1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Wrongful Conviction, False Confessions. I'm Laura and I 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: writer and I'm Steve Drissing. Today we'll bring you to 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: Culpepper County, Virginia to tell you the story of teenage 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: buddies Eric Weekly and Michael Hash. Local police solved a 5 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: murder case by coercing Eric into falsely confessing and into 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: falsely implicating his friend Michael as an accomplice. For years, 7 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: lawyers couldn't get justice for either of them until Michael's 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: mom found evidence that blew this case wide open. Michael 9 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: Hash and Eric Weekly were childhood. 10 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 2: Friends, longtime friends. 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: And to see the way the systems split them apart 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: in this case, it's terrible. 13 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 2: It's not uncommon for one co defendant to turn on 14 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: another co defendant, especially in a state where the death 15 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 2: penalty is on. 16 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: The table, and it's really understandable how that could have 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: destroyed Eric's relationship with Mike and Mike's whole family. But 18 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: that's not what happened. One of the most incredible things 19 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: about Wrongful Convictions work is that you encounter these pockets 20 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: of grace in the most unexpected places, some of the 21 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: most unbelievable humans. You'll ever meet. Are people like Pam 22 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 1: hash whose son Mike was falsely implicated by his one 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 1: time childhood friend. You know, that's a situation that could 24 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: have led to a lot of rage and a lot 25 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: of anger, and a lot of blame. 26 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean vengeance, anger, hatred. They can keep somebody stuck. 27 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 2: But Pam realized very early on that that was wasted 28 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 2: energy and that she needed to spend all her time 29 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 2: learning about the case, finding the right lawyers, doing her 30 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: own digging, and pushing the authorities to come to the 31 00:01:59,000 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 2: right solution. 32 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: She turned all of that into forgiveness. That's pretty incredible. 33 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: Today's story starts in Culpeper County, Virginia, about ninety minutes 34 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: west of the Washington d C Beltway. Culpeper is a 35 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: popular weekend getaway spot for the d C crowd. It's 36 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: got bed and breakfasts, art boutiques, and plenty of fancy cafes. 37 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: Architectural Digest even named Culpeper the prettiest area in Virginia. 38 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: But for all its beauty, Culpeper is also home to 39 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: an unremedied injustice, one that stains the county to this day. 40 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: That injustice began back in nineteen ninety six in Lignum, 41 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: an unincorporated part of Culpeper that hadn't quite caught up 42 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: to the rest of the county's growing prosperity. Lignam was 43 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 1: where seventy four year old Thelma Scroggins had lived her 44 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: whole life in the same two story frame house where 45 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: she'd been born. Thelma was a petite, curly haired lady 46 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: who'd retired from her work as a mail carrier. She'd 47 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: been widowed years earlier, and since then she lived alone. 48 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: But Thelma's life was still full and active. She had 49 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: plenty of friends and liked to spend time playing the 50 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: organ at the Baptist church across the street. It was 51 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: the evening of Saturday, July thirteenth, and Thelma was on 52 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: the phone with one of her girlfriends. At about nine pm, 53 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: Thelma told her friend that she had to go. Someone 54 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: was knocking at the door. The friend called back fifteen 55 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: minutes later, but got no answer. She tried again the 56 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: next morning, still no answer. When Thelma didn't show up 57 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: at church that Sunday morning, her friends really started worrying. 58 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: One of them, Richard Hicks, went over to Thelma's house 59 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: as he pulled up outside, he could hear Thelma's TV 60 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: blasting at top volume. Richard let himself inside. The front 61 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: door wasn't locked and found pink hair curlers scattered across 62 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: the living room floor. He went in further and saw 63 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: Thelma slumped over in front of her bedroom door. She'd 64 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: been shot in the head four times. It seemed the 65 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: TV had been turned up to mask the sound of 66 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: the gunshots. Police arrived and quickly canvassed the scene. They 67 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: found that Thelma's jewelry was still sitting on her dresser, 68 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: but her purse was missing, along with her green Ford 69 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: pickup truck. A month later, a deer hunter found the 70 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: truck abandoned in a wooded area about a mile and 71 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: a half away from Thelma's home. Her purse was there too, 72 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: with its contents scattered on the ground nearby. But despite 73 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: this discovery, police couldn't develop any viable suspects or leads. 