1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: I've never been in trouble in my life. I didn't 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: even have a parking ticket, you know what I mean. 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: I was brought up like cops are the good guys. 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: I didn't know what was going to happen, but I 5 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: do know that everything was stacked against me. Everything like everything. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 2: This isn't supposed to happen this way. I'm innocent. I 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 2: know I'm innocent. 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: I know I had nothing to do with this. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 2: How is this possible? 10 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 3: I grew up trusting systems. I've grew up believing that 11 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 3: every human being should do the right thing. And that's why, 12 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 3: even though I knew I was dealing with corrough people, 13 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 3: I wasn't going to break anyone to get me out 14 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 3: of prison because I wouldn't live with the fact that 15 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 3: I break my way out of my wife's death. 16 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: I'm not innocent, too proven guilty. I'm guilty until I 17 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: prove my innocence. And that's absolutely what happened to me. 18 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: Our system. 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 2: Since I've been out ten years, it has come a 20 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: little ways, but it's still broken. 21 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 3: I totally lost trusting humanity after what's happened to it. 22 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 4: This is wrongful conviction. Welcome back to wrongful Conviction with 23 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 4: Jason Flamm. Today's episode features two extraordinary people. Steve Fishman, 24 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 4: the journalist who was the host of Empire on Blood, 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 4: which played a role in the ultimate reversal of the 26 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 4: conviction of our other guest who was in prison for 27 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 4: over two decades for a double murder he didn't commit. 28 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 4: And that's Calvin Bari. 29 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 5: Calvin Buari was convicted of a double homicide in nineteen 30 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 5: ninety five, but maintained he was innocent for more than 31 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 5: two decades. He was released last year after his conviction 32 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 5: was overturned, but prosecutors threatened to retry the case until 33 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 5: last week. 34 00:01:58,240 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 4: So Steve, welcome to the show. 35 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. 36 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 4: Jason and Calvin Welcome to Wrongful Conviction. 37 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: Thank you. Thanks for having me. Jason. 38 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 4: Let's get right into the story, because your story has 39 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 4: more twists and turns than a Hollywood movie. I would say, 40 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 4: let's go back to the beginning. Calvin, where did you 41 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 4: grow up? 42 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: I grew up in the Bronx. I grew up at 43 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: nine to twenty two East to eleventh Street in the 44 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: northeast section of the Bronx Wakefield area. 45 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 4: And what was that like? What was your childhood like, 46 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 4: did you have brothers, sisters? Were your parents at home? 47 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 4: Was it a tough neighborhood? What was the situation growing up? 48 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: That's where I was born, But I was moving around. 49 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: Where was that At one time? I was staying in Brooklyn, 50 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: in the Brownsville area. You know, it's very rough, especially 51 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: in the seventies at that time. I was a baby 52 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: when I was in the Bronx, but I came back 53 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: to the Bronx because that's where my grandmother lived, and 54 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: my mother ended up moving back with her mother. Your 55 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: dad wasn't around, No, my dad wasn't around. He left 56 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:00,959 Speaker 1: me when I was about I think three or four 57 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: years old. 58 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 4: And what about brothers and sisters. 59 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: I have one brother, one younger brother who's a year 60 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: younger than me. His name is Abdull. That's just a 61 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: brother on my mother's side. I have a whole lot 62 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: of other siblings on my father's side as well that 63 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: I just recently started getting in contact with. 64 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 4: Got it Okay, So you grew up in well difficult circumstances, right, 65 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 4: dodge in trouble and ultimately getting into getting into trouble, 66 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 4: but not the trouble that you were convicted of. Right, No, 67 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 4: absolutely not, And that's part of the crazy story. So 68 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 4: you were known as a fixture in the drug trade 69 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 4: at the time that this went on, right, Yes, And 70 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 4: you were in the crosshairs of the police as a 71 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 4: result of the fact that you were a known dealer. 72 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: Yes. 73 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 4: And can you just give us a quick overview of 74 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 4: what your life was like when you were in the 75 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 4: game in the Bronx back then. 76 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: I mean, when I was in the game, I could 77 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: say I was on top of my game, my lifestyle 78 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: was good, I had money, and I was doing well, 79 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: you know. So I don't know what else I could 80 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: say about that. 81 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 2: I mean I could have add a little bit of 82 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 2: a few details. Cal sometimes likes to talk about him, 83 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 2: but you know that's not who he is now. So 84 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 2: I understand a little shyness about it. But cal Is 85 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 2: he once told me he was living the life. And 86 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: we think of people imitating rap stars now, but rap 87 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 2: stars back then were imitating people like cal So. He 88 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: had a couple of mink coats, he had a matching 89 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: mink hat. He had two what he called black Man's wishes, 90 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 2: which b m W. The car that let people know 91 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: that he made it, And I think Yeah, that was 92 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: part of the great thrill of it, But in the end, 93 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 2: that brought a lot of attention into the can all 94 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 2: the wrong kind of attention. 95 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 4: I'm not judging one way or the other. I don't 96 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 4: think anybody can unless they walk a mile in your shoes. 97 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 4: That being said, how did this crazy situation unfold? You 98 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 4: were convicted of a murder in nineteen ninety two. So 99 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 4: on that faithful night of September tenth, nineteen ninety two, 100 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 4: two brothers, Elijah and Saladin Harris, twenty four and twenty 101 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 4: five years old, were murdered in cold blood as they 102 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 4: sat in the car eating their food, and that's what 103 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 4: started this whole chain of events that led to your 104 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 4: wrongful conviction. Yes, were you there at the time. 105 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: I wasn't on the scene where the crime happened at 106 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: I was in the middle of the block. It was 107 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: probably what like five hundred or one thousand feet away 108 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: from where the incident actually took place when it had happened, 109 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: But I was always in and around that area at 110 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: all times. That was the block that I was known 111 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: for selling drugs at. 112 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 2: Just to set the scene. One of the things that's 113 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: kind of incredible cow was a drug distributor, a very 114 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: good one. I mean, he's got immense entrepreneurial talents, which 115 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 2: also served him well when he was in prison and 116 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 2: managing his own case. But the thing that's incredible going 117 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 2: back to the late eighties early nineties, is that the 118 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 2: cops target Cow and they say it out loud, it's 119 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 2: in the newspaper, we want Cow Buari and they go 120 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 2: so far as to say he's not only a murderer, 121 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 2: we believe a drug dealer who walks around flaunting his success, 122 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: but he knows black magic. 123 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was like the biggest propaganda in the world. 124 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: I think that only happened because they figured out that 125 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: I had an African last name, and instead of me 126 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: knowing this black magic as they proclaimed, they were the 127 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: ones that were really on the witch hunt and they 128 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: just wanted me by all means necessary. And one of 129 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: the things that I learned later is this is the 130 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: way that Alan Caaren when he mentions how you know, 131 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: he utilized different tactics and angles, that was actually one 132 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: of his biggest tools. Because what happened was when I 133 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: went to trial, not only did he ambush me with 134 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: surprise witnesses that me or my lawyer didn't know about 135 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: who was coming into wrongly accuse me. He also utilized 136 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: the media, so now jurors were actually getting that article 137 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: delivered in little flyers to their houses while I was 138 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: on trip. 139 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 4: Wow, you never heard selling before? 140 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I think there was even like a newsletter, 141 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 2: a co op newsletter. 142 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 4: That did this. 143 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 2: And you know, Alan Karen's the prosecute. He works for 144 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 2: the bronx DA, He's got a big reputation. He comes 145 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: in like they're throwing their heavy hitter at it because 146 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 2: they want Col. And you know, Cal has in their minds. 