JonBenet Ramsey - Unsolved.

JonBenet Ramsey

JonBenet Ramsey was reported missing by her parents on the morning of December 26th, 1996. The six-year old's body was found eight hours later in the basement of the family home. The subsequent murder hunt would play out over years, with false accusations, lies, defamation lawsuits and suspicion ensuring it was and is one of the most talked about cases in America.

John and Patricia Ramsey lived with their children, Burke and Jonbenet, in an affluent area of Boulder, Colorado. The family had relocated to Boulder in 1991 when John Ramsey became president of a computer systems company. Patricia Ramsey soon began enrolling little JonBenet in beauty pageants. Beautiful little JonBenet proved popular as she went on to win a clutch of titles in several different states. Patricia Ramsey's 'obsession' with JonBenet's pageant career was criticised widely after her murder with many accusing her of sexualising the six-year old. Many believed Mrs Ramsey didn't care that her daughter was potentially fodder for padeophiles, she only cared about her winning. It was also indicated after the murder that Jonbenet had begun to rebel against her 'pagent mother' and that this had angered Patricia Ramsey. 

The ransom note found in the Ramsey home.

On the morning of December 26th, 1996, Patricia Ramsey woke up as normal, going through to the kitchen to begin preparing the family's breakfast. It was on the stairs leading to the kitchen that, according to Mrs Ramsey, she found a ransom note. The note demanded money, $118,000, for the safe return of JonBenet. The note contained very specific instructions, if the Ramsey's wished to see their daughter again they were not to contact the police, FBI, family or anyone. Despite these 'orders', Patricia Ramsey immediately called the police and several of her friends and family members. Law enforcement were quick to respond and completed, what was later to referred to as a, cursory check of the family home. As well as finding nothing unusual or any signs of forced entry, they did not find Jonbenet Ramsey. The ransom note gave a detailed account of what the kidnapper(s) wanted the Ramsey's to do regarding the ransom drop off. John Ramsey didn't mess about about and a family friend collected the full amount from the bank on the Ramsey's behalf that morning. It was while police and the family were waiting for the ransom drop off time to arrive that a Boulder police detective suggested John Ramsey and a friend check over the house again looking out for anything 'unusual'. It was during this search that John Ramsey found little Jonbenet's body in the wine cellar room of the basement. Her body was covered with her favourite blanket and she had duct tape over her mouth and nylon cord tied around her neck. There was also a handmade garrote, used to strangle little Jonbenet, fashioned from the broken handle of a paintbrush attached to the nylon cord.

Jonbenet and her brother, Burke - Christmas '96

Jonbenet Ramsey's autopsy revealed the cause of death to be blunt force trauma causing a fracture to the skull and strangulation. While the medical examiner confirmed that Jonbenet had not been raped, he could not rule out sexual assault. It wasn't long before suspicion fell on the Ramsey family. As well as investigating officers saying that the body being found in the family home was suspicious, it transpired that the paintbrush handle belonged to Patricia Ramsey. Law enforcement and members of the public began to question whether the Ramsey's had killed Jonbenet by accident and used the 'kidnapping' story as a cover up. There was even the suggestion that Patricia Ramsey may have killed Jonbenet because the little girl soiled herself. Suspicion even fell on nine-year old Burke Ramsey after his fingerprints were found on a bowl of pineapple. The autopsy had revealed Jonbenet had eaten pineapple just a couple of hours before she died, although both parents say they never saw her eating any. In the days, months and gradually the years following little JonBenet Ramsey's death, suspicion continued to fall on the family. Although there was no physical evidence suggesting guilt, at that time there was no evidence to suggest the murder had been committed by an unknown assailant. Much was also made of the ransom demand, the money requested by the kidnapper turned out to be the exact amount John Ramsey received as a bonus at work.

Thanks to advancements in DNA technology, in 2003, material extracted from blood found on JonBenet's underwear established a DNA profile. The DNA was found to belong to an unknown male - an indication at last maybe that another individual had been in the Ramsey home. Evidence was also brought to light that in the months leading up to the murder, there had been over 100 burglaries in the area where the Ramsey's lived . It wasn't until 2008 however, that the Ramsey family were completely and officially removed as suspects. Boulder District Attorney, Mary Lacy, wrote a letter to the Ramsey's apologising for the suspicious way they had been dealt with over the years and promising that the search for the real killer(s) would carry on. The following year, 2009, Patricia Ramsey lost her battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 49. 