74 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: A few months later, the case went cold. Three years later, 75 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: in November nineteen ninety nine, a new DA was elected 76 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: in Culpeper on a promise to solve cold cases. Shortly 77 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: after he took office, new detectives were assigned to investigate 78 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: Thelma Scroggin's murder. They started off by visiting a local 79 00:04:56,279 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 1: prison to interview a young woman named Alicia Shelton. Alisha 80 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: had just been convicted of shooting a man in the 81 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,799 Speaker 1: head six times. The cops figured her crime was similar 82 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: enough to what happened to Thelma to make Alisha worth questioning. 83 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 1: On audiotape, Alicia told the investigators that she didn't know 84 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: anything about Thelma's murder, But then one detective offered what 85 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: he called a little foundation. He suggested that Alicia might 86 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: get a reduced sentence if she provided information about her 87 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: teenage cousin, Michael Hash Then silence. The tape was shut off, 88 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: supposedly for a cigarette break. When the recorder got turned 89 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: back on, Alicia was suddenly full of ideas. She said 90 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: she'd overheard her cousin Michael, discussing his involvement in Thelma's murder. 91 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: She said Michael did it along with his buddies Eric 92 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: Weekley and Jason Chlobe. 93 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: Alicia Shelton was looking at a lot of time and 94 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: desperate for a way to get out from underneath the 95 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 2: weight of a heavy sentence. I don't know what happened 96 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 2: when the camera was off, but there had to be 97 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 2: some powerful inducement to get her to change her story 98 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 2: from I don't know what you're talking about two fingering 99 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 2: her own cousin and his friends for this crime. 100 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety six, when Thelma was killed, Michael was fifteen, 101 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: Eric was sixteen, and Jason was eighteen. They had grown 102 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: up together, writing go karts as kids and crushing on 103 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:29,160 Speaker 1: girls as teenagers. Michael and his parents, Jeff and Pam Hash, 104 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: lived within a mile of Thelma's house. In fact, Thelma 105 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: had been the Hash family's mail carrier, delivering birthday cards 106 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: and letters to the home with her typical friendly wave. 107 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,799 Speaker 1: Michael was a good kid. There was no reason whatsoever 108 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 1: to suspect him and his friends of killing Thelma Scroggins. 109 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: It's true that Michael used to frequent a campsite near 110 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: the wooded area where Thelma's truck had been found, but 111 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: that was a pretty thin connection. Somehow, though, Michael Hash, 112 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: Jason Chlobe, and Eric Weekley found themselves at the center 113 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: of a cold case murder investigation in April two thousand. 114 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: Police decide to interrogate, but they don't start with Michael 115 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: Hash or Jason Chlobe. They start with Eric Weekly. By 116 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: this time, Eric was nineteen years old with a reputation 117 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: as a follower, someone who could be easily intimidated. 118 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 2: Eric Weekly was a weak link. He had a little 119 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: daughter that he cared very much about. He had a 120 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 2: prior record, which gave interrogators leverage. They started with him 121 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 2: because they felt that he was the most likely to 122 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: break and it worked. 123 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: Eric's at his factory job when two detectives approach him 124 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: and start asking about Thelma's murder. Eric is shocked. He 125 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: had nothing to do with it. He tells the detectives 126 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: they're crazy and says he has to get back to work. 127 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: The cops leave, but not for long. They follow Eric everywhere, 128 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: the gas station, the grocery store. They show up at 129 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: Eric job over and over. 130 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: These detectives would not leave him alone. They hounded him, 131 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 2: They stalked him, They kept coming to his workplace trying 132 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: to question him. It got to the point where his 133 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 2: employer just was fed up and he fired Eric. And 134 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 2: Eric got worried that he would never be able to 135 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 2: get another job because everywhere he would go, these cops 136 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 2: would just show up at his work again. So he 137 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 2: gave up, and he agreed finally to go to the 138 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,599 Speaker 2: police station and answer their questions. 