147 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 2: I think he's you've been accused of another murder and 148 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: Cal keeps eluding them, and this kind of engenders this 149 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,679 Speaker 2: ferocity on their part to let's get Cow. 150 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 4: And that's something that I talk about a lot. You know, 151 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 4: when they take this talk about black magic like a 152 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 4: witch hunter, they decide they're going to get Col. Right. 153 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 4: That means, now this double murder happens, are like, how convenient, 154 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 4: we'll pin this on you. But in the meantime, that 155 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 4: means by definition that they're totally willing to ignore the 156 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 4: actual killer or killers, who are then going to be 157 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 4: free to go do it again, But I want to 158 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 4: go back a little bit because there you are five 159 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 4: hundred one thousand feet away whatever shots ring out. I mean, 160 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 4: this was a very violent time, right was there a 161 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 4: were shootings a frequent thing in the neighborhood. 162 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 1: I mean in that era, murders were at an all 163 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: time high. New York I think at that time was 164 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: the murder capital. You know, you had two thousand and 165 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: something murders a year. Looking back at that time and 166 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: that age, you know, literally I knew that when I 167 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: was in the lifestyle I was in every day that 168 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: I walked out my house, I knew I was putting 169 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: my life on the line. But you know, to me, 170 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: it was a sacrifice because I felt like I had 171 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: to beat a man of my household because my father 172 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: wasn't around and I was the oldest sibling, and my 173 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,479 Speaker 1: mother lost a job and she was struggling. 174 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:45,119 Speaker 4: So even in a neighborhood where shootings were a regular occurrence, 175 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 4: this was a double murder of two brothers, and you 176 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 4: heard the shots. Did you go to the scenes, and 177 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 4: then how did it happen? When did the arrest happen? 178 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 4: And when did you start to see that this was 179 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 4: really going to be your undoing. 180 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: After that happened, I had immediately ran to the opposite 181 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 1: end of the block and I was with a friend 182 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: of mine's, John Parris, you know may rest in pieces 183 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: not here today. And then when I walked back up 184 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: to the block, we walked to his house because he 185 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: had drugs on him, and we started seeing police come 186 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: to the corner of the block. So we wanted to 187 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: know what was going on because we just heard the 188 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: shots go off. So once he had took what he 189 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: had in the house, we walked up to the block 190 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: and that's when I found out that two guys had 191 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: got murdered. 192 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 4: Did you know those guys? 193 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: No? I didn't. 194 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 4: Were you arrested on the spot or no, I wasn't. 195 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: I was arrested six months later. I was arrested because 196 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: Aldrick Griffin, he was one of the leaders of the 197 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: Shower Posse, the Jamaican gang called the Shower Posse, and 198 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: from the records that I had read, he had gotten 199 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: locked up for inoperable or a firearm, a weapon, and 200 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: I think some drugs. He already wanted to get me 201 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: off the block because he was also my competition of 202 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: course the street, so that's how I got arrested. He 203 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: falsely accused me for killing the Harvest brothers. 204 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 2: And remember, I mean this block gets called eventually Corner 205 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 2: on Blood, right on that corner, and you know, some 206 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 2: years later, there's like seven eight nine shootings within the 207 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 2: span of a month, So this becomes a very very 208 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 2: hot block. Juliani comes in, he wants to clean it up. 209 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 2: Calf kind of falls into that to that profile in 210 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 2: a big way. But when they first arrest him, I 211 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 2: think it's March of ninety three, so that's like six 212 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: months after the actual executions. It's an aspirational arrest. I mean, 213 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 2: they got one witness who may or may not hold 214 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: up in court, but they want Cal off the street. 215 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 2: So hey, we're gonna throw him in jail for as 216 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 2: long as we can, and we're going to try and 217 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 2: develop a case while we're holding him, and they don't 218 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: have a case. It takes some years, and the thing 219 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 2: that comes out is that they're actually about to walk 220 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 2: away from this case. They're completely bluffing. Cal mentions Alan Karen, 221 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 2: the prosecutor, and really he tells me in the podcast 222 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 2: he had no case. He says, I was bluffing. I 223 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: was going to take this as far as I could 224 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 2: and then dismiss it. And then there's a twist and 225 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 2: a turn that intervenes three years later. 226 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: I wanted to touch on that too. I literally have 227 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: to commence Steve because I think that he did a 228 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: more thorough investigation than any prosecutor, than any lawyer that 229 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: I ever had, than any detective that was ever on 230 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: my case. And he talked to every single individual that 231 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 1: had anything to do with my case. And you know, 232 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: with that bluff that he said that was a violation 233 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: of the sixth Amendment to my speedy trial rights. He 234 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 1: never had had a case against me. They always knew 235 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: that that guy initially was lying. When he got arrested, 236 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: he immediately went back to Jamaica. He wasn't trying to 237 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: cooperate with them. He just utilized me to get out 238 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 1: of jail and possibly get back on the block to 239 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 1: try to take over what I had going on out there, 240 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: you understand. And the sad part about it is when 241 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: you talk about Alan Caaron, you talk about one of 242 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: Robert Johnson's leading hitman, so speak. 243 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 2: That Johnson's the district attorney in the Bronx for twenty 244 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 2: five years. 245 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, And with him, it's sad because I know that 246 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: that man has a lot of individuals possibly in prison 247 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: right now for cases they didn't commit. And with Robert Johnson, 248 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: the reason why I brought him up is because under 249 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: his tenure, the Bronx had the most Brady violation and 250 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: prosbittorial misconduct violations than any other borough. And none of 251 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: them ever has been chastised or punished for none of 252 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: these acts. So when they get away with doing these things, 253 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: they walk around as though they are above the law, 254 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: like with impunity that they have no punity. So it's 255 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: just sad, you know, rather than see justice done, Alan Cameron, 256 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: rather uphold the conviction. And that's who this man is. 257 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 1: And it's just a lot of other people that I 258 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: know that are in the situation that I am, because 259 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: when this God took a set on you, he was 260 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: gonna go by all means to take you down, period 261 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: and he showed that clearly when he spoke to Steve. 262 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: He has no impunity for that, you know. 263 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 4: No, it's something that we talk about unwrungful conviction a lot, 264 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 4: which is that until we are able to get rid 265 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 4: of prosecutorial immunity, which is almost total, but probably the 266 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 4: only profession that enjoys that type of protection. Right, almost 267 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 4: any job that you do. If you're a doctor and 268 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 4: you mess up, you know you're going down. I mean, 269 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 4: it's like and there's so many exis samples of that, 270 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 4: but they're able to get away with just insane things. 271 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 4: I mean, it's the most powerful position in the justice system. 272 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 4: I think most people think that a judge has an 273 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 4: ultimate authority, but we know, those of us who are 274 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 4: in this business, no, definitely that the prosecutor has so 275 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 4: much power. They can drop charges whenever they want to, 276 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 4: for whatever reason they want to. They can throw the 277 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 4: harshest penalties at you. In an attempt to bluff, as 278 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 4: you said, to get you to cop a plea. 279 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 2: Cow Is offered a plea three years, three years, and 280 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 2: he turned it down because he's innocent. And you know, 281 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 2: to your point about the prosecutors, one thing that happens 282 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:47,479 Speaker 2: is the system gives them, legitimately by law, enormous advantages. 283 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 2: Now imagine six witnesses come forward and testify against cal 284 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 2: and they're really drug dealers who have been in the 285 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 2: scene or people who have committed crimes, and the prosecution 286 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 2: is allowed to encouraged to hand out deals. 287 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 4: Sure. And so. 288 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 2: There's actually a guy in prison and they go to 289 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 2: him and they say how long you want to do 290 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 2: right or you can testify against Cal. And by the way, 291 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 2: there's a guy who's very close to Cal. This all happens. 