The cordoned off Ramsey home.

Although the Ramseys were suspects in Jonbenet's murder for years, law enforcement also received huge criticism. The Ramsey family home wasn't treated as a crime scene until AFTER Jonbenet's body had been found. The house should of been secured because of the alleged kidnapping and yet friends and family were allowed to come and go as they pleased. Two of the lead investigators resigned, one because he was unhappy the Ramseys were not prosecuted and the other because of the incompetent police enquiry. In October 2013, court documents sealed since 1999 were opened revealing a Grand Jury HAD indicted the Ramseys for accessory to a crime including murder and child abuse leading to death. The court documents alleged that both parents had purposely acted in a manner that prevented or delayed the arrest of Jonbenet's killer. However, the indictment was never acted on because the documents did not say WHO had actually killed the little girl. 

The Jonbenet Ramsey case still causes debate and arguments today. There is one side who believes an inexperienced criminal got into the Ramsey home intending to kidnap Jonbenet and killed her whilst trying to subdue her. Then there is the other side who believe John, Patricia or even Burke Ramsey are individually or collectively responsible for the murder. Boulder County law enforcement insist the case remains active and there is hope one day the real story of what happened to Jonbenet Ramsey will be revealed. 

Is it Possible to Leave Death Row Alive

A death chamber gurney

According to the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) for every ten individuals who have been executed since 1976, one person has been set free. These, to me, are pretty shocking statistics and make me think how many innocent people have actually been wrongly executed. Below are several cases of people who have managed to be walk away from death row. 

McCollum and Brown

Leon Brown and Henry Lee McCollum 

These mentally-retarded half brothers were coerced into confessing to the murder and rape of an 11-year-old girl in 1983. Both received the death sentence, although Leon Brown later had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment. Henry Lee McCollum spent thirty years on death row before DNA evidence linked the murder to another man - who was in prison for a similar crime. In 2014, Henry Lee McCollum and Leon Brown were completely exonerated and released. Before it was found that McCollum was actually innocent, a Supreme Court judge referred to McCollum's 'crime' as the worse of the worse and the reason North Carolina still needed the death penalty. 

Anthony Graves

Anthony Graves

Anthony Graves was sentenced to death in 1994 for allegedly being an accomplice to the murders of Bobbie Davis, her daughter, Nicole and her four grandchildren. There was absolute no physical evidence found to tie Graves to the scene of the crime. In fact, his whole trial relied on the testimony of the 'other man', Robert Carter. In 2000, Carter - who had also been sentenced to death for the murders - confessed all before he was executed. He admitted he had lied about Anthony Graves' involvement. It took another six years before Graves would get a retrial when it was revealed prosecutors during the original trial had deliberately withheld evidence that was favourable to the defence. There was also evidence to show that the prosecution had used false testimony from witnesses. After 18-years in prison, 16 of which had been spent in solitrary confinement - Anthony Graves was released from prison. Today, he plays an active role in helping others potentially locked up for crimes they did not commit. He travels the country sharing his story, as well as serving on the advisory board of the TCADP. 

Randy Steidl

Randy Steidl

Convicted of the brutal murders of a newly-wed couple in 1986, Randy Steidl was sentenced to death. After spending 17-years in prison, 12 of those on death row, Steidl was exonerated of the crime and released. This was due to evidence of police misconduct and fabrication of evidence/testimony. A retrial revealed there was NO evidence to link Randy Steidl to the murders and his release was ordered. Randy Steidl has been an important voice in the movement to abolish the death penalty. He certainly played an important role in the effort to repeal the death penalty in Illionois in 2011. 

These are not all the cases, just the ones that stood out to me. Surely, the fact that there is a high number of exonerations is the sign of a flawed system. Spending any amount of time in prison when you are innocent is wrong, however there is no coming back for someone who is wrongfully executed. So what do you think? are you of the opinion that just one life lost to a 'mistake' is enough to abolish the death penalty? Or do you believe that, while mistakes will be made, it is necessary for the 'greater good'?

Scheduled Execution - Andre Cole

Andre Cole

At 6pm, Missouri time, 42-year old Andre Cole will be executed for the 2001 murder of his ex-wife's boyfriend. Despite this being a sound conviction, backed by DNA evidence and Cole's own statement, the Governor of Missouri is under intense pressure to stay the execution. This is because Cole, an African-American man, was convicted and sentenced to death by an all white jury. Despite the evidence, there is genuine racial unrest surrounding Cole's impending execution, on the basis that St Louis prosecutors removed three members of the jury, all black, before the trial began. 

