1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: I'm Jason Flamm. Since I began recording Rafel Conviction back 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen, I've interviewed hundreds of xanneries, but unfortunately 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: that's just the tip of the criminal injustice Iceberg. So 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: I've invited new voices to host the show, including people 5 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: who have personally experienced the horror of that system. This 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: is one of those interviews. 7 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 2: It's July fourth, twenty oh two, and thirty six year 8 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: old Tony Cox is meeting up with Richard Rico, the 9 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 2: owner of Fat Alberts, a restaurant on the West Side 10 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: of Chicago. They lead the restaurant together. A regal turns 11 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 2: to lock the door behind him, and that's when he 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 2: hears two gunshots. Tony Cox is shot dead. A regal 13 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 2: stance at a close distance to the shooters, but he 14 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 2: doesn't recognize him. As they flee to scene, two women 15 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 2: witness the crime from their cars. Both of them called 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 2: nine to one to one, and both would later be 17 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 2: asked identify the shooters from photograph, even though they barely had. 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 3: Time to see them. 19 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 2: Chicago police officers Gregory Jones, Eugene Schletter, and James Sanchez 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: investigated the murder and they believe it had to be 21 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 2: gang related because Tony Cox was a member of the 22 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: local gang, the New Breeds. At first, they investigated New 23 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 2: Breed members but made no arrest, but within a month 24 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: of the crime, for reasons they are still unknown, they 25 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: turned their attention to Eric Blackman. On the day of 26 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: the murder, Eric was hosting a barbecue and between twenty 27 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 2: and forty people saw him there. Two months later, in September, 28 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 2: Eric showed up at court to deal with the unrelated 29 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: misdemeanor charge, but the police arrested them there on the 30 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: spot as he entered the courthouse. Despite having dozens of 31 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 2: alibi witnesses and no connection to the victim. Eric Blackman 32 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: was found guilty of murder and Tony Cox on septem 33 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 2: number twenty seven, twenty oh four. He was since sixty 34 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 2: years in prison this this wrongful conviction. My name is 35 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 2: Patrick Persley, also known as Free Patrick Persley. I've been 36 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 2: a guest on this show to talk about my own 37 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 2: wrongful conviction, but now I'm here as your guest host. 38 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 2: In April twenty twenty two, I had the honor of 39 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: sitting down with Eric Blackman to talk about his incredible story. Today, 40 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: I have a very distinguished guest, a friend, a brother 41 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 2: of fellow Axandery, a very positive person, someone I've known 42 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 2: for more than a decade. Eric Blackman. How are you today? 43 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 3: I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. I definitely definitely 44 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 3: appreciate you being here. And we knew each other a 45 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 3: lot longer than the. 46 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 2: Decade, at least a decade. 47 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 3: Yeah out two fifteen to twenty years ago when I really. 48 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: Think we were at Stateville together. 49 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, stay here. 50 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know you've come a long way and you've 51 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 2: done a lot. You've really done a lot to save 52 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 2: your own life. Did you ever face any criticism where 53 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 2: they say, like your house lord, you know, how gave 54 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 2: way out with yourself? You never heard that one. 55 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, in the way people think that way, or one 56 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 3: of the biggest criticisms is people will tell y'all man 57 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 3: that petition will never work. Oh you know, hey, that'd 58 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 3: be what you get a lot. Uh sometimes, And I 59 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 3: heard a lot about the very petition that got me here, 60 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 3: So I really, you know, you just really got to 61 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 3: go on with what you research and how you feel 62 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 3: and what you believe in, and if it's right, you 63 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 3: just hope that a court ends up seeing it that way. 64 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 3: You know, country every to what anybody else may say. 65 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: So, where where are you from. 66 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 3: I'm from the West Side of Chicago. I was born 67 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 3: and raised there. Yeah. It was it dangerous, very much 68 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 3: like any other place. It was you know, ripple with gangs, drugs, violence, 69 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 3: you know what I'm saying. It was you know, it 70 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 3: was just things that were around. You know, you do 71 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 3: your best to stay away from it, but it's there 72 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 3: things that you see every day. 73 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 2: In Eric's neighborhood. Gang violence and drugs went hand in 74 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: hand with police brutality. 