292 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 2: It's a kind of intimate drama. It all happens within 293 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: most of it, within a circle. But the second advantage, 294 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 2: and this is what really shocked me. I think when 295 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 2: I looked at the transcript, you know, eleven hundred pages thick, 296 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: Cal had it sent to me. This is of a 297 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 2: trial in nineteen ninety five. As Cal alluded to. The 298 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: prosecutor goes to the judge and says, Calvin Buari black magic. 299 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:49,400 Speaker 2: Calvin Bari is so dangerous. We need in order of protection. 300 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 2: The judge says, all right, you know, I mean the 301 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 2: judge isn't running this. It's the prosecution that's running this. 302 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 2: He says, Okay, I don't want to be on the 303 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 2: front page of the New York Post if something happens. 304 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 2: And so that means that Cal and his attorney cannot 305 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 2: know who is going to testify against him until the 306 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 2: witness walks. 307 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 1: To the stand. 308 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 2: Now, I mean, imagine that kind of disadvantage and that's legal. 309 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 2: To your point, Jason, there's a kind of immunity. Whether 310 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 2: I don't think it's in the law, but it in practice. 311 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 2: Prosecutors are not held to account for there. Let's give 312 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 2: it the best, the best interpretation. They're mistakes. Sometimes those 313 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,880 Speaker 2: mistakes are due to overzealousness or refusal to look at 314 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 2: the facts, and it doesn't have an impact on a career, 315 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 2: so you know, recidivism, that's what we're talking about, right. 316 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 4: They are in fact immune in so many ways. Freedom 317 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 4: Agenda is a proud sponsor of this episode of Wrongful Conviction. 318 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:04,120 Speaker 4: Freedom Agenda is led by people directly impacted by incarceration, 319 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 4: and they're organizing to get Mayor Eric Adams to follow 320 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 4: the law and shut down Rikers Island. Right now, thousands 321 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 4: of people are awaiting trial there in life threatening conditions. 322 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,920 Speaker 4: Freedom Agenda is committed to creating a safer and more 323 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 4: just city by winning investments in long neglected communities, protecting 324 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,479 Speaker 4: the rights of people involved in the criminal legal system, 325 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 4: and ending the cycle of violence that Rikers perpetuates. To 326 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 4: learn more about the campaign to close Rikers and to 327 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 4: sign up for Freedom Agenda's mailing list, go to campaign 328 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 4: to close Rikers dot org, slash get involved, or follow 329 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 4: at Freedom Agenda and Why on social media. There's a 330 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 4: couple things that I want to highlight. One is that 331 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 4: had they really believed that you murdered two people in 332 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 4: cold blood, there's no possibility they would have offered you 333 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 4: three years. That's ridiculous, right, That's just I mean that 334 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 4: you have you really have to suspend a lot of 335 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 4: layers of disbelief in order to try to give yourself 336 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 4: around that one. And what you were talking about is 337 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 4: a legal principle that was developed in England centuries ago, 338 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 4: which is called trial by ambush, right, which was where 339 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 4: they would not tell the defense anything that they were 340 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 4: going to say or do, or who they were going 341 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 4: to bring in. Their thought was that this way they 342 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 4: would get to the truth because they would just use 343 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 4: this surprise tactic. But of course it's just patently unfair. 344 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 4: And now we have the Brady decision from nineteen sixty 345 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 4: four in which the Supreme Court said that prosecutors have 346 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 4: a duty, that obligation to disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense, 347 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 4: but they left it up to the prosecutors to decide 348 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 4: what they considered to be exculpatory. So they really they 349 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 4: had it right, and then they sort of pulled the 350 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 4: rugout from under their own decision, which left us in 351 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 4: this situation where we see time and again in New 352 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,199 Speaker 4: York State, it's common that they sometimes they turn it 353 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 4: over the day of the tr trial too, right, so 354 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 4: it's like, oh, here's the stuff, and then what are 355 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 4: you supposed to do? Like, you can't, you can't, you 356 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 4: can't examine it. 357 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: And investigate, you can't do anything. It's absolutely what you said, 358 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: it's a trial by ambush, I mean, and that's how 359 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: I was ultimately sadbag and convicted because if you're looking 360 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,439 Speaker 1: at the ambush and you're looking at the media that 361 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: was brought up against me, then you have six individuals 362 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: that say they know me, and some of them I 363 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: didn't know, then you got a conviction. I'm not innocent 364 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 1: to proven guilty. I'm guilty until I prove my innocence. 365 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: And that's absolutely what happened to me. But I also 366 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,199 Speaker 1: think that Alan caaron to to touch more on that 367 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: point that Steve brought up. He was actually promoted after 368 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: all of that. He was Robert Johnson's ada top dog 369 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: in that office, and he allowed him to do whatever 370 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: he wanted to. That's why he has that attitude that 371 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: he has. Would you believe that out of four file folders, 372 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: three of those filfolders went missing and my case complete? 373 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: So you know, this is the new tactic that Alan 374 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: Karon employed. He's not only gonna turn over the sculpatory evidence, 375 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 1: he gonna make sure that the any esculpatory evidence just disappears. Period. 376 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: So what do you do now when you have evidence 377 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: that they have in their possession they possibly always knew 378 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: I didn't commit the crime that you're gonna never be 379 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: able to get your hands on. There's also some type 380 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: of justice reform that needs to be done with that. 381 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 1: I think that there needs to be an open case 382 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: foul with the defense attorney and the prosecutor. Because there 383 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: are both officers of the court, they share the same 384 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: ethical duty. It shouldn't be a disadvantage where they have 385 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,360 Speaker 1: all the power. And then if you have anything that 386 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,120 Speaker 1: can support your position and you'll never get it. 387 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, you'll never know about it, and it is crazy. 388 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 4: But the fact is that, as we all know, in 389 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 4: a civil trial, everyone has to turn over everything and 390 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:56,479 Speaker 4: all you're arguing about is money. In this case, they 391 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 4: were arguing about your life. And that's for some reason 392 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,919 Speaker 4: that's not true with the same level of respect by 393 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,959 Speaker 4: the justice system as money is, which just strikes me 394 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 4: as Alice in Wonderland, like completely upside down and inside out. 395 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 4: It doesn't make any damn sense. So back to you, 396 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 4: did you know after you go through this trial, they 397 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 4: have these witnesses, every one of which was an incentivized witness, right, 398 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 4: and you know, had every reason to lie. They didn't 399 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 4: really care about you. In some cases they wanted you 400 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 4: convicted because, as Robinson did, he wanted you off the 401 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 4: street so he could have it to himself. So, I 402 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 4: mean he had multiple reasons he was getting off and 403 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 4: he was going into a better business situation, yeah, because 404 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 4: his main competitor was going to be behind bars. So 405 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 4: when the jury went out, did you think you had 406 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 4: a snowballs chance in hell of being vindicated? 407 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: I mean, truthfully, I put my faith in God and 408 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: at that time, and I'm taking myself back to that time, 409 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: I didn't know what was going to happen, but I 410 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 1: do know that, you know, everything was stacked against me. 411 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: Everything like everything. 412 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 2: Let me just add to that, because Dwight Robinson he's 413 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 2: a key, key character. He's a guy who he idolized Cal. 414 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 2: He's four years younger. He admires Cal and then for 415 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 2: whatever internal dynamics, he feels spurned. He's hurt. He's also 416 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 2: at the same time really ambitious, and that results in 417 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 2: an attempted murder of cal So Dwight Robinson emerges as 418 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 2: the central witness. He organizes the prosecution. The prosecutor uses 419 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 2: the word to me. He says Dwight Robinson was a gift. 420 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: Dwight is bringing people into the prosecutor's office in the 421 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 2: back of police cruisers. So he is not only an 422 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,880 Speaker 2: arm of the prosecution, he's like a lieutenant of the prosecution. 