Adding fuel to the fire is the fact the case was prosecuted in St Louis county, the jurisdiction that covers Ferguson where a series of clashes occurred last August over the police shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown. A collective of African American organizations, civil rights activists and religious bodies have flooded the Governor's office with requests he launch an official enquiry into 'rampant racial bias' within St Louis County. They believe this racial bias has sent an unusually high amount of Black Americans to death row. 

Missouri's Governor appears to be standing his ground, and as of publication time Andre Cole is still set to be executed. However, there are many individuals who believe that if Cole is executed today, it will create huge problems that reach much further than Ferguson. 

Andre Cole murdered his Ex-Wife's Boyfriend in 2001

Murderous Mothers: Andrea Yates

The Yates family during happier times

On June 20th 2001, Andrea Yates drowned all five of her children in the bath tub of the family home. Having suffered for years with serious mental health issues, it had been recommended that Yates was not to be left alone with the children. Unfortunately, there was a spare hour on the morning of June 20th, where she would be completely home alone with the kids. During these 60 minutes, John, Paul, Luke, Mary and Noah Yates were to lose their lives at the hands of their own mother. After committing the murders, Yates calmly rang police before ringing her husband, Rusty, telling him "it's time".

When the case went to trial, Andrea Yates' defence team filed a plea of guilty by way of insanity. In Texas, for such a plea to be accepted successfully it has to be proven that the defendant was unable to determine between right and wrong at the time the crime took place. One point the state prosecutor appeared to focus on was the fact that when police arrived at the Yates residence on the day of the murder, the family dog was locked up in a dog cage. Several people testified this to be highly unusual, as the dog was usually allowed free run of the house. Randy Yates, Andrea's husband, even testified that when he had left the home that morning, the dog had indeed been roaming free. The State Prosecutor alleged that Andrea had locked up the dog to prevent it from interfering with her murderous plans. Therefore, said the prosecutor, Andrea knew exactly what she was doing and this was proven in her action with the dog. Andrea Yates was found guilty of the capital murder of her five children in 2002 and sentenced to life in prison. 

The defence team associated with Andrea Yates immediately began the long and arduous task of appealing her case. Their hard work and commitment paid off when an appeals court granted her a new trial. Amazingly, in 2006, the jury at Yates' second trial found her innocent by way of insanity and she was sentenced to a mental hospital. Today, Andrea Yates resides at a low level security mental hospital in Kerrville. While she has the sympathy of many, the majority of people believe she got off lightly for the most heinous of crimes. Yates is the only patient at the facility not to have a 'day outing' pass. This would enable her to attend things such as picnics and other staff supervised events. However, Andrea Yates' application for the pass caused so much of a public outcry, her doctors deemed that any positive consequences of having the pass would be far outweighed by the negative. Yates applied in 2012 to be given permission to attend church services off hospital grounds, this was denied by the judge. Andrea Yates is currently evaluated every six months. 

So what do you make of the Andrea Yates case? Does the fact she murdered all of her five children highlight serious mental health problems. Or did she use past health issues, as well as possible post-partum depression, as an excuse to get away with murder?                             

Casey Anthony: Justice Denied for Little Caylee Marie?

Little Caylee Anthony with her mother Casey, who many believe killed her

Little Caylee Anthony was first brought to the attention of law enforcement, the residents of Florida and the whole of the United States on July 15th, 2008. Her maternal grandmother, Cindi Anthony, had made a frantic 911 call insisting she hadn't seen her granddaughter in 31 days and that her daughter Casey's car smelled 'odd', like she had had a dead body in there. Cindi Anthony explained that Casey had given her and Caylee's grandfather a variety of excuses to account for their granddaughter's absence over the previous four weeks. However, things had come to a head that day, when Casey had told her mother she hadn't seen Caylee in weeks either. This started a series of lies Casey Anthony would tell, with the most consistent being she had left Caylee with a nanny, appropriately called "Zanny". According to Casey Anthony, when she returned to Zanny's apartment to pick her daughter up nobody was there. According to Casey, she had been too scared she would be in trouble with the police and her family for leaving her daughter with someone she didn't know very well and so she had kept the disappearance to herself,, She went on to insist she had been trying to locate 'Zanny' herself. Police soon found out that Casey Anthony hadn't mentioned her daughter's alleged kidnapping to anyone, not even the man she was having a relationship with at the time. Soon after, a woman, whom Casey Anthony insisted was the mystery nanny was taken in for questioning by the police. She was released when law enforcement were happy she had nothing to do with Caylee's disappearance. Police were also happy that the nanny called Zanny did not exist and Casey Anthony was arrested and charged with murder in October 2008. She pleaded not guilty. 

