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Title: Trump Running Mate Mike Pence REFUSES To Pardon Man Who Was Wrongly Convicted and Even Proven Innocent!
Source:
Counter Current News
URL Source: http://countercurrentnews.com/2016/ ... onvicted-even-proven-innocent/
Published: Oct 5, 2016
Author: Jeremiah Jones
Post Date: 2016-10-06 10:27:57 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 487
Comments: 9
There is a new addition to the growing list of Heartless acts of Mike Pence, the Indiana governor has now denied a pardon for a man wrongly convicted and now proven innocent! Sarah Burris of Raw Story reports the sad history of Keith Cooper, who served 10 years of a 40-year sentence after being misidentified. In 2008 shooting victim Michael Kershner and his mother, Nona Canell filmed statements and admitted they were wrong. This came after new DNA evidence was found and a jail informant admitted he lied. Canell asked investigators multiple times to see a lineup of potential suspects because she couldn’t be sure. An Elkhart Police detective promised her that they had “the right guy.” It looks like they were wrong! When the new evidence surfaced, the judge offered Cooper a deal if he agreed to be resentenced for the crime. By accepting the deal he was granted “time served” for the 10 years of wrongful imprisonment, but still isn’t considered innocent by the court. Burris said Cooper filed a pardon request to the parole board and they unanimously voted that he should be pardoned and have his felony charges taken off of his criminal record. If Pence granted him clemency, he would be the first person ever in the state’s history to obtain it. Even though Cooper was proven innocent, Pence proves that he cares more about how the judicial process appears than how it actually works. Pence REFUSED to pardon the innocent man, saying it needs to stand “out of respect for the judicial process.” This comes after a two-year delay where Pence claimed that Cooper’s paperwork wasn’t in order. “I’m tired of people judging me by that conviction. That [Department of Correction] number. That’s not who I am,” Cooper said in August. “Man, I know that better than my own Social Security number.” Pence’s irrational decision was slammed by the South Bend Tribune saying it “defies reason.” “An innocent man who has had a decade of his life stolen from him by a flawed process shouldn’t be advised to sit tight and wait a bit longer for the system to finally get it right,” the editorial says. “Every one of us should feel the sting of such injustice. Nothing can erase all that Keith Cooper has endured, but the next step couldn’t be clearer. Governor Pence, issue this pardon.” Cooper’s attorneys believe Pence is trying to push the decision off on another governor since he will be replaced in January. “We are really disappointed in Governor Pence’s failure to provide justice to an innocent man. It’s clear that he has punted the petition to the next Governor because it’s election season,” Cooper’s attorney Elliot Slosar said. Pence’s office said in a statement it has not made a final decision. Why would the Governor REFUSE to pardon a man that has been proven innocent and spent 10 years in jail? If you want JUSTICE for an innocent man, Please use your preferred contact method and give your feedback on Pence refusing to pardon an innocent man: 317-232-4567, Office of the Governor Statehouse Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797, or you can email.
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#1. To: Deckard, *Bill of Rights-Constitution* (#0)
This fits right in with Pence/Trump wanting to put people on a, no fly/no buy guns list, for no particular reason. And stop and frisk, take the gun just because they're "law enforcement" and can do no wrong. The facts don't matter to them. They don't acknowledge "due process of law" or "innocent until proven guilty". Pence is a lawless tyrant thug, and Trump is a wannabe. The authoritarian fascists who infest this site will be pleased by Pence's abominable decision, and you're right - a Trump presidency promises more of the same, a bigger police state. Of course, Hillary is not any different. I'm getting more disgusted every day by the cop-worshipers here. Proven innocent? His retrial hasn't even been granted yet. The left always opens with shrieking nonsense.
In 2008 shooting victim Michael Kershner and his mother, Nona Canell filmed statements and admitted they were wrong. This came after new DNA evidence was found and a jail informant admitted he lied. The left always opens with shrieking nonsense. I'll list that among the most asinine posts of the week. Some people, for some reason, retracted their testimony years later and this is proof he's innocent.
Let them testify to their altered account at the retrial. Maybe the jury will believe them. Maybe not.
Feelz is all they need.
