Unringing the Bell

I think the old guard of the Civil Rights Movement have passed their sell by date and are jealous... It's pitiful that they want to stay stuck in the old patterns and habits. Mr. Obama represents a new brilliant opportunity right now to begin changing the way all citizens of the USA relate to our government and claim our rightful place in this country.

Sent by Mary Lynch | 2:59 PM ET | 07-14-2008

As a public defender, I'm always asked, by strangers and my family, "how can you defend 'those people'?" THIS is why. Innocent people are convicted with heartbreaking regularity, and the vast majority don't have the resources to correct the problem. No one wants to talk about THAT, let alone solve the problem.

Sent by Nancy from St. Louis | 3:18 PM ET | 07-14-2008

Please do not use my name on the air - In 1998 I was accused of child molestation - after investigation by CPS and the Police, the matter was dropped - in 2000 I was arrested on a warrant I never knew about that was issued in 1999 - I was charged with 3 counts of child moilestation, and after a jury trial was found not guilty on all counts - the allegatiosn were ridicualous an d even the police knew it was a fraudulent charge - I was not able to recover any money dmamges becasue those making the allegations were practivally homeless - After almost 8 years, I am still trying to recover form an incident that all but ruined my life - please do not use my name on the air

Sent by Anonymous | 3:26 PM ET | 07-14-2008

OJ Simpson was found "Not Guilty" and I don't know a soul who believes he's innocent. When the Simpson trial is the only exposure most of us have had to the workings of the criminal justice system--how can we believe in the innocence of others who are declared "Not Guilty" without DNA evidence to support the verdict?

Sent by Michelle Morris | 3:30 PM ET | 07-14-2008

Hearing these stories from these people makes my stomach sick...I want people to hear about Pre-Paid Legal services. They can have a great attorney to give them help in these times of need. I am all for getting the guilty people punished and put away but when someone is truly innocent, it is a travisty that these people's lives are essentially ruined for life and the system does not seem to care!

Sent by Larra Douglas | 3:37 PM ET | 07-14-2008

The Ramseys are only considered innocent of killing their kid. It simply can't be proven that they don't know who did. Just ask O.J.

Sent by mark | 3:38 PM ET | 07-14-2008

As we all know, for most of us unfortunately Justice For ALL has come to mean Justice for those with the means ($$).

Sent by Larra Douglas | 3:42 PM ET | 07-14-2008

Maybe not guilty of the crime, but definitely guilty of bad taste. Take a look, if you've forgotten:
http://www.crimelibrary.com/graphics/photos/notorious_murders/famous/ramsey/JonBenet-Ramsey(5).jpg

Sent by Mike | 3:46 PM ET | 07-14-2008

Four things would help:

1) Switch to the Scottish law system with three verdicts: not guilty, not proven, and guilty. Then tie legal exonerations (including record expungent) automatically to this "not guilty" verdict.

2) Make prosecutors accountable (hired and fired) by the courts not the executive branch. This will allow poor cases from over-zealous cops to be headed off at the prosecutorial pass.

3) Make the executive branch agencies (esp. law enforcement) complete their records with the outcome of arrests plainly attached to the original arrest record. This is the 21st century, information age after all.

4) Subject the false accusers to the same criminal penalties that the accused would have faced if convicted. The penalties for perjury and false witness have not kept up with the more severed penalties for crimes the accused face.

Sent by Glen Holley | 3:53 PM ET | 07-14-2008

I understand (all too well) the feelings of "Anonymous". I had a similar experience. (No arrest or trial though.)
Like the "Four stages of Loss", 1st your in disbelief, then Anger, Depression then Acceptance (someday).
Unfortunatly, you can't sue the D.A. or police (or any other accuser, unless you can prove malicious intent).

So, until I can pay-off my defense expenses, I'm going to be BITTER!

Sent by Harold | 5:31 PM ET | 07-14-2008

My sincere thanks to NPR for airing "Unringing the Bell", one of the stations recent broadcasts, detailing the plight of the wrongfully accused and imprisoned. My special thanks to Nancy, the public defender from St. Louis, for her honest and candid opinion as a public defender. Her point of view should be taken more seriously by other court appointed defense counsel, as well as the average American citizen. As to the comments posted by Michelle Morris, noting that the only exposure "most of us have had to the workings of the criminal justice system" deal with the OJ Simpson case, I ask "have you had your head in the sand" since his trial? Michelle, are you aware of the work of The Innocence Project or the National Innocence Network, whose efforts have led to the release and exoneration of 218 men and women through DNA testing? Probably not! I would suggest that you visit www.innocenceproject.org to view the sad but true stories of American citizens who were unjustly and wrongfully convicted, such as myself. I would also ask that you and others who may share your doubts also google "Burden of Innocence", and watch the sad, but true struggles of innocent people as they try to adjust to their newly found "freedom", as society turns a blind eye to their plight. I can only pray that God will open your eyes to the see things as they are, as well as realizing the need for the honesty and integrity required for all the people who have taken an oath to uphold the law. If you choose to continue to have your "Eyes Wide Shut", one day soon you, or a loved one, will be contacting the Innocence Project for help, asking them, "How can this happen in America".

Sent by Ken Wyniemko | 11:09 PM ET | 07-14-2008

I don't understand why some stray bits of DNA clear the Ramseys. Why now? The Ramseys are rich and refused to cooperate with the police.

Has everybody forgotten that Mr. Ramsey was the one to find the body? What about the ransom note, demanding the exact bonus that Mr. Ramsey received from his company? Who would know that exact figure?

This doesn't answer any questions, as far as I'm concerned.

Sent by Scott S. | 3:08 PM ET | 07-15-2008

In regards to the Jonbenet case ... the reputations of the McReynolds (Ramsey friends), Linda Hoffmann-Pugh (housekeeper) and Chris Wolf (reporter) were implicated by the public statements of the former prosecutor Trip DeMuth or ... by the accusations of John and Patsy Ramsey in their book "Death of Innocence."
.
Bill McReynolds is now deceased but maybe the others could be convinced to step forward and share in regards to the topic question "How To Clear Your (Formerly) Good Name?"
________

The Thomas resignation letter
.
... Innocent people were not "cleared", publicly or otherwise, even when it was unmistakably the right thing to do, as reputations and lives were destroyed. Some in the district attorney's office, to this day, pursue weak, defenseless, and innocent people in shameless tactics that one couldn't believe more bizarre if it were made up ...
.
Detective Steve Thomas #638
Detective Division
Boulder Police Department
August 7, 1998
.
http://web.dailycamera.com/extra/ramsey/1998/07thomle.html

Sent by AnnieGirl | 9:06 PM ET | 07-18-2008