75 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 3: In our neighborhood. They came up with this what they 76 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 3: called what was later called the Black Site, which is 77 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 3: a home and square police station. There was this station 78 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 3: where people would be disappeared, where you would go and 79 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 3: you would hear the stories of people riding past, hearing 80 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 3: screams at night. But it was just a place where 81 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 3: people where all of your rights was just violated. People 82 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 3: were just going there and people wouldn't hear from for 83 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 3: loan periods of time, and people were arrested and healed, 84 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: and it would later revealed that people were you know, 85 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 3: unconstitutionally held there at that jail. 86 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: Now, people have to remember the setting in Chicago in 87 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 2: the late nineties. You know, they had record amounts of murders, 88 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: and you have these cadres of police who are basically 89 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 2: acting outside of the law. People would be amazed the 90 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 2: level of brutality that's leveled against someone being interrogated who 91 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 2: is nine out of ten times a young black male. 92 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 2: A twenty fifteen investigation by the Guardian revealed that the 93 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 2: Home and Square facility had detained and interrogated more than 94 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: seven thousand people in Chicago since nineteen ninety five, and 95 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 2: estimated eighty percent of those people were black, and only 96 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: a handful were allowed legal representation. 97 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 3: You know, it's like, hey, you hear about these things, 98 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 3: and you know people and you so you know, it's 99 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 3: very much real. Like the Bookiyman. 100 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: On July fourth, two thousand and two, you have Tony 101 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: Cox in Cook County, Illinois. He shot to death. There's 102 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 2: witnesses people dropping down the street, at least two or 103 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,279 Speaker 2: three of those. There's someone next door in barbershok two people. 104 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 2: There's kind of according to the record, it's like this 105 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: strange meet up right, he gets a message like a 106 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: meet in front of fat Alberts or meet at Fat Alberts, 107 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: he meets Richard Rego. I believe they kind of say 108 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:26,799 Speaker 2: inside the restaurant for about twenty minutes and they're excellent restaurant. 109 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 2: Two people pop up and shoot Tony Cox Debt. I 110 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 2: believe that's that's the state's that was the state's case. 111 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 3: I believe, yeah, that is what they uh ultimately you know, 112 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 3: presented at court as to being what actually happened that day. 113 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 2: I know when the shooting happened, there was like a 114 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: handful of witnesses from your record or from like where 115 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 2: are some things that we're saying about the actual shooter. 116 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 2: I know they had made nine one one calls. 117 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 3: Or according to the record, french Line Reese and Lisa 118 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 3: McDowell were two people who were driving past the crime. 119 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 3: They both were stopped at this same. 120 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: Light at different viewpoints. 121 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, both one was heading north the other were 122 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 3: heading south, but they were both you know, on opposite 123 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 3: sides of the same light. According to Miss Frenshawn Reee, 124 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 3: the light turned green, she see these people standing up 125 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 3: half a block in front of her. The light turns 126 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,559 Speaker 3: green and she proceeds up. She sees one of these 127 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 3: men shoot the other. 128 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: Do you recall, like her identification, what description. 129 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 3: She gave a description. I can't recall, but it wasn't 130 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 3: a description that fit me. I believe her description was 131 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 3: somebody like five, teen thirties, twenties thirties. I was a 132 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 3: teen then, but it was something that definitely didn't fit me. 133 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: I'm six', FOUR i was a teenager at the. Time 134 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 3: so you, know it was a very for a crime 135 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 3: from WHO i am. Now miss McDowell says that she 136 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 3: was still there and when the crime, happened she heard the, 137 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 3: shots looked over her and the kids were in the. 138 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 3: Car she seen this person or somebody two people come 139 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 3: around the build in and walk up on this man 140 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 3: that was already on the ground where she's seeing the 141 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 3: white man who we. Suspected she was saying Mister rego 142 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 3: had a. 143 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: Gun she actually puts a gun In origo's. Hand, yeah 144 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: that's what she did at her initial statement to the. 145 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: Police sometime later she would go on to change. That 146 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 2: it really cut a lot of people's eye, because, like 147 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: if what she's saying is, true then Mster frigo was 148 