139 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: Over the next several weeks, Eric and doors not one, 140 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 1: not two, but a whole chain of interrogations as the 141 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: police keep insisting he come back again and again. Some 142 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: of these interrogations last longer than twelve hours. Only a 143 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: few are recorded, but what did get caught on tape 144 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: is enough to make anyone skeptical. During the first few interrogations, 145 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: Eric protests his innocence over and over. He doesn't have 146 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: the mind or the heart to kill somebody, he tells police. 147 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 3: And I'm sitting here telling me no, and you're still 148 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 3: not believe I'm. 149 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: Sitting here telling you. 150 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 4: No, I did not shoot this one. 151 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: The police won't listen to Eric. They insist he's guilty, 152 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: and they chip away at him slowly and steadily over 153 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: the course of weeks. 154 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 4: You saw that woman, to you too, you saw the blood. 155 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 3: Why do you sit here and try to lie to 156 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 3: me about that today? 157 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: Then the police tell Eric that if he cooperates, he 158 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: can go home. If he just repeats the details they 159 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: feed him, the police can work with him, even help him. 160 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 4: But if you saw blood come from the heat, that. 161 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: Helps Eric, but if Eric holds back, if he refuses 162 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: to say he was involved, they say that'll hurt him. 163 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: If he doesn't confess, he might not get to see 164 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: his daughter anymore. These interrogations continue off and on for weeks, 165 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: but Eric still won't confess, so the cops pull out 166 00:09:58,679 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: a tried and true tact. 167 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 2: Finally, they say, okay, Eric, if you have nothing to 168 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 2: do with this, would you at least come down and 169 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 2: take a polygraph exam? And Eric did. He took that 170 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 2: exam to get these police officers off his back, and 171 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 2: then they told him he failed the exam, which got 172 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:18,679 Speaker 2: him talking. 173 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: The polygraph finally does it. Eric weekly realizes he'll never 174 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: be able to get the police to believe him, and 175 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: he breaks. He agrees to tell the cops a story. 176 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 1: Eric says that he, Michael, and Jason chopped Thelma's body 177 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: up with an axe. Their motive, he said, was robbery. 178 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: They stole diamond rings, vases, and necklaces from her home, 179 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: a king's ransom in treasure. This was a confessional, right, 180 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: but none of it came close to what actually happened. 181 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: Thelma wasn't attacked with an axe, and what little jewelry 182 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: she owned was found sitting on her dresser, so police 183 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: accused Eric of lying again. Eric's response, I'm just telling 184 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: you what you want to hear. I can go the 185 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 1: hell home. The police don't let him go the hell home. 186 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: They've got to clean up Eric's story and it takes hours. 187 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: They cut him short when he begins to describe the 188 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: jewelry because none of it had actually been taken. They 189 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: show him photos of the crime scene so that he 190 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: can see Thelma's body wasn't mutilated with an axe. In fact, 191 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: they end up straight out telling Eric that Thelma had 192 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: been shot, and all these details provided by the police 193 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: are what end up in Eric's confession. Eric's story becomes 194 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: final on May sixteenth, two thousand. He's arrested. Immediately that 195 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: same night, police come for Jason Chlobe and Michael Hash. 196 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,679 Speaker 3: The night that he was arrested, it was it was 197 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 3: a total shock. 198 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: That's Pam Hash, she's Michael Hash's mom. 199 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 3: It was about one o'clock in the morning. Everybody had 200 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 3: gone to bed, and all of a sudden, there's barking dogs, 201 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:02,679 Speaker 3: people banging on the door, yelling. My husband got up, 202 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 3: went to the door and they pretty much just barged 203 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 3: into the home they were wanting Michael. She had, of course, 204 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 3: his boxers on nothing else, and I begged them to 205 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 3: let him have at least a shirt and shoes. They 206 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 3: let him take it with him, and in a matter 207 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,559 Speaker 3: of minutes he was loaded into the car, and all 208 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 3: these cars left, and we got dressed and followed them. 209 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 3: It was all so quick, it felt like it was 210 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 3: in a movie. It was just a nightmare. 