On December 11th, 2008, a trash bag containing a Winnie the Pooh blanket and the skeletal remains of little Caylee was found in a wooded area not far from the Anthony family home. The Medical Examiner said, due to the state of the remains, he had no choice but to register the death as a 'death by unknown means'. However, he said that three pieces of duck tape found on or around the skull gave him cause to believe Caylee's death was actually a homicide. 

Casey Anthony's trial began on May 24th, 2011. The prosecution told the jury Casey Anthony murdered little Caylee using a mixture of chloroform and duck tape to free herself of the burden of parental responsibility. Prosecutors also sought the death penalty. The first shock of the trial was when the defence, led by Casey's attorney Jose Baez, countered with a story that little Caylee had accidentally drowned in the pool at the family home and that her grandfather and Casey's father, George Anthony, had disposed of the body.  

Casey Anthony's entire defence revolved around her alleged dysfunctional upbringing and the sexual abuse she had allegedly endured at the hands of her father. The defence team did not produce any evidence of the alleged abuse, nor did they have any evidence to support how they said Caylee really died. The prosecution on the other hand appeared to have plenty of evidence supporting their opinion that Casey Anthony was guilty of premeditated murder. A forensic researcher told the jury how he had found compounds associated with decomposition in samples taken from the carpet, spare tyre cover, wheel well and air in Casey Anthony's car. A hair found in the car was also proven to have come from a dead body. Mitochondrial testing proved the hair had come from Casey Anthony's maternal line, as Casey, Cindy and Cindy's mother were allegedly ruled out - that only left Caylee as the most likely owner. The prosecution also submitted records of several Google searches that had been taken off the Anthony family's home computer, the searches included 'how to make chloroform' and 'neck breaking'. According to the computer investigations expert, the word 'chloroform' had been searched 84 times. However, it emerged that the expert made a mistake and had misread the data produced by certain software he had used. It transpired that the word chloroform had only been searched for once. Still determined, the prosecution revealed that the Winnie the Pooh blanket was part of a set from the Anthony home. Altogether 400 pieces of evidence were entered in the trial. 

The trial lasted six weeks and on July 5th, 2011, the jury returned their verdict. Much to the shock of the prosecution, law enforcement and virtually everyone all over America and the World, Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murder. She was also find not guilty of aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. She was found guilty of four counts of providing false information to the police for - lying about dropping Caylee of with Zanny at her apartment, lying about working for Universal Studios during 2008, lying about informing two other people that Caylee had disappeared and for falsely saying she had talked to Caylee on July 15th 2008, which had led to police expanding the search area and increasing manpower. Although the defence wanted all four counts to be counted as one, so as the sentence would run as one, the judge refused and instead acknowledged that the July to December 2008 search for little Caylee had cost a significant amount in police time, resources and costs. Casey Anthony was fined $1000 for each count and sentenced to one year in prison. However, she was credited with 1043 days for time served and she walked free on July 17th 2011. 

Today, almost seven years after little Caylee Marie Anthony died, Casey Anthony allegedly lives the life of a virtual recluse. An apparent 'victim' of her own notoriety, only the odd picture and interview has surfaced in the press since her trial ended. While some people will show her some sympathy, many more believe the real victim, Caylee Anthony, was denied justice and that her mother literally got away with murder. 

I have to say the Caylee Anthony case frustrates me. The prosecution dropped the ball more than once. The defence were able to counter the prosecution's claims about the chloroform found on the carpet of Casey Anthony's car because the prosecution's expert used a technique never before used in a homicide investigation. Add to that the Google searches mistake and the fact that the hair found in the car, that was said to have come from a dead body, was not 100% reliable, and it is no wonder the jury could not convict beyond a reasonable doubt. Considering the mountain of evidence, it almost feels like the prosecution jumped the gun and they ended up paying for it, or Caylee Anthony did. Her story just did not make sense. What sort of mother waits 31 days to tell police and her family that her 2-year old daughter is missing? I tell you what sort, a guilty one! A mother whose child has a fatal accident calls for help! A mother who has something to hide, comes up with one ridiculous excuse after another in order to cover up what really happened. 