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 2: not a, witness he was a participant in this. 149 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 3: Crime you know What i'm. Saying i'm not sure if 150 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 3: everything that happened or what the actual you, know uh 151 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 3: relationship with what actually went. On it was a lot 152 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 3: of questions around what actually happened then who was actually 153 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 3: involved that? 154 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: Day you know a lot of cases take a lot 155 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 2: twists and, turns but your case is almost like a 156 00:08:55,520 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 2: direct like a direct. Shot like you're at a you're 157 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: hosting a, party, right and you, know like your barbituning 158 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 2: Is july. Fourth it went out, there, right so you 159 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 2: got twenty to forty, witnesses right That can you tell 160 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 2: me about? 161 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 3: That, well we threw a barbecue on myself and some 162 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 3: friends AND i over on the block where we normally 163 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 3: hung and we were out there throughout that. Afternoon uh 164 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 3: the time that they say this murder happened to, occurred 165 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 3: we were definitely out. THERE i had a dozen to 166 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 3: two dozen people that could verify WHERE i. 167 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: Was how how the hell they tie, you, like how 168 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 2: they drag you? 169 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 3: In you, KNOW i don't. Know that's SOMETHING i don't 170 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,119 Speaker 3: know to this. Day HOW i ever became a, Suspect 171 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 3: HOW i had no link to the, gang no. TIES 172 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,839 Speaker 3: i wasn't a part of that gang or any gang 173 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 3: for that. Matter i'm not, sure and to this day 174 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 3: that's still the. Question, NO i never had any dealings 175 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 3: with the victor them or anybody that was allegedly involved 176 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 3: in this. CRIME i do. 177 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 2: Nothing so how did they like effectuate the, Rest, like 178 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 2: how was it the same day or? 179 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 3: Later, No, SIR i was arrested like months. LATER i 180 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 3: believe it was like two. MONTHS i got Arrested september 181 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 3: the fifth of that, year which is exactly like two months. 182 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 3: Later in between the time of the murder and my actual, 183 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 3: arrest which was a couple of, MONTHS i had been 184 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 3: arrested for some type of disorder to conduct of gambling 185 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: or something like. That you, know in our neighborhood the 186 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 3: police you, know soup you. 187 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: Us, slaughtering, yeah lordman or those type of out here 188 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 2: on these. 189 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 3: Blocks and it's not a real big. Infraction it's in 190 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 3: fraction that you normally go to like a misdemeanor corridor 191 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 3: or something for and they just threw it. Out normally 192 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: in my, neighborhood it's just the way to ring up. 193 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 2: Guys it's almost like a. 194 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 3: Taxation, yeah it's a few quotas type of. Things and there. 195 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 2: Let everybody, know who's in. 196 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 3: Charge, yeah basically and The chicago P. 197 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 2: D you're gonna respect A. Doherty yeah, really that's definitely. 198 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 3: Know so SO i get one of. Those it was nothing, major, 199 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 3: up didn't do. Anything so this particular morning of my, 200 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 3: Rest september the, fourth was the DAY i actually had 201 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 3: court for this on the. Fence SO i go there 202 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 3: the same WAY i. Would you have a court, date 203 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 3: nothing to. Miss WHEN i walk in the, building police are. 204 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 3: There these aren't the regular. Police these are like the tactical. 205 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 2: Guys they're waiting on. 206 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 3: You, yeah they're waiting. There as soon AS i go 207 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 3: through the metal, detector they act, like, so what's your? 208 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 3: Name AND i tell them my, name and these officers 209 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 3: grab me and rough. Me you, know you know how 210 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 3: they do you know What i'm. Saying so, yeah the. 211 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 2: Thing, yeah the extra, yeah your hands. 212 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 3: On, yeah so it's a grab you, up And i'm 213 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 3: like for what you, KNOW whi y'all grabbing me for 214 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 3: my attorney's right in the. Courtroom so the whole thing 215 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 3: was to prevent me from getting a chance to notify my. 216 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: Attorney oh that's something else, too because if they know 217 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 2: you have, attorney they're not supposed to ask you. 218 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 3: Nothing, well, right but they knew my attorney was there 219 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 3: in their. COURTROOM i was going to, court he was. 220 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 2: There you, know there's usually a very clear path to 221 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 2: why the police picked. Somebody. Right one of the things 222 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 2: THAT i hear a lot from people who have not 223 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,199 