211 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: Pam's nightmare had just begun. She would soon find out 212 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 1: her son, Michael, along with his buddies Eric and Jason, 213 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: had been charged with capital murder. Culpeper County Commonwealth Attorney 214 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: Gary Close prosecuted each of the boys, starting with Jason Chlobe, 215 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: but the prosecution had a problem. There was no evidence 216 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: against Jason except for Eric's statement, and prosecutors could only 217 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: use Eric's statement against Jason if Eric agreed to testify 218 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: in person against him. 219 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 2: It's not enough to simply play Eric's confession during the 220 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: trial of Michael and Jason, because lawyers can't cross examine 221 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 2: a confession. They need to be able to cross examine 222 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 2: Eric about what he says on that tape. It's part 223 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: of a constitutional right of criminal defendants to confront witnesses 224 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 2: the right of cross examination. 225 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: The prosecution needed Eric weekly to get up on the 226 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: witness stand and testify. To get him there, they offered 227 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: him a deal. If Eric agreed to testify against both 228 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: Jason and Michael, the state would reduce Eric's charges to 229 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:59,439 Speaker 1: second degree murder. That charge carried at most twenty years 230 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: behind bars, sometimes much less. If Eric didn't take the deal. 231 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: On the other hand, he was facing life in prison 232 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: if convicted. Eric was in despair. He felt cornered by 233 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: the confession that detectives had wrung out of him. Like 234 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: so many people before him, Eric felt that he had 235 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: no real choice. He took the deal and agreed to 236 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: testify against his friends. 237 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 2: Once you confess, the pressure to plead guilty on these 238 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 2: suspects is even greater. Of all the exonerations in the 239 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 2: DNA database, twelve percent involve people who pledged guilty to 240 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 2: crimes they didn't commit, and each one of those pleas 241 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 2: involved someone who was represented by counsel and who weighed 242 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 2: the options and decided it was in their best interests 243 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 2: to give up all of their rights, to give up 244 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: their right to testify, their right to appeal, their right 245 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 2: to prove their innocence in order to plead guilty. 246 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: Eric was now a lock for the prosecution. In November 247 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: two thousand, it was time to try Jason Klobe, as 248 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: he'd agreed to do. Eric took the stand and testified 249 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: that Jason had participated in the murder, but Jason's defense 250 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 1: lawyers had an ace in the hole, an alibi. They 251 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: brought in several witnesses who testified that Jason had been 252 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: visiting his dad in Pennsylvania at the time of Thelma's murder. 253 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: It took the jury less than two hours to find 254 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: Jason Klobe not guilty. 255 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 2: If Jason wasn't present during this crime, then that undermines 256 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 2: Eric's entire confession because he has Jason right there being 257 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 2: a major actor along with Michael in the murder of 258 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 2: Thelmas Kroggins. Once these detectives learned that Jason had an alibi, 259 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 2: they should have walked away from this case. 260 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: But detectives didn't walk away. Instead, they plowed ahead with 261 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: the trial of Michael Hash. 262 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 3: After Chlobe was acquitted, I kept telling Mike, you're next. 263 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: They know the truth from Chlobe's cage you're next, You'll 264 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 3: be next, You're coming home now. 265 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: Michael didn't have a strong alibi like Jason did. When 266 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: Thelma died, Michael had been right there in Culpeper County, 267 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: hanging out with some buddies. But even though Michael's defense 268 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: was weaker, the prosecutors decided to leave nothing to chance. 269 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 2: They knew that Eric Weekly's testimony alone wasn't going to 270 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: be enough to get a conviction against Michael, So what 271 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 2: did they do? They manufactured more evidence. They went to 272 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 2: a seasoned serial snitch, a jailhouse informant who had worked 273 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 2: with them in the past and testified in other cases, 274 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 2: Paul Carter. 275 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: About a week after Michael had been arrested, he met 276 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: Paul Carter in jail. At the time, it seemed like 277 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: a random encounter. Later, at Michael's trial, Carter testified that 278 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: when they met, Michael had admitted to killing Thelma. During 279 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: cross examination, Eric's defense attorneys suggested Carl was getting some 280 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: benefit in exchange for fabricating testimony against Michael, but Carter 281 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: denied it. He said he wasn't receiving anything for his cooperation. 