What are your thoughts on the Casey Anthony case? Was she really just a compulsive liar who lost her young daughter to a tragic accident? Or was she really guilty of premeditated murder, driven by a need to have no responsibility in her life? 

Casey Anthony Today

The Dr. Jeffrey Macdonald Case - 44 Years On

                                                                       

Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald in May, 1970

I was a mere twinkle in my mother's eye when Colette Macdonald and her two daughters were brutally murdered in their own home. The person responsible - Colette's husband and father of her girls, Dr. Jeffrey Macdonald. Despite not being born until ten years after the murders, it was this case that kick-started a life-long fascination (and career) for me in true crime. I remember watching an American true crime show that covered the case when I was around 15 years old. It moved me to tears and I was absolutely convinced of the good doctor's innocence. Twenty years later, and goodness knows how many hours, days and years spent poring over every website and trial record relating to his case - I am not so naive.

Dr. Jeffrey Macdonald and his beautiful wife appeared to have it all. Jeffrey was a. U.S Army officer for the Special Forces Green Berets, a practising physician and medical doctor. The family were stationed at Fort Bragg, California. The couple had two beautiful daughters, Kimberley 5 and Kristen 2 and Colette was around four months pregnant with the couple's first son. However, in the early morning hours of Febuary 17th, 1970, Fort Bragg dispatch received a 911 call from 544 Castle Drive that would see the start of a story that is still being discussed some 45 years later. 

Initially, only four military police, who believed they were going to settle a domestic dispute,  were dispatched to the Macdonald home that fateful morning. The officers noted the house appeared empty, in complete darkness and their knocks on the front door went unanswered. A quick look around the back however, led the four officers into the home through the open back door and straight into complete carnage. Colette Macdonald lay dead in the master bedroom, Kimberley and Kristen lay dead in their beds in their respective bedrooms. Jeffrey Macdonald lay next to his wife, injured but alive. Macdonald was rushed to the nearby Womack hospital where it soon became apparent his injuries were far less serious than those suffered by his wife and daughters. In fact, Dr. Macdonald had bruises and cuts on his chest, face and head, as well as mild concussion. He had a 'small, sharp' incsion wound to his chest that had left him with a partially collapsed left lung. In comparison, Colette had suffered 37 stab wounds and received a vicious clubbing. Kimberley had also been clubbed and received approximately ten stab wounds to her neck and head. Baby Kristen had received a staggering 48 stab wounds.

Macdonald told police that, after falling asleep on the sofa in the lounge, he had woken to the sounds of Colette and Kimberley screaming. As he ran to help, he was attacked by three male intruders, a fourth - female - intruder stood by watching, holding a candle and chanting 'Acid is Groovy. Kill the Pigs'. Macdonald went on to describe how the male intruders pulled his pyjama top over his head and down his arms, restricting his view. He went on to describe how he used the top to defend himself from three different weapons, a club, a knife and an ice pick. Eventually, Macdonald claims he succumbed to his attackers and he fell unconscious on the floor of the hallway.  When he came around, he ran to check on his family and found each one dead in their respective bedrooms. The word 'PIG' had been daubed in Colette's blood on the left side of the couple's bed headboard. Having returned to the master bedroom and covering Colette with his pyjama top and a towel (to 'keep her warm') he called 911 and then collapsed next to his wife. 

It became obvious to investigators straight away that there was huge inconsistencies in the evidence found at the crime scene and Macdonald's version of events. For starters, the lounge where Macdonald insisted he had fought off a brutal attack by three male intruders, showed little signs of disturbance. An overturned coffee table and plant pot, as well as Macdonald's glasses under the couch were the only irregularities. Soon enough, physical evidence began to tell a different story also. Fibres from Macdonald's pyjamas were not only found under Colette's body, fibres were also retrieved from both little girls' rooms as well as one stray fibre from under Kristen's finger nail. A 3-foot piece of wood, a knife and an ice pick were found by the back door. All three were later proven to come from within the MacDonald home. But perhaps the most damming evidence was the evidence that the word 'PIG' on the couples' headboard had been written by someone wearing surgical gloves. The same surgical gloves that Dr. MacDonald used at work and which were also found, in a box, under the sink in the kitchen of the MacDonald's home. On May 1st 1970, MacDonald was formally charged of the murders by the Army. 