423 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 2: They can't do it without him. He has just I 424 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 2: think three months prior to tried to murder cal in 425 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: weeks priorly three weeks Pride just in a hall, bullets 426 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 2: in an ambush, right, and that information is kept from 427 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 2: the jury in this sense, it's brought up. Dwight denies 428 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 2: it on the stand. At the same time, according to Dwight, 429 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:16,719 Speaker 2: and Dwight spent a lot of time talking to me. 430 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:21,199 Speaker 2: According to Dwight. It's common knowledge among the prosecutions, certainly 431 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 2: among the cops or the detectives. And at one point 432 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 2: I said to Dwight, I said, were you surprised that 433 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:32,360 Speaker 2: they let you commit perjury on the stand? And he said, nah, nah, 434 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 2: I understood the game. It's dirty all around. You tell 435 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 2: the truth, you're going to lose every time. That may 436 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 2: be the most chilling thing that I heard. You know, 437 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 2: that kind of organization, that kind of organizing of the prosecution. 438 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 2: In fact, that kind of by Dwight Robinson, that kind 439 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 2: of utilizing of the prosecution, becoming this collaborator of the prosecution. 440 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 2: And I think Calius phrase trying to kill Cow by 441 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: other means. He failed with bullets, So now he teams 442 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 2: up in the prosecution. And by the way, Dwight admits 443 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 2: that he says, yeah, I wanted to get Cow off 444 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 2: the street and I saw this opportunity. So cal has 445 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 2: to spend the next two decades of his life proving 446 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 2: the Dwight Robinson, this guy once idolized him. 447 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: Is a liar. 448 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 2: And that's I mean, that's a drama that shouldn't be 449 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 2: imposed on to anybody. But it is an amazing drama 450 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 2: to follow. 451 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 4: And let's get to that because that's one of the 452 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 4: more interesting aspects of this case, I think, is that 453 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 4: you end up being convicted. You were sentenced to fifty 454 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,919 Speaker 4: years of life, fifty the life, right, so that's pretty 455 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 4: much game over. But you didn't give up. It would 456 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 4: have been pretty easy to give up at that point, 457 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 4: you know, I mean you have now seen the justice 458 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:54,199 Speaker 4: system at its worst, and you know what they're capable of. 459 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 4: You know that they're they're hiding stuff, they're bringing. 460 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 1: On witnesses riding with his sentence to lie. 461 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 4: And the most nefarious characters they're bringing on to the stand, 462 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 4: like Robinson, right, who they knew was a bad guy, right, 463 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 4: but they didn't care. So you know what they're capable of. 464 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 4: You know how steep of a hill you've got to 465 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 4: climb now, because it just got one hundred times harder 466 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 4: because now you're behind bars and you're looking at fifty 467 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 4: to life. And then things get really interesting all of 468 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 4: a sudden when you get a letter in the mail, right. 469 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I've received a foot from Dwight Robinson. 470 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, eight years after his conviction. 471 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 4: And where were you serving at this point? 472 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: I was an upstate correctional facility at that. 473 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 4: Time, maximum security, yes, right. 474 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: And when he wrote me, he started explaining, like I've 475 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: seen them, remorse in them, because you know, one of 476 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: the things that or jumped out with me is the 477 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: fact that he started saying, you know, Cal, I'm on 478 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: the inside looking out now, you know, I know your 479 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 1: hand and called for this, and you know, I started 480 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: to say some type of remorse, you know, when it 481 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: started from there. 482 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 4: The wait, he was in prison writing to you. 483 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 2: Yes, he had been convicted of a different murder under 484 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:11,120 Speaker 2: very remarkably. 485 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: Similar similar circumstances. 486 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 2: But so Dwight's doing twenty five to life. 487 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 4: Right, And let's just point out for a second that 488 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,239 Speaker 4: that murder didn't ever really have to happen. If they 489 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 4: would have just arrested him when they should have in 490 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,199 Speaker 4: the first place, he wouldn't have been free to go 491 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 4: kill whoever it was if he killed. But okay, so 492 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 4: let's just put that on the side for a second. Right, 493 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,920 Speaker 4: So you're here in this maximum security prison. First of all, 494 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 4: is it as bad as it sounds? 495 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: I mean, yes, I mean, especially at that time in 496 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: that era, it was a whole lot of I mean, 497 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:44,919 Speaker 1: if you look at right because Alan and Upstate in 498 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,439 Speaker 1: the early nineties, that's when they started to have the 499 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:51,479 Speaker 1: most cutting, stabbings and all that type of stuff. So, 500 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: I mean, Jill is just not a place for nobody 501 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: to me. 502 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 2: I always wondered, Cal. You know, you're sentenced to fifty 503 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 2: years to life for crimes you didn't do. I mean, 504 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 2: you have to be angry, and I mean it's oh I. 505 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: Was, and I think that I had missdirected anger in 506 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,959 Speaker 1: the beginning, and that's what allowed me to end up 507 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 1: in the box. But also being afraid, you know what 508 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,919 Speaker 1: I'm saying. I was in an environment that I felt 509 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: like you couldn't show no weakness, and if you did, 510 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: I seen individuals getting raped, stabbed and all type of 511 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,719 Speaker 1: stuff too. So that's what kind of like I had 512 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,199 Speaker 1: misdirected anger. So you know, I was doing what the 513 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 1: romans to do while and wrong. 514 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 4: You know, yeah, I mean, you had almost nothing to 515 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 4: lose if they could throw you in the prison within 516 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 4: the prison, which is the box, right, But other than that, 517 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 4: you're trying to spend the rest of your life in 518 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 4: there anyway, So how did you turn that around? Because 519 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 4: obviously you found a different year, right, had you already 520 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 4: gone through that shift when this letter arrived in the mail, 521 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 4: because that's a big moment when that letter gets there. 522 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, I had already went through the shift at 523 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: that point. I'm an introvert, so naturally the box was 524 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: kind of like a good place for me, you know 525 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. Not only was I alright with myself 526 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: that I noticed that a lot of other individuals they 527 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 1: couldn't live with themselves inside of prison. And that's why 528 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 1: a lot of people do a lot of things that 529 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: they do. They want to stay on the gate, they 530 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 1: want to get high, they want to get into fights, 531 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: because you know, I do mine as a devil's playground. 532 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: So that's what I kind of grew at when I 533 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: was in solitary confinement. This book by James Allen called 534 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 1: as a Man Think. If I read that book, it 535 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,239 Speaker 1: was a simplistic book to me. However, it kind of 536 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: like related to me so well because it made me 537 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: look at the glass half full of instead of half empty, 538 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: you know, and it allowed me to even look at 539 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: and messed up situations the good out of it. Even 540 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: though I have fifty years to life, I know a 541 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 1: lot of individuals that were in the grave and I 542 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: still felt like I was alive, so I'm blessed regardless. 543 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: And that's the mindset that I got into once I 544 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: read that book, and once I started with that positive energy, 545 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: that's what really gave me the sense of fied because 546 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 1: at the time, I started to beat myself up to 547 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: the point of saying, you know, I was a drug dealer. 548 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: Maybe I was belong in jail, because in the beginning, 549 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: that's what I was telling about myself. You know, I 550 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: never got locked up for selling drugs, so maybe this 551 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 1: was a recompense for my actions. And once I got 552 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: into the positive mind frame, it made me throw that 553 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: away and say, you know, I'm in here for somebody 554 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 1: didn't do. If I was here for drugs, it'll be 555 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: all right. I did the crime, I'll do the time, 556 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: but I'm in here for a double homicide I did 557 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 1: not commit. And I just started getting into the books, 558 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: legal books, started reading up on. I started contacting a 559 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: lot of attorneys, a lot of investigators. The Innocent Project 560 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: was one of the main ones. I was in correspondence 561 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: with Barry Shek, Vanessa Pokin, Nina Morrison, and a couple 562 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: of others in an Innocent Project office. But at the time, 563 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: even though they were corresponding with me, they were not 564 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 1: taking cases that did not have DNA evidence at the time, 565 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: So you know, they were leading me to other law 566 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: firms that were taking pro bono cases that dealt with 567 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: wrongful convictions that did not have DNA evidence. At that point. 