282 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 3: He was a pretty career criminal and he knew what 283 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 3: he was doing, even though he's up there telling the 284 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 3: jury that he is only there because this was somebody's 285 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 3: mother or grandmother. You know, he's looking for something, and 286 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 3: I thought the jury would see right through that. 287 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: The prosecutor backed up his witnesses claim, telling the jury that, 288 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: of course, the state hadn't made any deal with Carter. 289 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: After testimony concluded, the jury deliberated for six and a 290 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: half hours. As the clocks neared midnight on February ninth, 291 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: two thousand and one, they returned a verdict guilty. 292 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 3: It's a sound that I think I'll hear for the 293 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 3: rest of my life. When they came back and said 294 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 3: that they found him guilty, it's almost like you hear guilty, guilty, guilty, 295 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 3: just echoing, and quite frankly, I don't remember a whole 296 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,199 Speaker 3: lot after that. I know that I broke down and 297 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 3: they took Mike immediately out of the courtroom. I remember 298 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 3: my husband putting me in the backseat of the car, 299 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 3: and don't really remember a whole lot after that Until 300 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 3: the next morning. 301 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: At sentencing, Michael told the judge, you've convicted an innocent person, 302 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: but it was too late. Michael hash was sentenced to 303 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 1: life without the possibility of parole. 304 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 2: A lot of defendants in Michael's situation might have pled guilty. 305 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: And accepted a much shorter sentence. 306 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:39,239 Speaker 2: But Michael didn't confess. That's important. It's never wrong to 307 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 2: assert your innocence. 308 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: For his part, Eric Weekly had finally satisfied the state 309 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: he'd lived up to his end of the bargain and 310 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: testified against his friends. In exchange, the state reduced Eric's 311 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: charges to second degree murder, to which Eric formally pled 312 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 1: guilty on June thirteenth, two thousand and one. He would 313 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 1: go on to serve six years an eight months in prison. 314 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 3: Eric implicating Michael and Jason and even himself. It angered me, 315 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 3: but I would always go back to I know he's 316 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:16,920 Speaker 3: not doing this. Just knowing Eric, somebody is making him 317 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 3: say these things. They're threatening him. He had a child 318 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 3: by then, a young child, and I knew that that 319 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 3: was probably his main focus was I'm going to do 320 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 3: whatever to get back to my child. And I can't 321 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 3: be mad at that because I'm a mom. 322 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: Eric Weekly served his time and was freed in two 323 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: thousand and six, but Michael remained behind bars, serving a 324 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: life sentence, even as he pursued his appeals. 325 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 3: You know, each year at Christmas time, I'd have that 326 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 3: faith he's going to be home this year, and I'd 327 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 3: buy him Christmas presents, just like I did every year. 328 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 3: Before i'd wrap them, i'd have them under the tree. 329 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 3: I'd always after Christmas take him up, pack them away 330 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 3: in a box, and add to it each Christmas that 331 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 3: he didn't come home. 332 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: When Michael's last appeal ended fruitlessly, Pam Hash drove to 333 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,959 Speaker 1: the office of her son's lawyers and took his paperwork. 334 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 3: I didn't know anything about the legal system or law 335 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,919 Speaker 3: I worked as a floral designer. 336 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 1: But she was a mother and she was going to 337 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 1: help her son. 338 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 3: I went to the office and picked up what must 339 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 3: have been a dozen legal boxes, tens of thousands of papers, 340 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 3: just thrown in a box in no particular order. And 341 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 3: that's pretty much when I started searching the internet on 342 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 3: false confessions, asking questions, looking up people that I could 343 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 3: call that I could beg for help. Steve Grison was 344 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:53,439 Speaker 3: one of the first people that I contacted. I knew 345 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 3: that Eric had given a false confession, and I thought 346 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 3: maybe Steve could help me. I sent letters to him, 347 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 3: I made phone calls and bless his heart, I think 348 