Criminal Injustice (27)
Petition President Obama to pardon Don Siegelman
Written by Julian Phillips | Montgomery Advertiser
I grieve not only for Don Siegelman and his family but for Alabama over how badly our former governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state has been treated in his 49-day round trip journey from Oakdale Prison in Louisiana to Montgomery.
How Stand Your Ground Laws Failed Marissa Alexander
Written by Zerlina Maxwell | Essence
Marissa Alexander, the Florida woman who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot at her abusive ex-husband, was released from jail yesterday after a nearly five-year ordeal. In August of 2010, just nine days after giving birth to her daughter, Alexander, now 34, was assaulted and threatened by her estranged husband Rico Gray.
More than 1,000 documents about Leura Canary's "recusal" in Siegelman case are hidden from public
Written by Roger Shuler | Legal Schnauzer
We have shown that U.S. Magistrate Charles S. Coody lied when he stated in a public order that he had "thoroughly reviewed" documents related to the recusal of prosecutor Leura Canary in the Don Siegelman case. Two sets of legal briefs (see here and here) show that Coody did not even order the Canary-related material, so the judge certainly could not have reviewed it.
“This is a fight for us all,” says Rev. Pinkney
Written by Rev. Edward Pinkney | The People's Tribune
The People’s Tribune interviewed Rev. Edward Pinkney who is imprisoned in Marquette, Michigan. Pinkney is a leader of the people who was unjustly convicted of vote fraud charges in Benton Harbor, MI and sentenced to up to ten years in prison. He speaks about what this fight is all about.
The fall of former Alabama governor Don Siegelman and his daughter’s fight to set him free
Written by Rohan Smith | news.com.au
AS FALLS from grace go, the tale of Don Siegelman is hard to beat. From the halls of power, the 68-year-old former US governor now finds himself languishing in solitary confinement in prison, though exactly which one remains a mystery. He hasn’t been heard from in weeks, his family say, and there are fears he isn’t being fed or clothed properly.
National defense campaign building for Rev. Edward Pinkney
Written by Abayomi Azikiwe | San Francisco Bay View
Michigan political prisoner Rev. Edward Pinkney is now being held in Jackson state prison. He remains in good spirits despite the racist injustice that has landed him in detention over manufactured claims that he changed the dates on five signature entries on a recall petition designed to remove Benton Harbor Mayor James Hightower.
Richard Schrushy Sheds Light on the Lies and Corruption in the Siegelman Case
Written by Richard Schrushy
I never gave a single dime to Governor Siegelman and the facts show this but for some reason the jury didn't care about the facts either and neither did the prosecutors or the Judge.First, I never wrote a check to him and he never received any money.
Siegelman Hearing Scheduled for Jan. 13th as Feds Impose 'Solitary'
Written by Andrew Kreig | Justice Integrity Project
A federal appeals court in Atlanta hears on Jan. 13 the latest appeal of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, one of the nation’s leading political prisoners. His imprisonment for 1999 actions not considered a crime by other political figures has been compounded by more than a month of harsh confinement over the holidays preventing family visits and communications with his lawyers in advance of his hearing, aside from one phone call.
I, Friends of Siegelman and interested followers of his story are looking forward to the hearing in Atlanta this Tuesday, January 13, because, despite everything that has happened, we continue to believe - sometimes unrealistically - that America has the best justice system in the world. If it gets derailed somehow, as we believe that it has been in this case, well then, citizens like us can raise our voices and we will be heard! We will exhaust all venues, fully expecting that justice will be restored in the case of Don Siegelman. And we have a duty to refuse to let this ruling stand because it provides a playbook and a precedent in political persecution that cannot stand.
Editorial: A gross injustice in sentencing
Written by Editorial board of The Anniston Star
Robert F. McDonnell, the man who served as Virginia’s governor from 2010 until 2014, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison Tuesday. To say McDonnell was convicted of corruption is to tell only a fraction of the story surrounding his dealings while in office.
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Obama refuses to pardon Siegelman for acts less egregious than the president's: opinion
Written by John Farmer | AL.com
Consider the following: A high-ranking elected official is aided greatly, in his campaign for office, by rich donors who contribute or raise millions of dollars for his campaign. Once he is in office, he rewards those contributors by appointing them to high-profile and much-sought-after positions. What, if anything, should the Justice Department do in response?
Judge won't release former Alabama Governor Siegelman on appeal bond
Written by Kim Chandler | Associated Press
MONTGOMERY | A federal judge on Thursday refused to free former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman from prison while he continues to appeal his 2006 bribery conviction.
Judge in Maryland Locks Up Youths and Rules Their Lives
Written by Erica Goode | The New York Times
“Judge Dawson, he don’t play,” a parent once said about Herman C. Dawson, the main juvenile court judge in Prince George’s County. And on this Tuesday morning, Judge Dawson was definitely not in a playing mood.