An Army Article 32 hearing, designed to determine MacDonald's guilt, was held on June 5th 1970. Despite the investigators findings, the Army believed the accusation against MacDonald to be 'not true' and they recommended civilian authorities chased up possible suspects and witnesses. MacDonald was then given an honourable discharge from the Army and he decided to move back to his home state of New York. MacDonald spent the next nine years working as a physician and become something of a celebrity, appearing on talk shows and organising book and movie deals. He concentrated on how HE was a victim, both of the four intruders and the police who had tried to accuse poor him of such a heinous crime. Thankfully, the State, the family and countless other individuals did not forget Colette, Kimberley, Kristen and the unborn baby. They worked tirelessly processing evidence, lobbying officials, keeping the MacDonald case in the spotlight for the real victims' of the crime and, it was to pay off. On January 24th, a North Carolina Grand Jury indicted MacDonald and less than 60 minutes after the indictment, MacDonald was in custody. Initially scheduled for a May 23rd 1975 trial, a series of double jeopardy arguments, dismissals and appeals saw the actual trial moved back and back again. However, on July 16th 1979 in Raleigh North Carolina, Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald went to trial for the brutal murders of his wife and two young daughters. 

During the trial it was theorized that on the morning of the murders, MacDonald and Colette most probably got into an argument over Kimberley wetting MacDonald's side of the marital bed. It is believed MacDonald saw red after possibly being struck on the head by Colette with a hair brush. In the middle of beating Colette with the wooden plank, it is further theorized that Kimberley ran into the room and MacDonald swung round and hit her with the wooden plank accidentally. He then made the split second decision to 'finish' Colette and Kimberley before walking into Kristen's room and killing her. It is believed MacDonald's injuries were self inflicted in the hope it would further support the intruder story. There was never any evidence any other individual had been in the home on the morning of the murder. ALL evidence pointed to MacDonald. On August 29th, 1979 the jury agreed after just six hours of deliberations and MacDonald was found guilty of one charge of first degree murder for the death of Kristen and two counts of second degree murder for the deaths of Colette and Kimberley. MacDonald received three life sentences for each count, with all three to run consecutively. 

MacDonald has NEVER admitted guilt for the deaths of Colette, Kimberley and Kristen. In fact, he long refused to request parole because he said he would NEVER confess to crimes he did not commit. However, in 2005 MacDonald, now newly married to a young woman he claimed to have met just after the murders, did apply for parole. He was promptly denied. MacDonald cannot request parole until May 2020. Jeffrey MacDonald's official release date is April 5th, 2071, where he will be a rather sprightly 128 years old. To this day he still claims he is not responsible for the brutal murders of his wife and young daughters.


                                                               

Jeffrey MacDonald in May, 2014

The Controversial Execution of Troy Davis

           

Troy Davis

When thinking of the most controversial death row cases, it is hard not to immediately think of Troy Davis. Born in October 1968, Davis was executed by the state of Georgia on September 21st 2011. 

Troy Davis' story starts on August 19th, 1989, when Marc McPhail, a police officer working as a security guard for Burger King was brutally murdered as he jumped to the defence of a man being insulted in a car park nearby. Troy Davis, who up to then had dabbled in petty criminal activity, was arrested soon after. During his trial, no fewer than seven witnesses confirmed they had seen Davis shoot Mr McPhail. Another two witnesses also testified that Davis had made direct confessions to them about McPhail's murder. As well as a total of 34 witnesses, the prosecution had ballistics evidence they claimed implicated Davis as the killer. This was despite no weapon ever being recovered. Rather, bullet casings found at the scene were said to match those found at the scene of another crime for which Troy Davis had been charged. In August 1991, Davis was found guilty of murder, as well as other lesser charges and sentenced to death. 

In the 20 years between Davis' conviction and execution, he did nothing but protest his innocence. As well as Amnesty International and The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Davis soon gained support from celebrities and the general public. Former President, Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI, Desmond Tutu and the former director of the FBI, were just some of the high profile names who were calling for Troy Davies to be granted a new evidentiary hearing. Although Davis was scheduled to be executed in July 2007, September 2008 and October 2008, all were granted a stay not long before the execution took place. In 2009, the U.S District Court for the Southern District of Georgia was ordered by the Supreme Court to acknowledge evidence that proved Troy Davis was innocent of Marc McPhail's murder. This evidence apparently HAD been available at the time of the Davis trial but it hadn't been considered. 