Speaker 2: lived the life that we have. Lived it's, like come, 224 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 2: on what they do just pick the name out of a. 225 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 2: HAT i could never figure out in your, Case, like 226 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 2: how the hell did they pick? You you, know. 227 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 3: That's still a mystery to this day for, me just 228 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 3: as well as my legal team going. FORWARD i can't 229 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 3: really tell you why they picked me. OUT i don't 230 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 3: know that. Would that's something that baffles me to this. 231 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 3: Day even when you aren't guilty and you know you 232 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 3: haven't done, anything you still question, yourself like why? Me 233 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 3: why the hell DID? I what COULD i have done? 234 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 3: Differently you will and to this, day LIKE i questioned 235 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 3: myself about, THAT i don't know WHAT i could have 236 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 3: done differently BECAUSE i don't know anything in regards to 237 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 3: what happened that. 238 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 4: Day this episode is sponsored by THE Aig Pro Bono. 239 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 4: PROGRAM aig is a leading global insurance, company and THE 240 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,719 Speaker 4: aig Pro bono program provides free legal, services as well 241 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 4: as other support to many nonprofit organizations as well as 242 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 4: individuals who are most in, need and they recently announced 243 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 4: that working to reform the criminal justice system will become 244 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 4: a key pillar of the program's. 245 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:55,719 Speaker 2: Mission the police Arrested eric without him, warrant and they 246 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 2: took him to the. Station but he has no idea 247 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 2: what's going. On you can imagine just being dragged away 248 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 2: from your, family dragged away from your, house and the 249 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 2: police took their time in telling him what this was all. 250 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 3: About eventually they tell me That i'm there for. Murder 251 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 3: the only THING i could tell you is that's like 252 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 3: the most, earthshaking earth shattering like moment THAT i could tell. 253 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 3: You you, know it was like you, know hearing the, 254 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 3: record you, know like, Murder, yeah. MURDER i never been 255 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 3: nobody accused of nothing remotely like. That, now it's like hold, 256 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 3: on they tell you, murder and they leave out, again 257 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 3: and they leave you for a while and then, yeah, 258 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 3: Yeah then they come back in and they're, like, okay 259 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 3: you want to tell us what happened, Now AND i 260 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 3: don't know what, happened And i'm, denying and they steady 261 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 3: tried to do. It you, know, hey well maybe it 262 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 3: didn't happen this, Way maybe it happened that. Way we 263 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 3: know you. Weren't, yeah we know you weren't the. Person 264 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 3: and those are things that they go, out go, over 265 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 3: they say and do a lot of different things do 266 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 3: out those three. Days it really was LIKE i never 267 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 3: been so broke down and so dejected and so defeated 268 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 3: in my. Life i'll just say, that like just being 269 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 3: in that just having people constantly yell and badger you 270 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 3: and tell you and talk to you like you the, 271 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 3: lowest thirtiest thing in the world and accused you of 272 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 3: doing something like so. Horrific you, know it just shoters. 273 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 3: You it broke. ME i was a nineteen year old. 274 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 3: KID i never went through nothing like that. BEFORE i 275 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 3: was just you, KNOW i was. SCARED i was. DEFEATED 276 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 3: i was. HURT i didn't know and, like, man you 277 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 3: just don't know what to do in that. Situation you 278 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 3: a kid in. There, man the stuff that those grown 279 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 3: men subject kids, too like in, That like you know 280 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 3: What i'm. 281 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: Saying one of the detectors on this case Was James, 282 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 2: sanchez and since all this, happened he got promoted to 283 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 2: commander despite having at least ninety formal complaints and miscind. 284 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 2: Them so, yeah this is this character right, here he's 285 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 2: the one actually Interrogating. 286 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 3: Eric, yeah Mister. Sanchez LIKE i called him out his, 287 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 3: NAME i cursed at. Him he said something to. ME 288 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 3: i cursed at, him like, GAME i ask a nice 289 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 3: one on the, face, yeah just the. Face yeah, yeah. 290 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 2: Let you know it means. 291 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 3: Business, yeah, yeah he got his point. Across, YEAH i 292 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 3: ain't say that no. 293 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 2: More after its, interrogation he waited for his trial behind 294 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 2: bars and cook kinde of jail for two years. 