568 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: Is like the gears shifted for me. And once I 569 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 1: started to dig into my case. I'm a very determined 570 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: and resilient person. Once I put my mind in something, 571 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: I won't stop until I feel like I'm gonna get 572 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 1: it done. I'm not gonna hear no full answer, and 573 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna keep pushing until I can't push no more. 574 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 2: I met Cal after he found that book, and that's 575 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 2: a book that came out in like nineteen oh three 576 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 2: something that is by a British guy. It's not a 577 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 2: Col's World, but if you read it, what it says 578 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 2: essentially is you can create your own reality by controlling 579 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 2: your thoughts. And Cal probably the most disciplined person I've 580 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 2: ever met in terms of thinking positive, and he had 581 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 2: enormous setbacks. It is not only does he get that letter, 582 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 2: but imagine Dwight is in one prison, Cal is in 583 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 2: another prison and they are suddenly put together. They suddenly 584 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,239 Speaker 2: come together at which Clinton correction Clinton Correctional Institution, and 585 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 2: they meet in the yard. So there's this guy who 586 00:32:56,200 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 2: has maybe has been put away for something, and then 587 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 2: there's this other guy who says, you know, I testified 588 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 2: you and I shouldn't have, and I mean, tell about 589 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 2: that meeting. 590 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: What made me more comfortable is the fact that I 591 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 1: received that letter that he confessed to the crime right 592 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 1: before I actually met him, because I don't think that 593 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 1: I possibly would have went to the yard to meet 594 00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 1: him when he wanted to meet me. But I have 595 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 1: received the confession letter, and I seen him in the 596 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 1: mess hall and he told me to come to the yard, 597 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: and I really wanted to hear what he had to 598 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: say outside of the fact that he was now saying that, 599 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 1: you know, he committed the crime. And when I talked 600 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 1: to him, I felt CONTRISTI he started crying, and he 601 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: said the same thing. I'm on the tide looking out. 602 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: I want to do the right thing to get you 603 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: outcause you're in here for something you ain't do. And 604 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: we just started talking and I just wanted to get 605 00:33:57,280 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 1: certain answers from him on why he did what he 606 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:02,400 Speaker 1: did it, and you know that's what we talked about. 607 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: I mean, so if you can imagine Dwight actually confesses 608 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 2: to a double murder that Cal's convicted for in this 609 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 2: prison yard, and then what happens is on the basis 610 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 2: of that, on the strength of that, Cal actually gets 611 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 2: a four forty hearing. So now he's back in court 612 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 2: and there's somebody else who's confessed to this crime. I mean, 613 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 2: Cal has to believe he's going home. 614 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 1: Except that on Frank Vigiano and Detective John Wall they 615 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: were very ambitious for the DA and they were not 616 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: going to allow that to happen because, like I said, 617 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 1: there was a witch hunt outpha. Me and Alan Caroon 618 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:51,799 Speaker 1: was at the driving seat of that vehicle, and they 619 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: worked over time to make sure that Dwight Robinson took 620 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:57,479 Speaker 1: back that confession, right. 621 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 4: Which is another crazy aspect of this case, because because 622 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 4: you probably were thinking, well, okay, that's where this thing's 623 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 4: winding down. Now you got a written confession, he confess 624 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 4: to you verbally in writing, and he's coming to court 625 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:14,680 Speaker 4: to the lawyer, and that should be saying this was 626 00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:17,360 Speaker 4: two thousand and three, right, yes, Yeah, So two thousand 627 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 4: and three he'd been in for ten years already, maybe eleven, 628 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 4: and you're going to court. And did you think when 629 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:24,719 Speaker 4: you went to court for that hearing that you were 630 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:26,200 Speaker 4: going home? Yes? 631 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 1: I really did? You know? 632 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 4: It sounded like it to me. 633 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:32,239 Speaker 1: Yeah. The next best thing the DNA is a confession, 634 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:36,840 Speaker 1: you understand, And that's what I thought until he came 635 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: in and you know, he got understand and he started 636 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 1: doing what he'd do best. He started lying, so so. 637 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 2: You didn't know until he got on the stand that 638 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 2: he was going to take back his confession. 639 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,319 Speaker 1: I think we did find out that he did take 640 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: it back. But to me, when I said I seen 641 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 1: him and how I felt with the meeting when I 642 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,400 Speaker 1: met him, I didn't. I felt like I'll be the 643 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,760 Speaker 1: DA or the detectives were pressuring them like they did. 644 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 1: But I felt like, still, he'll probably come to court 645 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:10,240 Speaker 1: and tell the truth, you understand. But he didn't. 646 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,839 Speaker 4: It's it's a remarkable plot twist, and then your case 647 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 4: falls apart, right, I mean, he recants his recantation, right, 648 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:22,480 Speaker 4: so he's reversed himself again. Now his credibility is really 649 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 4: out the window, right, because they's hard to tell when 650 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,400 Speaker 4: somebody is lying when they're when, you know, when they 651 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 4: keep changing their story. I assume that they switched him 652 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:31,759 Speaker 4: to a different prison at this point. Did you have 653 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 4: to go back to the same prison together after this? 654 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 1: No, before we even went to court, he had left 655 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:42,160 Speaker 1: the facility that we were I think immediately after the 656 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:45,399 Speaker 1: confession he left. And you know what's so funny about that? 657 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:47,799 Speaker 1: I don't know, man, but it just seemed like a 658 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: conspiracy too, because that naturally doesn't happen where they put 659 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: individuals that testify against you, with the guy, you know, 660 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 1: that type of stuff. It just seemed kind of funny 661 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:02,520 Speaker 1: that they did that, you know, like they really wanted 662 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:05,359 Speaker 1: me to really bury myself your father. You know, I 663 00:37:05,400 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: think about that all the time. 664 00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 4: These dirty tricks are just I just don't I really 665 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 4: don't understand them. As we skip ahead, there were other recantations, 666 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:18,439 Speaker 4: There were twists and turns. Then twenty fifteen comes. Two 667 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:22,240 Speaker 4: decades have passed, You've went behind bars, and now things 668 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 4: finally take a turn for the better. You've had Steve, 669 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 4: who's here with us now, who's been investigating your case, 670 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 4: diligently fighting for you. Do you have an innocence project 671 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 4: helping you you have pro bono attorneys who have taken 672 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 4: your case. 673 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: Myron Belldock, the greatest lawyer and the planet Earth that 674 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 1: ever woke this planet Earth. 675 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, his name is gold. So you got Myron. I mean, 676 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,960 Speaker 4: you went from having the odds really stacked against you. 677 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 4: And it's a credit to you, by the way, because 678 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 4: it would have been really easy for you to just fold, 679 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 4: but instead, somehow or other, from inside this darkest place, 680 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 4: you manage to enlist literally the dream team behind you. 681 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:04,879 Speaker 1: Absolutely. 682 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 4: So twenty fifteen comes what happens. 683 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:12,239 Speaker 1: I had the investigator working on a case and he 684 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:16,480 Speaker 1: actually was able to get some new leads. And once 685 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 1: the new leads came out with the two sisters that 686 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:23,319 Speaker 1: were actually like about ten to fifteen feet away from 687 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:25,640 Speaker 1: the crime when it happened. They lived right where the 688 00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:29,680 Speaker 1: crime happened at and they actually seen Dwight do to crime. 689 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:32,839 Speaker 4: There's a plot twist, no, I mean, and we've seen 690 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 4: that again and again too, where the witness is the 691 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:38,240 Speaker 4: actual killer and there's an incentive to lie right. 692 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 1: Once once I got that information, I think I was 693 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 1: in touch with Martin Tankliff at the time. I was 694 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 1: also in contact with Jabal Collins who was working for 695 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:52,560 Speaker 1: Joe Rudin. I really wanted Joe ruden as my attorney 696 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: at the time, but I wrote Myron Bell Doc, the 697 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:02,320 Speaker 1: great Myron Bell Doc, you know, who actually represented Hurricane 698 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: Carter and a whole lot of other people. And when 699 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 1: I wrote to him, he gave me his number so 700 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:10,839 Speaker 1: I could call him and talk to him. And from 701 00:39:10,880 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: the initial start, man, I just loved this guy. He 702 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:18,319 Speaker 1: treated me like family. He showed that I mattered, and 703 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,640 Speaker 1: I don't think that at that point, I never had 704 00:39:21,640 --> 00:39:27,080 Speaker 1: an older male figure in my life that actually genuinely was, 705 00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:31,120 Speaker 1: you know, acted concerned for me or my well being. 