshipping child killer, but as time passes and
more facts rise to the surface, it becomes even more clear that he is the victim of a peculiar species of hysteria. Read this book and
know the truth about him. It is an urgent message from death row; the whole story of who Damien Echols really is.
In March, 1991, Linda Holley Zinger was found murdered. The investigation targeted Risher and Zinger, after Donald Smith came
into the picture all other suspects faded from view. Including that of the similiar crime scene in Louisiana. During the trial the Louisiana
crime was not allowed on the table in ther determination of Risher's life. Donald Smith testified under expert status before the jury to
Scientifically link Risher to the Crime. Smith did this by positive Luminol results on Risher's hunting jacket combined with fibers and
glass in the pocket of the same said jacket. Risher's trial occured prior to the publication of the Prater standard that required the court
to provide a gatekeeping role allowing experts to testify only if it reached certain set factors. On appeal Luminol testimony was held to
be inadmissible under that standard of being junk science without follow up testing. Risher conducted an investigation into the Science
and found that all of Smith's testimony is based on the same junk science and that it was false. Now under the new legislation
regarding Actual Innocence review, Risher has filed motions for experts to prove the science was junk and false, being a material link
to the states Staged burglary and clean-up theory. Now in the state of the art advances in technology those positive Luminal results
provide DNA Samples under the new legislation of both State and Federal Guidelones.
Risher filed motions in the trial court regarding the follow-up testing on the jacket and other Luminal positives with motions
materially asserting Innocence and showing that the testimony was false.
Risher has DNA samples within the meaning of the legislation Definitions and that the identity has been in Question for a decade
in all court and in clemency and being at trial the defense was that Risher and Zinger did not comit the crime or know who did.
Considering that in connection with the defense trying to introduce that the killer who committed the Louisiana murder committed the
crime. This undeniably shows the identity was in question. This when viewed that the judgement was dated five days before the jury
verdict and in the light of the jury being hung having to be told that they had to reach a verdict after questioning the Judge in regards
could the state retry with additional evidence and said the defendants have a right to appeal Again shows that the identity was in
question and junk science was the connection. I am seeking assistance in this matter.
Much Light,
Daniel W. Risher ADC# 98275, EARU, PO Box 180, Brickeys, AR 72320-0180
All entries are submitted by the individual
Rick Rojem (Daiji) is on Oklahoma's death row and is innocent of the crime of killing his step-daughter. Rick makes
afghans and other beautiful projects to benefit Compassion Works for All. PO BOX 97, McAlester, Oklahoma 74502-0097
Fr. Nhan Le DC# 166297 D4 206L, Hardee Correctional Institution, 6901 State Road 62, Bowling Green, Florida
33834-9505
He writes: "Well, I have a few lines to let you know that I want you to help me and tell me how to stop worry and think? Sometime I
don't want to think about it and I don't want to worry too. But they are always in my mind. Sometimes I anger myself. because what
I'm doing in here and why. The people plained on me. I never done any wrong in my life. I always living peace, help, love, kindness,
and respectfull. I never harm anyone. Why they're always one to harm me? I want to live like anyone else does. Have a family and
desire happy. That's all I want. I want to tell you the story but I don't know you believe it or not but this is true story. If you like to
hear, please let me know and I will.
Eng Thao 3J-98470, H.D.S.P. A-2 #146, PO Box 3030, Susanville, CA. 96127
Eng writes, "I was convicted of 187 P.C. Even though I didn't do nothing I got three times the sentence the actual perpetrator got.
He only got 10 years, on manslaughter and has been released, while I am serving a 26 year to life sentence. I appealed in the direct
appeal, and won on the fact that the prosecution made a mistake and charged me for the personal use of a firearm, which tainted the
jury to convict me of the higher sentence. But they DID not lower my 26 year to life sentence. I have appealed and habeous issues
but all have been denied. I have been locked up since 1994 so have been in prison 11 years. Please help me out."
Update as of February 20, 2006
There has been some bad news for Harry Bout's case in Michigan: the Michigan Court of Appeals denied his motion of leave from
Judgement. Now he has until April 7th to file at the Michigan Supreme Court. His attorney, Lawrence, will need to renew his retainer
and it will cost lots of money. Here is a letter sent by the attorney:
Dear Friends - Please be advised that on Februrauy 10, 2006, a panel of the Michigan Court ot Appeals issued an order denying
leave to appeal in the case of People v Harry Bout. I am very sorry for this result.
The effect of this ruling is that the conviction for first degree murder is upheld, and there will not be a full review of his case by the
Michigan Court of Appeals. I am contacting Mr. Bout now about going to the Michigan Supreme Court on his case, something for
which I have not yet been retained. The filing deadline is 56 days from the ruling, or no later than Friday, April 7, 2006. James S.
Lawrence
-If you would like to donate to help fund Harry's case, please see the above address -
LA'DASE SUPPORT GROUP (LSG)
Greetings with peace from within! My name is Earnest La'Dase Buckner, founder and spiritual defense advocate of La'Dase Support
Group. I created LSG because I was wrongly accused and wrongfully convicted of a fabricated crime in 1993, despite the
overwhelming facts yielded by two Kansas City police officers - Mitchell Branch and Timothy Harms - investigations. Yet I was
convicted and imprisoned!
We are a small group of prisoners who work on behalf of other prisoners throughout the state of Missouri. Our work consists of
guiding "Wrongfully Convicted" individuals out of verdict shock and back to spiritual and legal reality. All members of LSG are called
"WCCSS" which means, "Wrongfully Convicted by Constitution, Stature, and Standards." I created LSG for the men, women, and
children who have received INJUSTICE and not JUSTICE, such as myself!
As 2006, shall be the year we will bring truth to the light, and freedom to the captured!
If you would like to contact me for more information, write to: Earnest La'Dase Buckner, Crossroads Correctional Center, 1115 E.
Pence Rd., Cameron, MO. 64429. Donations and other forms of support are always needed. Thank you.
AND AN UPDATE from July 2009 -
An innocent man convicted in 1993 of forcible sodomy needs your assistance in proving actual innocence. Has evidence to clear him
including two members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. There are also clear cut issues of intentional prosecutorial
misconduct. With your help this man can be free and compensated. If you can offer any assistance, please contact: Ms. Sharon
Buckner at 333-2783 or write to Earnest L. Bucker at the above address.
July 2009 from Harry Bout - On June 2nd I filed my first successive motion for relief from judgement based on the
newly discovered evidence of Elvin Shaver's April 24, 2007 affidavit. I have never done anything with that affidavit until
now because everyone was telling me not to file anything while we were waiting on the governor's decision on the
commutation. .. The consulate still has not informed the MFA (the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of the denial from
the governor. It's been over a month since the official decision was made and the Consulate has not informed the Hague
about it. It's all very depressing. For more information go to freeharrybout.org