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 3: he took my call just so that maybe I would 349 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 3: shut up. 350 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 2: Pam Hash would call me, would send me information. She 351 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 2: sent me a VHS of Eric's interrogation. I reviewed those 352 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 2: transcripts and talked about the case with her. Pam was 353 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 2: a very forceful advocate for her son. She believed that 354 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: he was absolutely innocent and was willing to go to 355 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 2: the ends of the earth to prove it. 356 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: Steve put Pam in touch with several people in Virginia, 357 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: everyone from lawyers to exoneries like Beverly Monroe, who we 358 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: talked about in Emerson Stephens story. In fact, it was 359 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,720 Speaker 1: Beverly who told Pam Hash to go to the federal 360 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: courthouse and pull the file on Paul Carter that jailhouse 361 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: snitch prosecutors had denied making a deal with. 362 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 3: I went to the Federal court and I asked the 363 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 3: clerk of the court to look through his files. Her 364 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 3: exact remark to me was, and this is the clerk 365 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 3: of the federal court Paul Carter. She said, Oh, he 366 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 3: got the deal of the century. 367 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: Turns out Paul Carter had been serving a fifteen year 368 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: sentence on federal drug charges after he testified against Michael. 369 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: Though Carter was immediately released time served, he sure did 370 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: get the deal of the century, a get out of 371 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: jail free card. It also turned out that Michael had 372 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: been moved to a different jail for two nights for 373 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: no other reason than to put him together with Paul Carter. 374 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: None of this had been disclosed to Michael's defense or 375 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: to Eric Weakley's defense. Pam may have started out as 376 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: a floral designer, but her legal work was pretty kick ass. 377 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: She had single handedly demolished Carter's value as a witness 378 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: against her son. She had proven that the prosecutor lied 379 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 1: when he told the jury there was no deal with Carter. 380 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: The only evidence against Mia Michael that remained was Eric Weekly. 381 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: A few years after Eric's release from prison, two lawyers 382 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: from the University of Virginia Innocence Project knocked on his door. 383 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: Eric was rebuilding his life as best he could, but 384 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 1: his friend, Michael Hash was still behind bars. Did Eric 385 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: want to tell them anything about his testimony against Michael? 386 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 1: Eric nearly broke down. His false testimony against Michael had 387 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: sat for years on his shoulders like a lead weight. 388 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: He had been coerced into confessing by police and into 389 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: pleading guilty by prosecutors. But fairly or unfairly, he blamed himself. 390 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,160 Speaker 1: Could he really take it all back, try at last 391 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: to do right by his friend. 392 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 2: Eric was at risk of being charged with perjury if 393 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 2: he came forward and said that everything he had testified 394 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 2: to was a lie. The sad part is that even 395 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 2: when witnesses recant their statement, prosecutors and judges most of 396 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 2: the time don't believe them. They think that the initial 397 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 2: statement is the true statement and that the recantation is 398 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 2: a lie. So Eric risked doing it all for nothing, 399 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 2: because if the courts didn't believe him and Michael stays 400 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:26,959 Speaker 2: in prison. 401 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: Eric decided the risk was worth it. On March twenty first, 402 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: twenty eleven, he signed an affidavit recanting everything. I had 403 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: nothing to do with Thelma s Groggin's murder, and neither 404 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: did Michael hash He wrote, we are innocent of this crime. Instead, 405 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: he explained that police had fed him information about Thelma's 406 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,479 Speaker 1: murder and coerced him into repeating it. 407 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:54,719 Speaker 2: This was courageous, and I think that Pam and Michael 408 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 2: recognized it as such. 409 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 3: I was so happy when Eric came forward because I 410 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 3: knew how much he stood to lose, yet he was 411 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 3: still doing this, and it just was maybe here's some 412 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 3: more hope. Maybe this will be something that'll turn the 413 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 3: case around. Now. 414 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 1: Eric couldn't benefit directly from his affidavit because, as we 415 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: mentioned before, when you plead guilty, you give up your 416 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: right to prove your own innocence. But Michael Hash could benefit. 