706 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 1: And he was actually going for surgery at the time, 707 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: and he didn't even know if he would have been 708 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,640 Speaker 1: able to take the case. And it was so funny that, 709 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:46,359 Speaker 1: you know, I initially wanted Joe Rudin so bad, but 710 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,719 Speaker 1: you know, Joe Rudin wanted his money. You know, he 711 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:51,640 Speaker 1: didn't care about nothing, no innocence of any of that. 712 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:55,840 Speaker 1: He wanted his money. But the funny thing was Myron 713 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:58,839 Speaker 1: had told me that if I take the case, if 714 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 1: you could get somebody to assist me, then I feel 715 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,160 Speaker 1: better because I'm getting ready to go through the surgery. 716 00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:08,160 Speaker 1: So I contacted Joel at that time, and once I 717 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:10,839 Speaker 1: once he found out that Myron Belldock was on the case, 718 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:13,440 Speaker 1: he was willing to jump on board now. So that 719 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:15,719 Speaker 1: was kind of ironic. That's the first time that he 720 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 1: ever stayed on the phone with me for an hour, 721 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:23,799 Speaker 1: you know. And actually Myron started to get better, he 722 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:26,279 Speaker 1: started to heal better. And once I told him that, 723 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:29,000 Speaker 1: you know, Joe Ruden would be willing to co counsel 724 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 1: with him, he said, don't worry about we don't need 725 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:32,839 Speaker 1: him no more. I'll be all right. I got I 726 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: got it, you know what I mean. And you know 727 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:38,520 Speaker 1: that's how Myron was. And I had right after the surgery, 728 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,400 Speaker 1: and it was very touching for me. I had called 729 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,640 Speaker 1: him in the office. I don't know as it was 730 00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:47,320 Speaker 1: like eight pm and I thought he was being home recuperating. 731 00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:50,920 Speaker 1: Heling up. Myron was still in the office working, and 732 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:53,560 Speaker 1: here it is this man he's almost eighty years old. 733 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:56,440 Speaker 1: And you know, that meant a lot to me because 734 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,880 Speaker 1: I never had attorney to that point that I felt 735 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:04,600 Speaker 1: like was given my case. They're old, you understand here 736 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:06,399 Speaker 1: it is. I had the best of the best when 737 00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:09,600 Speaker 1: it came to the attorney and I'm calling him now 738 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 1: and he's on my case. You understand that he should 739 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:16,480 Speaker 1: have been home recuperating. I just never met a guy 740 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 1: like that, you know, amazing guy. 741 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 2: You know. I spent a little time with Myron. Cal 742 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:26,040 Speaker 2: actually never met Myron. Didn't have that good fortune. But Myron, 743 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:27,880 Speaker 2: I don't think he's so too much to say. He 744 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 2: came off his deathbed to really represent Cal. He had 745 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 2: prostate cancer, he had heart problems. When I met him, 746 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:36,839 Speaker 2: he had a tumor behind his eye, so his left 747 00:41:36,840 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 2: eye actually bulged. He'd look at you, but that left 748 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:43,160 Speaker 2: eye kind of veered off to the left at a 749 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 2: forty five degree angle. It was very disorienting. He's eighty 750 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 2: five years old, and he says, this could be my 751 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 2: last crusade. And I say to Myron, you're you know, 752 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 2: you're either a fool or a hero. And his response is, 753 00:41:57,760 --> 00:41:59,960 Speaker 2: I think this case is going to make me live 754 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:03,919 Speaker 2: five years longer. So myrone is that's where he gets 755 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 2: his adrenaline from. And of course the tragedy is that 756 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:12,600 Speaker 2: it doesn't make Myron live five years longer. And Cal 757 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:15,560 Speaker 2: gets that. I guess you hear a rumor in prison 758 00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:19,720 Speaker 2: and then you call me and I have to confirm 759 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:24,520 Speaker 2: it for Cal. And you know, Cal is a extremely strong, 760 00:42:24,719 --> 00:42:30,400 Speaker 2: mentally disciplined, emotionally disciplined person. And by the way, physically 761 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 2: he can do one hundred push ups without stopping, so 762 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 2: you know, he's been in prison twenty years. He knows 763 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:41,880 Speaker 2: his way around physical challenges, emotional challenges. And I confirmed 764 00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:45,680 Speaker 2: that Myron's dead, and you know, for Cal, and I mean, imagine, 765 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 2: this is the guy, his savior, his savior now has 766 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:51,440 Speaker 2: has died, has passed. 767 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: And that was like the most crushing blow ever that 768 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:59,319 Speaker 1: I ever felt, because I literally felt comfortable with my 769 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:02,840 Speaker 1: life in iron hands. You know, I want you to understand, 770 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:05,600 Speaker 1: I literally felt like that. I never felt like that 771 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: with nobody, you understand. So when I lost him, it's 772 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:13,160 Speaker 1: like I didn't know where to go after that, Like 773 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:16,880 Speaker 1: I finally got the person that was the best of 774 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:21,480 Speaker 1: the best that I loved him outside of him being 775 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:24,240 Speaker 1: my lawyer, you understand, I loved him as a person, 776 00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:29,319 Speaker 1: and when I lost him, I just didn't know how 777 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:31,719 Speaker 1: to take that, you know, because it was like I 778 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:35,880 Speaker 1: just came just so far and to be able to 779 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:40,160 Speaker 1: get the guy to believe in me. You know, it 780 00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:43,200 Speaker 1: was just I just I couldn't help it. I just 781 00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:46,760 Speaker 1: broke down. And I was in the yard and that 782 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:47,960 Speaker 1: that really broke me down. 783 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:50,120 Speaker 2: And you broke down on the phone with me. You 784 00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:53,239 Speaker 2: called me back, and actually I never heard that kind 785 00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 2: of emotion. I mean you could. You couldn't speak exterially. 786 00:43:57,120 --> 00:43:59,280 Speaker 1: A person is not going to be able to read 787 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:03,200 Speaker 1: emotions and my feelings because in jail, I felt like 788 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:07,280 Speaker 1: I couldn't show no weakness. That's how it was in prison. 789 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:10,719 Speaker 1: If you showed like the people in prison, there's a 790 00:44:10,760 --> 00:44:14,040 Speaker 1: lot of predators in there, and if they sense any 791 00:44:14,080 --> 00:44:16,959 Speaker 1: type of fear, that's when they're coming for you. That's 792 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,120 Speaker 1: just how it is. It's no other way. It's a 793 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:22,600 Speaker 1: savage life in prison. I love this guy, Myron Belldock 794 00:44:22,680 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 1: so much that I couldn't help but to break down, 795 00:44:26,120 --> 00:44:29,120 Speaker 1: you understand. And I was in the yard with hundreds 796 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 1: of men, you understand, And that would be the last 797 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:35,000 Speaker 1: place that I would want to break down, because here 798 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:38,040 Speaker 1: I am with all of the wolves and stuff like that, 799 00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:41,000 Speaker 1: and I'm in the middle of that and I'm breaking down. 800 00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:44,200 Speaker 1: So I was overcome by emotions when I lost. 801 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 2: My man and actually I remember you you shouted over 802 00:44:47,080 --> 00:44:48,960 Speaker 2: your shoulder. I just had a loss in the family, 803 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:52,560 Speaker 2: had a loss in the family, so that nobody you're exactly. 804 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:56,600 Speaker 1: Also, Myron is the one that gave me the tenacity 805 00:44:57,160 --> 00:45:00,400 Speaker 1: and the fortitude in order to push on. When I 806 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,960 Speaker 1: took you to the incident, when Myron was working on 807 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:06,400 Speaker 1: my case at eight PM, and I started to read 808 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:10,319 Speaker 1: up on everything about Myron. You know, Myron was a 809 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:13,640 Speaker 1: guy that just didn't give up period, you know. And 810 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:16,759 Speaker 1: I put his pictures up and like a mural of 811 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:20,520 Speaker 1: Myron and the cell that I was in, and his 812 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:24,280 Speaker 1: spirit just came to me, like, you gotta keep pushing, 813 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:28,640 Speaker 1: don't give up, be a fighter. And Myron actually fought 814 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:31,760 Speaker 1: for my life while he was fighting for his own, 815 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:37,200 Speaker 1: So I wasn't gonna get in a situation okay, now 816 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:41,200 Speaker 1: I lost my top guy and just lay down. And 817 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:43,479 Speaker 1: just because that's something that I felt that he would 818 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:47,120 Speaker 1: never do, so he kind of like put the tenacity 819 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:48,959 Speaker 1: in me to just continue to fight. 820 00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:51,640 Speaker 4: Cal Can you just take us through how you were 821 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:53,759 Speaker 4: able to get your conviction reversed. 822 00:45:54,719 --> 00:45:58,280 Speaker 1: When I went to the supply my second four forty 823 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:03,320 Speaker 1: and they entertained that evidence that substantiated that Dwight Robinson 824 00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:06,520 Speaker 1: actually committed a crime with the Clark sisters. 825 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:10,800 Speaker 2: Just to expand briefly, it's a dramatic moment. And cal 826 00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:13,680 Speaker 2: had always said, you know, there were a lot of 827 00:46:13,719 --> 00:46:15,799 Speaker 2: people there that night, the night of the shooting, and 828 00:46:15,840 --> 00:46:18,840 Speaker 2: the scene had never been canvas. Well, you know, the 829 00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:20,960 Speaker 2: cops did go door to door and they knock on 830 00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:26,760 Speaker 2: the door of the Clark sisters, kimber Leah and Nikiah Clark, 831 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:29,960 Speaker 2: and they don't want to get involved. These are the 832 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:34,040 Speaker 2: two eyewitnesses to the crime, to the murder. But the 833 00:46:34,120 --> 00:46:37,799 Speaker 2: older sister says, no, we heard shots, that's it, and 834 00:46:37,840 --> 00:46:41,560 Speaker 2: that's what's in the police report. And why Well, years 835 00:46:41,600 --> 00:46:43,799 Speaker 2: later I asked them. They didn't want it was a 836 00:46:43,840 --> 00:46:45,920 Speaker 2: block full of drugs and murder. They're not going to 837 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:51,560 Speaker 2: come forward. Two decades later, through a series of circumstances, 838 00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:56,800 Speaker 2: they resurface. They're in North Carolina and now they find 839 00:46:56,840 --> 00:46:59,640 Speaker 2: out that cow was convicted. They didn't know that they 840 00:46:59,640 --> 00:47:02,840 Speaker 2: had moved away like a year or so after the murders. 