"The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned his co-defendant’s conviction in 2005, and Cooper was given the choice of being released with a felony record or facing a new trial before the same judge who had convicted him. The Chicago Tribune reports he chose to be released." He had his chance of a retrial. Apparently he thought a new jury would not believe him either. So he chooses to be released (with a record) ... and now he wants to be pardoned!
He turned down an opportunity for a second trial 10 years ago. ... It is difficult to be considered innocent by a court where you stand convicted. He chose not to have a second trial. He made the decision not to try to prove his innocence in court. He made that decision and was released in 2006, seven years before Pence became governor. He just asked for a new trial a couple of days ago. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-keith-cooper-pardon-met-20150527-story.html Then, in late 2005, an Indiana Court of Appeals overturned his co-defendant's conviction. And so Cooper was given a choice — be set free but still with a felony record or take his chances at a new trial before the same judge who convicted him. It'd be a gamble, but this time there was more conclusive DNA evidence that implicated another man as the shooter. Cooper decided to play it safe. He chose to be a father. He chose to go home. Now, another decade later, the Country Club Hills resident and Chicago native has petitioned Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to pardon him for a crime he insists he did not commit. His lawyer argues Cooper was wrongly imprisoned based on flawed police work, tainted witness identifications, an unreliable jailhouse snitch and a trial attorney who mishandled key DNA evidence. The witnesses and the snitch have recanted. [...] Attorneys for the city of Elkhart said the multimillion-dollar settlement with Parish was not an admission of liability. They noted Cooper declined a chance to prove his claim of innocence at a retrial. "Because of his choice, he stands convicted of this crime," city attorney Vlado Vranjes said. Madeline Buckley Seven years after he began the process to seek a pardon, Keith Cooper, who spent a decade in prison for a crime he didn't commit, turned to the courts Monday after his pursuit of exoneration from Gov. Mike Pence stalled. Cooper's attorney, Elliot Slosar, filed a petition that asks an Elkhart Circuit Court judge to grant Cooper a new trial — an attempt to fulfill Pence's request that Cooper exhaust his options in court before seeking a pardon from the governor's office. [...] But last month, Cooper faced another hurdle. Pence's office sent a letter to Slosar on Sept. 20 that asked him to pursue exoneration through the courts first. "Although the judicial system may not be perfect, given the extraordinary nature of Mr. Cooper's request, we need to be certain the judicial process is complete and has been given every opportunity to address any error that may have occurred." Petitions for post-conviction relief are usually last-ditch efforts by convicts seeking to reduce a sentence or vacate a conviction. They are rarely granted. Kara Brooks, a spokeswoman for Pence, said in a statement: “The governor’s office believes this a necessary and proper approach and will produce information the governor will need as he considers a pardon for Mr. Cooper.”
Castle(C), Stein(G), Johnson(L)
#2. To: hondo68 (#1)
This fits right in with Pence/Trump wanting to put people on a, no fly/no buy guns list, for no particular reason. And stop and frisk, take the gun just because they're "law enforcement" and can do no wrong. The facts don't matter to them.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."
#3. To: Deckard (#0)
#4. To: Roscoe (#3)
Proven innocent? His retrial hasn't even been granted yet.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."
#5. To: Roscoe (#3)
#6. To: Deckard (#4)
In 2008 shooting victim Michael Kershner and his mother, Nona Canell filmed statements and admitted they were wrong.
#7. To: misterwhite (#5)
#8. To: Roscoe (#6)
"Let them testify to their altered account at the retrial. Maybe the jury will believe them. Maybe not."
#9. To: Roscoe, Deckard (#3)
Proven innocent? His retrial hasn't even been granted yet.
Even though Cooper was proven innocent, Pence proves that he cares more about how the judicial process appears than how it actually works.
When the new evidence surfaced, the judge offered Cooper a deal if he agreed to be resentenced for the crime. By accepting the deal he was granted “time served” for the 10 years of wrongful imprisonment, but still isn’t considered innocent by the court.
Sentenced to 40 years in prison for a 1996 robbery in a small Indiana community that ended in bloodshed, Cooper tried within the concrete walls of his cell to clear his name, as he watched his children grow up through photographs.
Wrongfully convicted Keith Cooper asks for new trial
10:48 a.m. EDT October 4, 2016
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