417 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: He hadn't pled guilty, he'd been convicted at trial. That 418 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: meant that legally he was still able to challenge his 419 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 1: conviction in court. Michael's lawyers at the mid Atlantic Innocence 420 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,440 Speaker 1: Project snapped into action, with Pam Hash right alongside them. 421 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,160 Speaker 1: They filed a petition to overturn Michael's conviction, with Eric's 422 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: affidavit and the secret deal with Paul Carter as the centerpieces. 423 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 1: Pam Hash knew from day one that her son was innocent. 424 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: Her investigative work, together with Eric's recantation, had proved it, 425 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: but every time she'd spoken out in the past, authorities 426 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,640 Speaker 1: had told her to shut up, sit down, stop being 427 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: so dramatic. 428 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 3: I knew exactly what called Pepper County was capable of. 429 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 3: It's blatant that this was a setup that he was 430 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 3: put in with a snitch, and I was told, missus Hash, 431 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 3: you watch too much TV. This is real life that 432 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:16,479 Speaker 3: doesn't happen. 433 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 1: Would this time be different? Would someone finally listen? On 434 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 1: February twenty eighth, twenty twelve, Pam got her answer a 435 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 1: federal judge. Throughout Michael's conviction, the judge ruled that Eric's 436 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: recantation was more believable than his confession. As for Pam's 437 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: discoveries about Paul Carter, the judge said prosecutors had out 438 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: and out lied when they denied cutting Carter a deal. 439 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: Real life had met real justice. 440 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 3: It was like, yes, yes, somebody finally gets it after 441 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 3: so many doors being shut. This was amazing. For once 442 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 3: we won something. 443 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: Two weeks later, Michael was released from prison. He'd been 444 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: behind bars for nearly twelve years. 445 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,479 Speaker 3: It was an absolute perfect day. I hugged him and 446 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 3: all I could think to tell him was no more change, Mike, 447 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,439 Speaker 3: no more change. After he came home, I gave him 448 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 3: this huge box with all of his Christmas presents in it, 449 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 3: and some of them were twelve years old, so the 450 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 3: wrapping paper was faded, and like a delmy I had 451 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 3: bought chocolate well that had melted and rehardened and melted 452 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 3: and turned white. He started opening video games that you 453 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 3: couldn't even get the computer to play them on anymore, 454 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,479 Speaker 3: but he loved it just the same. We cried a 455 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 3: lot of sad tears and a lot of happy tears. 456 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: A few months later, all charges against Michael Hash were 457 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:57,639 Speaker 1: formally dismissed. That day, Pam wrote an email to Steve 458 00:27:58,200 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: just three words long. 459 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 2: One Steve, I almost fell out of my chair. I 460 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 2: was ecstatic. 461 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: As for Eric Weekly, the judge's decision took a twelve 462 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: year burden off his shoulders. I'm glad that man's home. 463 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 1: Eric told the local news. I feel like I amended 464 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,119 Speaker 1: my wrong. Since the charges were dismissed, Michael Hash has 465 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: been making the most of his freedom. In twenty fifteen, 466 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 1: he got married. His parents were there, his lawyers were there, 467 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: and you know who else was there? Eric Weekly celebrating 468 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 1: with all his heart. All had been forgiven. 469 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 3: It was as if nothing happened, and this was Mike's decision. 470 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 3: But why not? We were friends then, we're still friends now. 471 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 3: Why shouldn't I invite him to my wedding? 472 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: And the prosecutor who secured Michael and Eric's convictions. He 473 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: resigned one day before Michael walked free. That prosecutor was 474 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: later reprimanded by the Virginia bar for lying to the 475 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: jury about Paul Carter's get out of jail free card. 476 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: As for Eric himself, he remains convicted of second degree murder. Remember, 477 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: he doesn't have access to post conviction relief because he 478 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: pled guilty. Eric Weekly brought justice to Michael Hash by 479 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: making right and old wrong. Now it's time to bring 480 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: justice to Eric too. In twenty eighteen, Eric's attorneys filed 481 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: a pardon petition with the Governor of Virginia. While he 482 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: waits for an answer, Eric has to face everybody from 483 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:33,719 Speaker 1: employers to landlords, with a murder conviction on his record. 484 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 1: A formal pardon from the governor would change that. It 485 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 1: would exonerate Eric Weekly. And that's what Eric deserves. But 486 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: don't take our word for it. Here's what Michael Hash thinks. 