841 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:07,120 Speaker 2: They find out and their kind of heartbroken, and frankly, 842 00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:09,160 Speaker 2: the younger one, who is the one on the street 843 00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:13,080 Speaker 2: twenty feet away. She feels guilty. She feels guilty that 844 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:16,400 Speaker 2: she hasn't come forward and that this man, Calvin Buari 845 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:18,799 Speaker 2: is in prison for something she knows he didn't do. 846 00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:22,480 Speaker 2: So there's this dramatic moment when they walk into court, 847 00:47:22,520 --> 00:47:26,520 Speaker 2: and particularly the younger one walks into court and I 848 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:31,520 Speaker 2: remember the assistant prosecutor tried to pick her apart and 849 00:47:31,680 --> 00:47:37,200 Speaker 2: rattle her. Okay, it's the DA's job, and she is fiery. 850 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:41,960 Speaker 2: She's got this nickname Evelina because when she gets challenged 851 00:47:41,960 --> 00:47:44,840 Speaker 2: and pushed, there's this kind of fierce character that lives 852 00:47:44,880 --> 00:47:47,840 Speaker 2: inside of her that comes out on the stand. 853 00:47:48,239 --> 00:47:49,040 Speaker 1: Thank God for that. 854 00:47:50,560 --> 00:47:52,960 Speaker 2: And there's this moment because we have the whole courtroom 855 00:47:53,040 --> 00:47:54,799 Speaker 2: micd and we have a mic right up near the 856 00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:57,880 Speaker 2: witness stand and you can't hear it in the courtroom, 857 00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:01,880 Speaker 2: but we picked up where the the it'sistant district attorney 858 00:48:01,920 --> 00:48:05,719 Speaker 2: is really prodding her and under her breath, eviliness says. 859 00:48:09,120 --> 00:48:12,080 Speaker 2: And then she returns fire, and you know she doesn't 860 00:48:12,120 --> 00:48:16,200 Speaker 2: give right and she says, you know, I soa who 861 00:48:16,200 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 2: did it? And it wasn't Calvin Bullar. 862 00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:20,360 Speaker 1: There you go, yeah, And I wanted to expand on 863 00:48:20,440 --> 00:48:23,080 Speaker 1: that too, and you know that was so grateful for 864 00:48:23,120 --> 00:48:26,840 Speaker 1: me too, because I always knew that after my first 865 00:48:26,840 --> 00:48:30,560 Speaker 1: initial four forty when the witnesses that actually came back 866 00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:33,359 Speaker 1: who lied that were criminals. You know, I knew what 867 00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:37,000 Speaker 1: type of games that these prosecutors play with the detectives. 868 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:39,640 Speaker 1: And I was always adamant on Steve listen, I want 869 00:48:39,960 --> 00:48:43,200 Speaker 1: these witnesses this time to have attorneys like I was 870 00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:46,640 Speaker 1: not going to allow what happened to me previously happened 871 00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:51,120 Speaker 1: to me again. But it was it was overwhelming that 872 00:48:51,239 --> 00:48:54,160 Speaker 1: the personality in the spirit of this witness, because that 873 00:48:54,360 --> 00:48:56,640 Speaker 1: is the very type of witness that I needed to 874 00:48:56,719 --> 00:49:02,680 Speaker 1: stand up against these type tactics. You understand. And I 875 00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:04,960 Speaker 1: just want to say too, man, when you when you 876 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:07,640 Speaker 1: believe in something, stand for it. If you feel something 877 00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:11,400 Speaker 1: was wrong, stand for it. And I'm happy that she stood. 878 00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:13,200 Speaker 1: She stood up, and she stood firm. 879 00:49:13,680 --> 00:49:17,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, and the cops did go to her. She was unfortunately, 880 00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:20,359 Speaker 2: she was in a shelter for abused women. The cops 881 00:49:20,440 --> 00:49:22,880 Speaker 2: showed up, and that caused a lot of problems in 882 00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:25,960 Speaker 2: her in her life. But you know, cow was also 883 00:49:26,040 --> 00:49:30,440 Speaker 2: fortunate he got another attorney warrior, a guy named Oscar Mitchellan, 884 00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:35,359 Speaker 2: who really in that courtroom, I think helped her tell 885 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:40,040 Speaker 2: her story and beat back the assistant DA when she 886 00:49:40,160 --> 00:49:43,680 Speaker 2: tried to replay the nineteen nineties and said, cow's a 887 00:49:43,719 --> 00:49:46,440 Speaker 2: bad dude. He was a drug dealer who strolled around 888 00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:50,520 Speaker 2: and mint coats. But you know it was true. That's 889 00:49:50,520 --> 00:49:52,759 Speaker 2: not what he was on trial for. He wasn't on 890 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:57,400 Speaker 2: trial for being a wealthy drug dealer. And it was 891 00:49:58,400 --> 00:50:01,480 Speaker 2: Michellan who pointed it out. And Nikki who gets on 892 00:50:01,600 --> 00:50:05,760 Speaker 2: the stand and fires back, who is the real killer? 893 00:50:06,080 --> 00:50:08,399 Speaker 2: Who is the person who did the grind for rich 894 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:09,200 Speaker 2: Cal's servant? 895 00:50:09,160 --> 00:50:13,239 Speaker 1: Time right, the tactics will utilized on the key and 896 00:50:13,480 --> 00:50:16,959 Speaker 1: Kimberlea Clark. She was in the shelter at the time, 897 00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:19,439 Speaker 1: and when you're in the shelter, you need some place 898 00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:22,640 Speaker 1: to stay. They went there and made it seem as 899 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:26,880 Speaker 1: though she was being looked into for a double homicide. 900 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:28,760 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. And these are the tactics 901 00:50:28,760 --> 00:50:32,359 Speaker 1: that these guys employ to make you know, life hell 902 00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:35,320 Speaker 1: for a person that just want to fail the truth, 903 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:38,840 Speaker 1: you understand. And she got kicked out of the shelter. 904 00:50:39,520 --> 00:50:42,960 Speaker 1: She got into an abusive relationship after I But like 905 00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:45,880 Speaker 1: I said, I was so proud they had the personality 906 00:50:46,239 --> 00:50:50,840 Speaker 1: that she stood up because normally with you know, average people, 907 00:50:51,440 --> 00:50:54,359 Speaker 1: they're not gonna want to be bothered period. They're gonna 908 00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:57,879 Speaker 1: care more about their personal situation than wanting to help 909 00:50:57,920 --> 00:51:01,879 Speaker 1: somebody else that you know, Okay, I want to help them, 910 00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:03,360 Speaker 1: but I don't want to go through the headaches that 911 00:51:03,400 --> 00:51:05,879 Speaker 1: I'm going through with my personal life. Let me leave 912 00:51:05,880 --> 00:51:09,160 Speaker 1: that alone. That's what the person doing. And I'm so 913 00:51:09,239 --> 00:51:10,759 Speaker 1: proud that this woman stood up. 914 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:13,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, what's the question you hear today, what's 915 00:51:13,880 --> 00:51:17,640 Speaker 2: the upside for me? There's no upside for her, but 916 00:51:17,840 --> 00:51:19,440 Speaker 2: oh John, she stood up. 917 00:51:19,680 --> 00:51:20,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 918 00:51:20,520 --> 00:51:25,000 Speaker 4: We end up two thousand and seventeen in Bronx State 919 00:51:25,040 --> 00:51:29,080 Speaker 4: Supreme Court. Yes, and that's the day you had been 920 00:51:29,120 --> 00:51:33,560 Speaker 4: waiting for since the early nineties. Absolutely, and tell me 921 00:51:33,640 --> 00:51:35,360 Speaker 4: about that. Can you take us back. 922 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:40,520 Speaker 1: To that day when the judge vacated the conviction, I 923 00:51:40,560 --> 00:51:42,759 Speaker 1: had my room picture in front of me. I had 924 00:51:42,760 --> 00:51:46,640 Speaker 1: an actual Innocent magazine that came out on time. And 925 00:51:47,200 --> 00:51:50,440 Speaker 1: before that, the White Robinson was supposed to come in. 926 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:54,960 Speaker 1: They couldn't produce the White Robinson. And then when I 927 00:51:55,040 --> 00:52:00,200 Speaker 1: went back to court, I just kept my eyes as 928 00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:04,560 Speaker 1: in myself fixated on in God we trust, and like 929 00:52:04,600 --> 00:52:08,040 Speaker 1: I said, I'm a firm believer in God, so that's 930 00:52:08,239 --> 00:52:11,920 Speaker 1: my number one attorney, and I believe that the right 931 00:52:11,960 --> 00:52:13,200 Speaker 1: thing was going to be done. 932 00:52:13,360 --> 00:52:18,520 Speaker 4: And actually that's what happened and that moment. So it 933 00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:23,680 Speaker 4: was Judge Eugene Oliver Jor And we're talking about State 934 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:27,279 Speaker 4: Supreme Court. This is a big deal, right, I mean, 935 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:33,520 Speaker 4: And how did that feel? After decades of fighting and 936 00:52:33,840 --> 00:52:36,080 Speaker 4: trying to get people to listen, to have a man 937 00:52:36,239 --> 00:52:39,240 Speaker 4: in that position vacates your conviction. 938 00:52:42,239 --> 00:52:45,640 Speaker 1: It didn't really hit me at first. I think when 939 00:52:45,640 --> 00:52:50,040 Speaker 1: I went back to the bullpen, then it really really 940 00:52:50,080 --> 00:52:54,560 Speaker 1: like really just started to sink in, like I made it, 941 00:52:54,719 --> 00:52:57,759 Speaker 1: you know, I made it. I'm going on, Yeah, I'm 942 00:52:57,800 --> 00:53:02,279 Speaker 1: going home. And I got hit with another hurdle. I 943 00:53:03,239 --> 00:53:05,880 Speaker 1: had to go back to the facility that I was 944 00:53:05,960 --> 00:53:09,120 Speaker 1: in and stayed for the weekend. And those two days 945 00:53:09,120 --> 00:53:12,440 Speaker 1: were the longest two days than the twenty two years 946 00:53:12,440 --> 00:53:15,800 Speaker 1: that I did in prison because I didn't sleep and 947 00:53:15,840 --> 00:53:19,040 Speaker 1: it was just elate, and I really felt kind of 948 00:53:19,080 --> 00:53:22,160 Speaker 1: nervous because you know, you get a lot of hateration 949 00:53:22,400 --> 00:53:25,920 Speaker 1: in prison and I was kind of surprised that the 950 00:53:26,040 --> 00:53:32,359 Speaker 1: people actually were more happy than upset here. So then 951 00:53:32,440 --> 00:53:34,440 Speaker 1: I got the day where I came home, which was 952 00:53:34,480 --> 00:53:38,239 Speaker 1: May eighth, which is tomorrow. That's my second birthday, my rebirthday, 953 00:53:39,280 --> 00:53:43,879 Speaker 1: and it was sur real. I'm still looking at it. 954 00:53:43,960 --> 00:53:47,000 Speaker 1: And the nice day that we had a couple of 955 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:49,600 Speaker 1: days ago. I stayed out till I think four in 956 00:53:49,640 --> 00:53:52,960 Speaker 1: the morning, just enjoying the breeze. And when I first 957 00:53:53,040 --> 00:53:55,880 Speaker 1: came home, my goal wasn't just to come home. My 958 00:53:56,000 --> 00:53:59,360 Speaker 1: goal was to come home and also build a legitimate 959 00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:04,880 Speaker 1: entrepreneurial life for myself. So I had goals out of 960 00:54:05,000 --> 00:54:08,480 Speaker 1: side of just coming home, you understand. So even to 961 00:54:08,480 --> 00:54:12,359 Speaker 1: this day, I'm still enjoying the little things and it's 962 00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:14,960 Speaker 1: just still hit me because I ain't give myself a 963 00:54:15,080 --> 00:54:16,440 Speaker 1: chance to breathe. You know. 964 00:54:16,719 --> 00:54:19,920 Speaker 4: No, let's talk about that, because three hundred and sixty 965 00:54:19,960 --> 00:54:23,160 Speaker 4: four days as recording this podcast, as we're sitting here now, 966 00:54:23,200 --> 00:54:25,760 Speaker 4: you haven't even been out a year, and what you've 967 00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:28,560 Speaker 4: got going on is going to make a lot of 968 00:54:28,600 --> 00:54:31,920 Speaker 4: people feel like, wow, this is crazy. I mean, you've 969 00:54:31,960 --> 00:54:34,520 Speaker 4: got multiple businesses that you started, right. 970 00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:37,680 Speaker 1: Yes, I have a van company that goes to prisons. 971 00:54:37,680 --> 00:54:40,120 Speaker 1: It's number one van company by the way. You know 972 00:54:40,200 --> 00:54:43,040 Speaker 1: in New York State where I had started a new 973 00:54:43,080 --> 00:54:46,080 Speaker 1: concept that I felt like when I was in prison, 974 00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:48,160 Speaker 1: a lot of my family members came to visit me, 975 00:54:48,840 --> 00:54:51,440 Speaker 1: and a lot of the van service they had the 976 00:54:51,520 --> 00:54:56,239 Speaker 1: old Yankee vans, and they wasn't clean, and they were decrepit, 977 00:54:56,520 --> 00:54:59,560 Speaker 1: and you know, regardless of what their family members wanted 978 00:54:59,560 --> 00:55:02,640 Speaker 1: to see their loved ones that weren't concerrated. So they 979 00:55:02,680 --> 00:55:06,320 Speaker 1: dealt with it. And I felt like our family members 980 00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:10,960 Speaker 1: deserved the same quality service that a regular civilian to 981 00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:15,000 Speaker 1: get out in the street. So I started the concept 982 00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:18,960 Speaker 1: of the uber like prison visit services called riders. Van 983 00:55:19,480 --> 00:55:24,320 Speaker 1: service is spelled ry d E r Z van service 984 00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:26,919 Speaker 1: and my numbers eight four five two O four five 985 00:55:27,040 --> 00:55:28,160 Speaker 1: nine three zero. 986 00:55:28,120 --> 00:55:30,200 Speaker 4: And you service. How many prisons in New York State? 