In June 2010, a new evidentiary hearing was held. Troy Davis' defence produced affadavits for seven of the nine people who had originally said they had seen Troy Davis murder the police officer or had listened to his confession. The affidavits confirmed these people had changed or recanted their original statements. In fact, several implicated another person, Sylvestor Coles, as the actual shooter. The very person Troy Davis had spent nearly 20 years saying was the true perpetrator of the crime. Despite this evidence, the original conviction was upheld,with the district court accusing the defence of putting on a "smoke and mirrors" show. It was even inferred that several of the alleged affidavits were not even recantations at all. 

Troy Davis continued to appeal his conviction, all of which were dismissed. Davis was soon given his fourth execution date, September 21st 2011. The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles received petitions containing over 1 million signatures asking for Davis to be granted clemency. This wasn't to be however, and Troy Davis was executed by lethal execution and declared dead at 11.08pm on September 21st 2011. 

The Troy Davis case was the second most active event on Twitter in 2011, with around 7671 tweets per second being recorded just before Davis' execution. His funeral was attended by several big names as well as 1000 others. 

The Troy Davis case remains controversial to this day, some three years after his death, with many people believing an innocent man was executed. Unfortunately, the truth is unlikely never to be known but the name Troy Davis is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon.

Troy Davis had huge public support.

Murderous Mothers: Darlie Routier

Darlie Lynn Routier

One of, if not the most, controversial female inmates resides on death row in Texas - Darlie Routier. Convicted of the 1996 murder of her son, 5-year old Damon, she is also believed to be responsible for the death of Devon, her 6-year old son. Although many will say the evidence in this case clearly points to Routier, she is not without her supporters. In fact, there are many who believe Darlie Routier is an innocent woman, a victim of incompetent police work and circumstantial evidence.

On June 6th,1996 at 2.31 am, a frantic 911 call was made from within the Routier residence. The caller was Darlie Routier, reporting that she and her young sons had been attacked by an unknown intruder as they lay sleeping in the downstairs living area. Routier reported that as well as stabbing her, the intruder had stabbed both of her sleeping sons. First responders were shocked by the brutal injuries Devon and Damon had suffered, while Darlie Routier had, what many called, superficial injuries. Despite allegedly sleeping through the entire attack on her and the children, Darlie told police she had given chase to the intruder. All of this had happened as Darlie's husband, Darin Routier, lay sleeping upstairs with the couple's seven month old son, Drake. In fact, the first Darin Routier was aware of a problem, was when he heard his wife screaming to call 911.

In the days following the murder, Darlie Routier's behavior was described as odd, even cold. Many people were already questioning whether Darlie was responsible for the horrific murders, as she did not appear particularly upset at the loss of her young sons. This was evidenced further just eight days after the murders, when Darlie and her family held a 7th birthday party for Devon at the little boys' graves. Video recordings of Darlie laughing, smiling, singing "Happy Birthday" and spraying silly string over the children's graves were broadcast across America. Her actions, which Darlie Routier described as celebrating her sons' lives as they would of wanted, seemed to cement her guilt in the minds of many and she was arrested on capital murder charges four days later.

During the Routier trial, prosecutors argued that the crime scene did not match up with Darlie Routier's version of events that night. Rather than being brutally attacked by an unknown assailant, prosecutors accused Routier of brutally stabbing the two boys and then inflicting less serious injuries on herself. They painted her as a materialistic woman, who lived well beyond her means and who, behind closed doors, was sinking under substantial debts. The worry of no longer being able to live the high life and the possibility of losing the family home drove Routier to murder her two young sons. After all, having two less children to care for would relieve some of the financial burden pressuring the family. Blood spatter experts, physcians, crime scene techs and law enforcement officers all spoke out against Routier at trial. According to these professionals the crime scene was staged and blood spatter on Routier's clothes the night of the murder was, in their opinion, cast off spray from a stabbing motion. Despite Routier's defence strongly arguing her innocence, she was found guilty and sentenced to death on Febuary 1st, 1997.

And now,  some 18 years after the murders, Darlie Routier sits on death row - still protesting her innocence. For every professional who speaks up for her guilt, there is another who will speak for her innocence. Routier has a legion of supporters who believe the police concentrated straight away on Darlie Routier being the perpetrator -therefore blinding themselves to the possibility that there may actually be a violent murderer out there somewhere.

