I used to admire Missouri believing it had a rare agency that separate from the courts-- investigated any death sentence from the minute they were announced. I thought a Missouri governor had set this up out of his own anxiety about the process. Of course that doesn't mean there are plenty of public defenders. And I knew Missouri was the home of Ma Barker and the gang, but now I know it as the home of the GREAT LUCAS KUNCE. He told a long story once from his childhood and it was so moving I was crying AND so was Steve Schmidt!
I didn't read it. I already felt sad and disorganized by the picture of Sandra in her youth. She looks so good-natured but helpless-- somebody thought she wouldn't put up a fight.
Just look at both of those pictures. Does either one of them look like a potential danger to the public? Someone who needs to be kept locked up?
There really ought to be some personal, public sanction for such abuses of public power as were exhibited at all levels of the "justice" system as were practiced upon this hapless woman from her interrogation through her trial and conviction and sentencing right through her imprisonment and appeals process, At every step there were identifiable public malefactors who should be identified, prosecuted, and, upon conviction, barred forever from holding any public office or collecting any sort of pension.
Is there any information as to why this poor woman was charged in the first place? Did she have any history of violent behavior, or was she just a low-level local druggie who the cops decided to put the finger on because it would clear the case?
There are plenty of us Missourians who voted for no such thing. Our dipshidiot AGs resign so they can be elected by our less-than-informed citizens to the Senate :( And then Bailey gets appointed by Governor HeeHaw and turns out the worst of the lot. We specks of blue have him in our sights come November.
Can police officer Michael Holman be prosecuted posthumously for the crime? There certainly appears, even now, to be more evidence against him than there ever was against Hemme.
Also, while we're at it, how about charging those that interrogated Hemme while she was under medication, and those who suppressed the fact that there was no evidence of Hemme even being at the scene?
Hell - these people, even if dead, should not have the luxury of avoiding accountability for their own crimes
This is what happens to you if you rely on a public defender in court. In Missouri the public defenders are grossly overworked and underpaid and can't possibly do their jobs, so they rarely do their jobs. The ACLU sued Missouri in 2017 because of this, saying that the lack of an adequate number of public defenders was a violation of our constitutional right to a legal defense. The ACLU won. The State of Missouri agreed to add about 40 new positions (less than 1 per county) but it hasn't happened yet because they say nobody wants the jobs.
I have always maintained that the public defender's office should have resources equal to those of the prosecutor. Sadly, i don't think that exists anywhere
The system they use in England is much better. They call them "Duty Solicitors" and they are practicing private attorneys who ask to serve on a Solicitors Panel. There is a strict rota whereby one of them will act in turn as Duty Solicitor for a set period. There are also Police Station Duty Solicitors who enable a person who is arrested to consult with a solicitor, either in person or on the telephone (and frequently both) while in police custody. This pattern is followed in several Commonwealth countries, including Canada.
To act as a duty solicitor a solicitor must be a member of the Law Society's Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme. To become a member of the scheme a solicitor must demonstrate a particular level of competence set by the Law Society. To demonstrate competence, a solicitor must pass a number of assessments.
There is, sadly, a shortage of duty solicitors, just as there is a shortage of public defenders in the US.
I scrolled down in the comments to see if you had read this article. I know it has to hit really close to home. Thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Muchas gracias! I just finished reading this other article about Chris Dunn, who was sentenced to life without parole for a crime he didn't commit. A judge just vacated his conviction after he spent 33 years in prison. How many more are there like Chris and Sandra?
Fun fact: Sandy is my mom's first cousin. The details are even worse than what's been made public so far. Our fam's been fighting this battle since I was 4 years old. I'm almost 50 now.
Free Leonard Peltier.
Heartbreaking
I used to admire Missouri believing it had a rare agency that separate from the courts-- investigated any death sentence from the minute they were announced. I thought a Missouri governor had set this up out of his own anxiety about the process. Of course that doesn't mean there are plenty of public defenders. And I knew Missouri was the home of Ma Barker and the gang, but now I know it as the home of the GREAT LUCAS KUNCE. He told a long story once from his childhood and it was so moving I was crying AND so was Steve Schmidt!