987 00:55:30,320 --> 00:55:35,080 Speaker 1: I service the downstate area Right now, I'm serving ten facilities. 988 00:55:35,719 --> 00:55:41,680 Speaker 1: I'm going to downstate sing sing, Shewonga, Sullivan, Walkkill, wood Burn, 989 00:55:41,760 --> 00:55:47,680 Speaker 1: green Haven, what else the majorities of the facilities that 990 00:55:47,800 --> 00:55:50,799 Speaker 1: are close to New York At the present time, I'm 991 00:55:50,840 --> 00:55:54,080 Speaker 1: moving out further. We're supposed to be getting a bigger 992 00:55:54,160 --> 00:55:58,440 Speaker 1: bus to go to Elmira, Comstock all burned and the 993 00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:01,480 Speaker 1: further facilities up. I'm in the process of doing that 994 00:56:01,760 --> 00:56:05,200 Speaker 1: as I speak, and things are picking up. Doing it 995 00:56:05,200 --> 00:56:08,839 Speaker 1: with the van service for the prisons to show you 996 00:56:08,880 --> 00:56:12,759 Speaker 1: know how important implementing family tides are, because they have 997 00:56:12,960 --> 00:56:17,000 Speaker 1: done statistics that shows that individuals when they're incarcerated and 998 00:56:17,040 --> 00:56:19,359 Speaker 1: they loved ones check for them, they have a lower 999 00:56:19,480 --> 00:56:22,759 Speaker 1: rate of reciticism when they come home. And I also 1000 00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:27,400 Speaker 1: plan to have a van go to the female facility 1001 00:56:27,760 --> 00:56:31,160 Speaker 1: and beacon. I think that is for free and I 1002 00:56:31,200 --> 00:56:33,800 Speaker 1: want to be able to give back to the female 1003 00:56:33,800 --> 00:56:37,080 Speaker 1: facilities because I feel like they don't get as much 1004 00:56:37,160 --> 00:56:39,960 Speaker 1: visits as the males do and they have kids and 1005 00:56:40,000 --> 00:56:44,200 Speaker 1: stuff like that, so things are probably much harder, and 1006 00:56:44,239 --> 00:56:46,040 Speaker 1: I want to be able to put it in rotation. 1007 00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:49,239 Speaker 1: Where is that I could go through the whole facility 1008 00:56:49,280 --> 00:56:53,480 Speaker 1: female facility and give each one of them female females 1009 00:56:53,520 --> 00:56:55,800 Speaker 1: a visit. But I want to find a social worker 1010 00:56:56,000 --> 00:56:59,919 Speaker 1: that's intermediary just in case they need somebody to tin 1011 00:57:00,239 --> 00:57:02,719 Speaker 1: put their kids to be able to go see their 1012 00:57:02,760 --> 00:57:05,240 Speaker 1: loved ones, because I know that may be a barrier 1013 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:07,759 Speaker 1: as well because of the age of the child and 1014 00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:10,839 Speaker 1: stuff like that. But that's another way that I plan 1015 00:57:10,920 --> 00:57:11,560 Speaker 1: to give back. 1016 00:57:11,840 --> 00:57:14,719 Speaker 4: So you got the service, which is it's great there 1017 00:57:14,760 --> 00:57:17,680 Speaker 4: you are doing good while you're doing good and really 1018 00:57:17,680 --> 00:57:20,640 Speaker 4: making life better for those people who are able to 1019 00:57:20,680 --> 00:57:22,920 Speaker 4: now visit their loved ones. I wouldn't be able to otherwise, 1020 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:25,040 Speaker 4: and we know what a difference that makes to people 1021 00:57:25,040 --> 00:57:25,880 Speaker 4: on the inside. 1022 00:57:25,960 --> 00:57:28,120 Speaker 1: I think that one of the main reasons that I 1023 00:57:28,200 --> 00:57:31,000 Speaker 1: wanted to do that business is because I never wanted 1024 00:57:31,040 --> 00:57:33,800 Speaker 1: to allow myself to forget about where I came from, 1025 00:57:34,080 --> 00:57:39,040 Speaker 1: and by not forgetting that will constantly keep me away 1026 00:57:39,080 --> 00:57:42,360 Speaker 1: from doing anything that will put me back in that place. 1027 00:57:43,040 --> 00:57:46,000 Speaker 1: So I want to constantly be reminded of that, and 1028 00:57:46,040 --> 00:57:47,400 Speaker 1: that's that's how I do it. 1029 00:57:47,880 --> 00:57:51,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, I think your future looks really bright. I mean, 1030 00:57:51,920 --> 00:57:57,120 Speaker 4: you are obviously a very smart and capable and entrepreneurial guy, 1031 00:57:57,800 --> 00:58:00,360 Speaker 4: and you know, reapplying your skills and the way that 1032 00:58:00,400 --> 00:58:02,880 Speaker 4: you are is extremely admirable, and I know you're going 1033 00:58:02,960 --> 00:58:04,840 Speaker 4: to be a big success, and I mean I'm looking 1034 00:58:04,880 --> 00:58:08,400 Speaker 4: forward to watching you. I know we were speaking earlier, 1035 00:58:08,520 --> 00:58:11,880 Speaker 4: we were talking about some innocent people that you left behind, 1036 00:58:12,040 --> 00:58:14,920 Speaker 4: and I want to try to bring attention to those cases. 1037 00:58:14,960 --> 00:58:19,840 Speaker 4: And it's entirely possible that by highlighting these innocent people 1038 00:58:19,840 --> 00:58:21,840 Speaker 4: that you left behind that you care so much about, 1039 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:25,880 Speaker 4: we may be able to affect some change in their cases. 1040 00:58:25,960 --> 00:58:28,200 Speaker 4: So do you want to just talk about that briefly? 1041 00:58:28,560 --> 00:58:31,320 Speaker 1: I'll start off with some of the brothers that I 1042 00:58:31,440 --> 00:58:34,320 Speaker 1: know about case that I've just left in green Haven, 1043 00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:38,320 Speaker 1: that we were actually working on our cases together. That's 1044 00:58:38,360 --> 00:58:41,680 Speaker 1: why I'm so much familiar with their facts. You got 1045 00:58:41,680 --> 00:58:45,720 Speaker 1: a guy named Nelson Cruz that's currently in green Haven 1046 00:58:45,720 --> 00:58:48,680 Speaker 1: who was actually innocent. They did a New York Times 1047 00:58:48,800 --> 00:58:51,520 Speaker 1: article on him. He was actually caught up in the 1048 00:58:51,600 --> 00:58:56,920 Speaker 1: Lewis scar Seller situation and he just recently got denied 1049 00:58:56,960 --> 00:59:00,720 Speaker 1: on his full forty and I believe in him innocence. 1050 00:59:01,160 --> 00:59:04,560 Speaker 1: There's another guy named Paul Clark that actually has almost 1051 00:59:04,560 --> 00:59:09,120 Speaker 1: forty years in that was arrested by the mafia cops. 1052 00:59:09,480 --> 00:59:13,200 Speaker 1: So Paul Clark is one. He's currently at green Haven facility. 1053 00:59:13,680 --> 00:59:16,600 Speaker 1: And you know, you have another young brother that I 1054 00:59:16,720 --> 00:59:20,360 Speaker 1: met named Kyrie Frye who's also at green Haven. And 1055 00:59:20,520 --> 00:59:23,920 Speaker 1: Anthony Reid, but just recently me and Meek Mills was 1056 00:59:24,000 --> 00:59:27,160 Speaker 1: in correspondence with each other, and he just sent me 1057 00:59:27,240 --> 00:59:31,360 Speaker 1: the information of a person that he was inconcrated within 1058 00:59:31,520 --> 00:59:35,400 Speaker 1: Chester at the time. This brother has in twenty six 1059 00:59:35,520 --> 00:59:38,640 Speaker 1: years in prison and the only reason that he's currently there. 1060 00:59:38,680 --> 00:59:42,560 Speaker 1: His name is Eric Riddick. You can look up Eric Ridick. 1061 00:59:42,560 --> 00:59:47,520 Speaker 1: He's in Pennsylvania and Chester, PA and penitentiary. And this 1062 00:59:47,680 --> 00:59:50,720 Speaker 1: brother is actually innocent, and the only reason he's still 1063 00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:56,120 Speaker 1: in concerrated is because a procedural situation whereas that you 1064 00:59:56,280 --> 00:59:59,520 Speaker 1: have to have evidence in at a certain time, and 1065 00:59:59,560 --> 01:00:03,520 Speaker 1: if you we don't have actual innocent evidence. By the way, 1066 01:00:03,960 --> 01:00:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, he has evidence that proves his innocent, and 1067 01:00:06,840 --> 01:00:10,280 Speaker 1: he has expert evidence that proves his innocence. It's just 1068 01:00:10,360 --> 01:00:12,920 Speaker 1: appalling that he's still in prison after twenty six years, 1069 01:00:13,200 --> 01:00:15,440 Speaker 1: and this brother needs to be free. 1070 01:00:15,520 --> 01:00:18,720 Speaker 4: So we will post the names of all those individuals 1071 01:00:18,760 --> 01:00:22,760 Speaker 4: that Cal just highlighted on the website. Get involved and 1072 01:00:22,840 --> 01:00:27,000 Speaker 4: maybe we can together help some of these people get justice. 1073 01:00:27,480 --> 01:00:31,439 Speaker 4: So we have a tradition here on wrongful conviction, which 1074 01:00:31,480 --> 01:00:33,920 Speaker 4: is that at the end of the show, I like 1075 01:00:33,960 --> 01:00:36,960 Speaker 4: to turn the microphone over to you, I do what 1076 01:00:37,200 --> 01:00:39,000 Speaker 4: I don't do very well, which is that I stopped 1077 01:00:39,040 --> 01:00:43,720 Speaker 4: talking and just let you share any final thoughts that 1078 01:00:43,800 --> 01:00:47,240 Speaker 4: you have, and Steve, I'm going to start with you 1079 01:00:47,360 --> 01:00:50,080 Speaker 4: so that we can have Cal be our cleanup hit 1080 01:00:50,160 --> 01:00:54,000 Speaker 4: or here. So Steve Fishman, any final thoughts? 1081 01:00:54,800 --> 01:00:58,120 Speaker 2: Well, first off, thanks for having me. It's an incredibly 1082 01:00:58,160 --> 01:01:00,680 Speaker 2: important issue and I spent a lot of time on it, 1083 01:01:00,760 --> 01:01:04,080 Speaker 2: actually sometimes bit against my will, but you know, Cal 1084 01:01:04,160 --> 01:01:09,880 Speaker 2: being relentless whatever, I could never say no, even if 1085 01:01:09,920 --> 01:01:13,720 Speaker 2: I wasn't always saying yes. But Empire on Blood was 1086 01:01:13,800 --> 01:01:17,720 Speaker 2: really a work of passion and it tells Cal's story. 1087 01:01:17,760 --> 01:01:20,400 Speaker 2: And I think what you get from it that you 1088 01:01:20,440 --> 01:01:23,600 Speaker 2: don't often get is you you get the thinking and 1089 01:01:23,640 --> 01:01:30,000 Speaker 2: the thoughts and the feelings of the prosecutor of Dwight Robinson, 1090 01:01:30,080 --> 01:01:35,080 Speaker 2: who not convicted but stands accused by eyewitness of having 1091 01:01:35,160 --> 01:01:39,640 Speaker 2: done this murder, of the detective who talked Twight Robinson 1092 01:01:39,960 --> 01:01:43,120 Speaker 2: out of his confession. So you really end up with 1093 01:01:43,200 --> 01:01:47,600 Speaker 2: a sense of the criminal justice system. And I guess 1094 01:01:47,640 --> 01:01:50,320 Speaker 2: the last thing I'd say is, you know, yeah, I 1095 01:01:50,440 --> 01:01:53,360 Speaker 2: kind of took a journey with Cal, and sometimes I'm 1096 01:01:53,400 --> 01:01:57,200 Speaker 2: given some credit for having pushed his case forward, but 1097 01:01:57,760 --> 01:02:01,360 Speaker 2: you know, really all credit to Cal. I just think 1098 01:02:02,680 --> 01:02:07,000 Speaker 2: the kind of discipline and persistence in the face of 1099 01:02:08,200 --> 01:02:12,120 Speaker 2: enormous disappointment that would have not only disheartened people, but 1100 01:02:12,560 --> 01:02:17,080 Speaker 2: I think broken most people. I couldn't have persisted. I mean, 1101 01:02:17,840 --> 01:02:23,160 Speaker 2: that kind of instinct and ability is very very rare, 1102 01:02:23,560 --> 01:02:26,400 Speaker 2: whether you're talking to people on the outside or people 1103 01:02:26,440 --> 01:02:29,800 Speaker 2: on the inside. So you know, all credit to cal 1104 01:02:30,240 --> 01:02:33,360 Speaker 2: for realizing is the beginning of his future. 1105 01:02:33,880 --> 01:02:37,040 Speaker 4: And now over to you, Calvin Vari, what do you 1106 01:02:37,120 --> 01:02:37,960 Speaker 4: got for us? 1107 01:02:38,400 --> 01:02:40,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I want to thank Steve for saying that, 1108 01:02:40,600 --> 01:02:43,760 Speaker 1: because that means a lot to me because he didn't 1109 01:02:43,800 --> 01:02:47,120 Speaker 1: have to get involved with my case, but because of 1110 01:02:47,160 --> 01:02:50,440 Speaker 1: my diligence, and I think that, you know, he just 1111 01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:52,360 Speaker 1: still he wanted to do the right thing. And it's 1112 01:02:52,480 --> 01:02:55,400 Speaker 1: good that we have people like that, whether you're a 1113 01:02:55,440 --> 01:02:58,880 Speaker 1: stranger or a friend or not. It's just that I 1114 01:02:59,360 --> 01:03:01,800 Speaker 1: feel like people are waking up and they want the 1115 01:03:01,880 --> 01:03:05,400 Speaker 1: right things to be done. I think that my last 1116 01:03:05,640 --> 01:03:08,040 Speaker 1: words is going to be like what Meek Mill said, 1117 01:03:08,080 --> 01:03:11,160 Speaker 1: it's all about justice reform, so these type of things 1118 01:03:11,240 --> 01:03:14,360 Speaker 1: don't happen to other individuals. I hope that I'm my 1119 01:03:14,480 --> 01:03:18,920 Speaker 1: example to the people that these things do occur and 1120 01:03:19,360 --> 01:03:22,720 Speaker 1: we just have to do something so they won't reoccur again. 1121 01:03:23,760 --> 01:03:25,400 Speaker 1: That's basically what I have to say. 1122 01:03:26,800 --> 01:03:29,960 Speaker 4: Well, now I just want to thank the audience for 1123 01:03:30,040 --> 01:03:34,000 Speaker 4: tuning in and listening. This has been an amazing journey. 1124 01:03:34,600 --> 01:03:38,400 Speaker 4: And thanks again to Steve Fishman and Calaboari for being 1125 01:03:38,440 --> 01:03:39,320 Speaker 4: a part of the show. 1126 01:03:39,440 --> 01:03:41,400 Speaker 1: Thank you Jason, Thank you Jason. 1127 01:03:47,600 --> 01:03:50,200 Speaker 4: Don't forget to give us a fantastic review. Wherever you 1128 01:03:50,280 --> 01:03:53,880 Speaker 4: get your podcasts, it really helps. And I'm a proud 1129 01:03:54,000 --> 01:03:56,520 Speaker 4: donor to the Innocence Project and I really hope you'll 1130 01:03:56,640 --> 01:03:59,960 Speaker 4: join me in supporting this very important cause and helping 1131 01:04:00,160 --> 01:04:04,040 Speaker 4: to prevent future wrongful convictions. Go to Inisonsproject dot org 1132 01:04:04,200 --> 01:04:06,960 Speaker 4: to learn how to donate and get involved. I'd like 1133 01:04:07,000 --> 01:04:10,000 Speaker 4: to thank our production team, Connor Hall and Kevin Wartis. 1134 01:04:10,320 --> 01:04:12,600 Speaker 4: The music in the show is by three time OSCAR 1135 01:04:12,640 --> 01:04:15,680 Speaker 4: nominated composer Jay Ralph. Be sure to follow us on 1136 01:04:15,720 --> 01:04:20,520 Speaker 4: Instagram at Wrongful Conviction and on Facebook at Wrongful Conviction Podcast. 1137 01:04:20,880 --> 01:04:23,920 Speaker 4: Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flam is a production of Lava 1138 01:04:23,960 --> 01:04:28,280 Speaker 4: for Good Podcasts and association with Signal Company Number one