487 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 4: Absolutely. I think the governors should poor and Eric. I 488 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:50,479 Speaker 4: think he was made to do what he did and 489 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 4: now he's still a part of this ordeal just as 490 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 4: I am. So he deserves just as much as anybody else. 491 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 4: Does in this case to have themselves vindicated. 492 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: Hello, Hey, Eric, this is Laura and Steve. How are 493 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: you doing all right? 494 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 3: Great? 495 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: How are you are you spending your time these days? 496 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 2: Living life palms, spend time with my wife and kids 497 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 2: and my grand baby and all that good stuff. 498 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: Grand baby, that's exciting. 499 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 2: Oh wonderful. 500 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, how old? 501 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 3: She's a year and a half now, Wow, that's great. 502 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 2: I got a call from Pam Hash about your case, 503 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 2: actually when she was fighting to get Michael freed. The 504 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 2: day that Michael got released from prison was the greatest 505 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 2: day of my life. 506 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 3: Man. 507 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 2: After it was all over with me and Michael had 508 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 2: a long conversation and we made amendsum amongst each other. 509 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 3: That's how friends do. Then to see my friend come 510 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 3: home and just do his thing and live his life 511 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 3: free from all of it now, and it's a great feeling. Eric. 512 00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 1: What would it mean to you to receive a pardon 513 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: from the Governor of Virginia. 514 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 2: Overin only fourteen years and I went back to present, 515 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 2: got a beautiful wife, got a beautiful family, and still 516 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 2: fighting it and. 517 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 1: I still keep my head held high. 518 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 2: But it'd be a life altering pain. 519 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: I can actually go out and not worried about having 520 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: to put down If I'm okay Victor Fellon or not. 521 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: I mean, it will mean the world for me just 522 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: to solidify that, you know me, Mike and Jason. 523 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 2: Were anothing of all of it. I don't know how 524 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 2: I'm going to react until I have the paper in 525 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 2: my hand. 526 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 3: I mean, I might just break down and cry like 527 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 3: a little girl. You know what, I never know. 528 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 2: The fact of the matter is that if you have 529 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 2: a murder conviction on your record, that's an incredible yoke 530 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 2: to have to carry with you for the rest of 531 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 2: your life. That's right. 532 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: I mean, Jason Chlobe was found to be not guilty. 533 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 1: Michael Hash now has been exonerated. Eric Weekly's is innocent. 534 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 2: It's the other guys, and it's time for the governor 535 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 2: to declare that Eric is actually innocent. 536 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: If you want to support Eric Weekly's pardon petition, you 537 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: can write to the Governor of Virginia. To find the 538 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: governor's contact information, check out this episode's description on your 539 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: podcast app, or visit my Instagram page at Laura and 540 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: I Writer. And That's the story of Michael Hash and 541 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,959 Speaker 1: Eric Weekly. Join us next week when we tell you 542 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: about Michigan police officer Ray McCann ray found himself accused 543 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: of a brutal murder that he'd helped investigate. His story 544 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,280 Speaker 1: is proof that interrogator's lies can trap anybody in a 545 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: wrongful conviction, even a cop. Wrongful Conviction False Confessions is 546 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 1: a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with 547 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: Signal Company Number one Special thanks to our executive producers 548 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: Jason Flamm and Kevin Wardis. Our production team is headed 549 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: by senior producer Ann Pope along with producers Joshi Hammer 550 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,200 Speaker 1: and Jess Shane. Our show is made by Genie Montalvo. 551 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: John Colbert is our intrepid intern. Our music was composed 552 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: by Jay Ralph. You can follow me on Instagram or 553 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: Twitter at Laura and I Wrider, and you. 554 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 2: Can follow me on Twitter at s Drizzen. 555 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: For more information on the show, visit wrongfulconvictionpodcast dot com. 556 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: Be sure to follow the show on Instagram at Wrongful Conviction, 557 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Wrongful Conviction Podcast, and on Twitter at 558 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 1: wrong Conviction