295 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 3: Being stuck in that. Place it's one of the most, dreadful, 296 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 3: crepit dilapidated places that you could ever Throw so many 297 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 3: people in is, rats, roaches, knives, violence, gangs if you name, 298 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 3: it you get tyrannical police officers or corrections officers that 299 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 3: would just do what like it was. ROUGH i seen 300 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 3: people be stabbed if you name, it choke. STRANGLED i 301 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 3: seen all kinds of things like happened to people. THERE 302 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 3: i seen one guy like set on. Fire like it's 303 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 3: some of the things that you wake up to when 304 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 3: you have nowhere to. Go no whether, run you just, 305 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:16,959 Speaker 3: stuck you just. 306 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: There so by the time you get the, trial it's 307 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 2: almost like it's almost like a. Relief what is the states, 308 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 2: like what's their case in? Chief what do they? 309 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 3: Present, well we started trial about two years, later and 310 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 3: the state's whole case in chief was the identifications Of 311 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 3: miss McDowell And Miss. Reese and that was the only 312 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 3: Thing i'll never forget. It miss French On rees testified 313 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 3: to seeing the offender's face for probably four to five. 314 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 3: Seconds miss McDowell testified to seeing it only for like 315 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 3: two or. 316 00:17:55,840 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 2: Three before, Trial errigan's mother put together list potential alibi 317 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 2: witnesses that could confirm he was at The fourth Of 318 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 2: july barbecue and not down At Fat albert's restaurant where 319 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 2: the crime was. 320 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 3: Committed my mom made the calls to two people that 321 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 3: day to ultimately come to my trial and testify and 322 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 3: my defense with those two alibi. Witnesses two of the 323 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 3: people from twenty or Forty, yeah that he hadn't even 324 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 3: spoken to until my trial attorney hadn't even spoken to until. 325 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 3: That more thing that they showed. 326 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: Up you're waiting for, Trial just for the, record you're 327 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 2: waiting for trial two years and he hasn't even spoke 328 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 2: to two, witnesses but a few hours before. 329 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 3: Trial, yeah according to, them that is the first time 330 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 3: they ever met or spoke with. Him was like and 331 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 3: it wasn't even hours he spoke to, them like probably 332 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 3: for a short period prior to them getting UNDERSTAND i 333 00:18:55,680 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 3: kind of felt, like, okay not really, Okay BUT i 334 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:02,919 Speaker 3: KNOW i got an. ALABIM i KNOW i got a 335 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 3: bunch of people that know WHERE i would you, KNOW 336 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 3: i just know that there's a, mistake that this would 337 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 3: be straightened. 338 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 2: Out but the, lawyer he he doesn't really follow. 339 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,199 Speaker 3: Up he, didn't the police didn't follow, up the lawyer 340 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 3: didn't follow. Up at that, POINT i was a. LAYMAN 341 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 3: i knew nothing about the law going. IN i. Didn't 342 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 3: it's like you're really learning as you go, along and 343 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 3: the sad part is you're learning with your. Life. 344 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 2: Yeah no room for, Error, yeah. 345 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 3: No room for er. 346 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 2: Room before his, Trial rick's attorney convinced him to take 347 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: a bench. Trial in a jury, trial you pick your twelve. Jurors, 348 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: however in a bench, trial the judge is the sole trial. 349 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 2: Fact he's the one who hears the evidence and determines 350 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 2: guilt or. Innocence so you're putting all your eggs in one. 351 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 3: Basket he said that in my, situation it was better to. 352 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 3: Go and he definitely convinced. Me he gave me a 353 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 3: lot of different reasons and AND i really didn't want to, 354 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 3: Go LIKE i really didn't want. It but like you a, 355 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 3: kid it's your first time going through, this who would 356 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 3: you listen to other than the person that's supposed to 357 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 3: defend you your. 358 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 2: Attorney an attorney and his client are in a fiduciary. 359 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 2: Relationship he's supposed to look out for your best. Interests 360 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:24,399 Speaker 2: he's supposed to defend you. Zealously in, retrospect as a 361 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 2: jail house, LAWYER i could tell you taking a bench 362 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 2: trial is a terrible. Idea it closes out a bunch 363 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 2: of chances for your appeal to be heard because a 364 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 2: lot of the issues actually become non issues because the 365 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 2: judge is presumed to know the. Law But, eric he 366 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 2: didn't know this at the. 367 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 3: Time he was just a. 368 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 2: Kid On september twenty, seventh the judge Found Eric blackman 369 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 2: guilty of murder and was sentenced to sixty years in. 370 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 3: Prison i'll never forget my mom was in that courtroom 371 