I didn't read it. I already felt sad and disorganized by the picture of Sandra in her youth. She looks so good-natured but helpless-- somebody thought she wouldn't put up a fight.
Just look at both of those pictures. Does either one of them look like a potential danger to the public? Someone who needs to be kept locked up?
There really ought to be some personal, public sanction for such abuses of public power as were exhibited at all levels of the "justice" system as were practiced upon this hapless woman from her interrogation through her trial and conviction and sentencing right through her imprisonment and appeals process, At every step there were identifiable public malefactors who should be identified, prosecuted, and, upon conviction, barred forever from holding any public office or collecting any sort of pension.
I wonder if prosecutors get punished for things like this. For acting with malice or wasting state money. Or devilry.
I very much doubt it.
Is there any information as to why this poor woman was charged in the first place? Did she have any history of violent behavior, or was she just a low-level local druggie who the cops decided to put the finger on because it would clear the case?
Vote for assclowns get a circus Missouri I'm talking about you. I hope she gets $100 million from the taxpayers.
There are plenty of us Missourians who voted for no such thing. Our dipshidiot AGs resign so they can be elected by our less-than-informed citizens to the Senate :( And then Bailey gets appointed by Governor HeeHaw and turns out the worst of the lot. We specks of blue have him in our sights come November.
At least 40% of any red state are Democrats I think.
Ta, Robyn.
Some of us in the Sho-Me State know Bailey is an evil man. I hope the rest of us see this, and see him for what he is.
Bailey should be sanctioned to the max, disbarred, and locked up. He's a fucking monster.
Can police officer Michael Holman be prosecuted posthumously for the crime? There certainly appears, even now, to be more evidence against him than there ever was against Hemme.
Also, while we're at it, how about charging those that interrogated Hemme while she was under medication, and those who suppressed the fact that there was no evidence of Hemme even being at the scene?
Hell - these people, even if dead, should not have the luxury of avoiding accountability for their own crimes
If only.
What the hell.
Lawsuit incoming. Good.
Your average goldfish would have been able to get her acquitted . . . did her public defender not even show up in court??
This is what happens to you if you rely on a public defender in court. In Missouri the public defenders are grossly overworked and underpaid and can't possibly do their jobs, so they rarely do their jobs. The ACLU sued Missouri in 2017 because of this, saying that the lack of an adequate number of public defenders was a violation of our constitutional right to a legal defense. The ACLU won. The State of Missouri agreed to add about 40 new positions (less than 1 per county) but it hasn't happened yet because they say nobody wants the jobs.
I have always maintained that the public defender's office should have resources equal to those of the prosecutor. Sadly, i don't think that exists anywhere
The system they use in England is much better. They call them "Duty Solicitors" and they are practicing private attorneys who ask to serve on a Solicitors Panel. There is a strict rota whereby one of them will act in turn as Duty Solicitor for a set period. There are also Police Station Duty Solicitors who enable a person who is arrested to consult with a solicitor, either in person or on the telephone (and frequently both) while in police custody. This pattern is followed in several Commonwealth countries, including Canada.
To act as a duty solicitor a solicitor must be a member of the Law Society's Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme. To become a member of the scheme a solicitor must demonstrate a particular level of competence set by the Law Society. To demonstrate competence, a solicitor must pass a number of assessments.
There is, sadly, a shortage of duty solicitors, just as there is a shortage of public defenders in the US.
I scrolled down in the comments to see if you had read this article. I know it has to hit really close to home. Thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Muchas gracias! I just finished reading this other article about Chris Dunn, who was sentenced to life without parole for a crime he didn't commit. A judge just vacated his conviction after he spent 33 years in prison. How many more are there like Chris and Sandra?
https://www.firstalert4.com/2024/07/22/judge-vacates-christopher-dunns-conviction/
Fun fact: Sandy is my mom's first cousin. The details are even worse than what's been made public so far. Our fam's been fighting this battle since I was 4 years old. I'm almost 50 now.
I’m so sorry for what Sandy and your family has had to go through; I’m glad you finally get to see her set free. HUGS.
R'Amen, sister.