So, what do you think? Is Darlie Routier a cold blooded killer who picked off her young sons simply to ensure she was able to continue with her lavish lifestyle. Or, does an innocent grieving mother sit on death row, imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit?

                                                               

Darlie Routier in 1996

Murderous Mothers: China Arnold

China Arnold
(Courtesy of Facebook)

While China Arnold may not be all that well known in the UK, in the USA her name sparks instant repulsion. You see, China Arnold was convicted in 2008 of the murder of her 28-day old baby girl, Paris Talley - whom she had placed in the microwave. The medical examiner, Dr. Marcello Fiero believes baby Paris was placed in the microwave for longer than two minutes and died when her internal temperature became critical. Basically, China Arnold "cooked" her little girl.

Although Arnold denies murdering her daughter, investigators believe she did so because she was unsure who the father was. Arnold's defence is she was intoxicated on the day Paris died and she cannot remember what exactly happened. This was despite her admitting to medical staff in the hospital that she had "killed my baby".

China Arnold has actually been convicted of the murder of her daughter twice technically, after the original conviction was thrown out. This was because the son of Arnold's boyfriend had gone to his father telling him that he had pulled the baby's lifeless body out of the microwave after she had been placed in there by a child from the neighbourhood. Arnold was found guilty for a second time after a fresh trial revealed Paris had actually died somewhere between 2.15 and 3.15 in the morning. The child also recanted their testimony.

Perhaps the most shocking turn of events for the woman dubbed "microwave mom" by the American media is that she somehow managed to escape the death penalty. Instead she was given life without the chance of parole and she is currently incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Arnold is currently appealing her conviction.

Arnold branded Microwave Mom by the press
(courtesy of HTLNtv)

Robert Pruett - Did He Do It?

Robert Lynn Pruett
(Photo courtesy of The Express)

I first became aware of the Robert Pruett case around the same time most people in the UK did, when the documentary Life and Death Row was aired on BBC 3. A compelling documentary, the second programme centred on what is known as "Crisis Cases". These cases are when a death row inmate is looking at an imminent execution date and is looking for any and every kind of help he/she can get that may get them a stay of execution. Robert's case was featured alongside that of gang member Robert Garza. Pruett would eventually get a last minute stay of execution, while Garza went on to be executed.

Robert Lynn Pruett is 35 years old and he has been in prison since he was 15. Which means he has spent more of his life locked up than he did on the out. Pruett's original sentence was 99 years without parole. This was for the role he played in the murder of a neighbour. Although Pruett was not the person who stabbed the man to death, his father was, Robert was convicted under the "law of parties" act. This means if an individual is behind the events that eventually lead to the murder, they are held as culpable as the person who does the deed.

Four years into his sentence at a Texas prison, prison corrections officer Daniel Nagle was stabbed to death with a handmade shank (the name for an often crude weapon made by an inmate from everyday items). While there was no DNA or finger print evidence, a report written by the officer was torn up and strewn all over the crime scene. That report was actually a write up for a violation allegedly committed by Pruett earlier in the day. This write up is what is believed to have made Pruett angry enough to kill. Pruett denies murdering Officer Nagle and has always insisted he had never touched the report. Pruett's 21/05/2013 execution was stayed to allow for the evidence to undergo DNA testing. The results were inconclusive.

In Febuary 2014 Pruett was given a new execution date, 21/05/2014 - twelve months to the day of his first one. However, in April this execution date was also stayed to await further testing of evidence.

While there is no doubting Pruett's guilt for the original crime, many believe he is innocent in the murder of Officer Nagle. According to Pruett supporters he is the victim of "bent" correctional officers who wanted rid of Daniel Nagle because he was "by the book". While these allegations have never been proven, two correctional officers left their positions one month after the murder. Pruett's defence also points out that witness statements provided by other inmates are unreliable as many were offered privileges or even early release in return for their statements.

So, what do you think? Could Texas be wanting to execute the wrong man or is he truly deserving of the death penalty?

UPDATE - 

Robert Lynn Pruett is set to be executed April 28th, 2015. When this update went to publication, his appeals for a stay of execution had so far been unsuccessful. You can read more about Robert here.

The Allan B. Polunsky Unit
Home of Texas' Death Row
(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)