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 3: and like just the shriek that she let out was 372 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 3: like Some i'll never forget because we KNOW i hadn't done. 373 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 3: It everybody knew, it, everybody the whole, neighborhood, everybody the, 374 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 3: police they even knew even when they were seeing it 375 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,120 Speaker 3: in that, room they knew THAT i hadn't done. It 376 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,880 Speaker 3: they knew. It but they told, me you gonna say 377 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 3: as to, Jail you're gonna go through all of, this 378 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 3: and those things played through my. Mind what was gonna 379 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 3: happen WHEN i got to the, penitentiary my, kids my. 380 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 3: Family hearing that Guilty verdy was like hand one of the, 381 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 3: worst if not the worst there of my life. Ever 382 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 3: just KNOWING i didn't do, it it was hard to 383 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 3: sleep at. NIGHT i. COULDN'T i COULDN'T i couldn't, REST 384 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 3: i couldn't, SLEEP i couldn't. EAT i thought about killing 385 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 3: myself so many, times even tried. 386 00:21:55,480 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 2: Once by the TIME i Met, eric he's working hard 387 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 2: to save his own. LIFE i met him in a 388 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: law library and he was deep deep in the, books 389 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 2: trying to learn everything he could to get himself out of. 390 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 2: THERE i think you were the one that told, me 391 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 2: BECAUSE i used to tell everybody pro say gets no 392 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 2: play like that's like one of my, things like you represent, 393 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 2: yourself forget about? It, Right SO i think you were 394 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 2: the first one told me uh uh. RIGHT i was, like, 395 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 2: man what you mean IF i ain't got a, lorder 396 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 2: YOU i ain't getting out of. Jail so you file 397 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 2: stuff yourself and actually got some type of, rhythm, RIGHT 398 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 2: i mean not at first, obviously. 399 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 3: Right so, yeah we went through the process AND i 400 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 3: went through the direct appeal process the posting process that was. 401 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 3: Denied both of those were. 402 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 2: Denied the next step For eric was still pill to 403 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 2: the federal courts with the rid of habeas, corpus a 404 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 2: petition that claims you've been in prison on violation of 405 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: your constitutional. Rights it's your first and last federal. 406 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 3: Pill the only time that the federal courts will ever 407 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 3: look at a conviction or overturn the conviction is if 408 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 3: the state courts did not convict you correctly according to federal, 409 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 3: law THE us constitutional. Law so basically you have to 410 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 3: find not only that they were, wrong but they have 411 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 3: to be more than. Wrong they have to be so 412 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 3: egregious as to where LIKE i, mean it's a high 413 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 3: bar to. Pass you have. 414 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 2: To ask the district, judge the guy who smashes you 415 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 2: in the. Head give me a letter that you did 416 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:55,159 Speaker 2: me wrong SO i can take it to your. 417 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 3: Boss, yeah so you asked him to reconsider his. Decision 418 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 3: if he, doesn't then and you have to find what 419 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 3: they call a certificate of ap pillability to. Him and 420 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 3: that's where you have to get him or her to 421 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 3: say where they were, wrong which they very very rarely 422 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 3: do we get to the point whether the certificate of 423 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 3: appillability Is granny AND i get these great attorneys And 424 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 3: retail And DAVID. P. CROME i appreciate them so much 425 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,320 Speaker 3: because after WHAT i had been through with the first, 426 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 3: ATTORNEY i gave him. Hell and it wasn't, intentionally it 427 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 3: was just because Trust, yeah that was my, life that 428 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 3: had been my baby for so. LONG i finally had got, 429 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 3: some you, know AND i just couldn't give it, up 430 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 3: you know What i'm. Saying so you go through it and, like, 431 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 3: man they were the best attorneys THAT i ever could 432 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 3: have asked. For those people understood and they loved. Me 433 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 3: like even WHEN i was an, ass WHEN i was, 434 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 3: WRONG i had badgered them about what they were going to. 435 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 3: Argue what you're gonna, say you know What i'm saying like, this. 436 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 2: No just That i'd like to be told how to 437 00:24:58,640 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 2: do their. 438 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 3: Job hey, LOOK i mean, HEY i was the only 439 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 3: person that was going to go back and do that 440 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 3: time at the end of the. Day so to jail 441 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 3: say hey we get to go. Back we are. Elated 442 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 3: but another problem presents. ITSELF i had been in jail 443 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 3: at that point so. Long money is, depleted don't have 444 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 3: many people around to. Help you have a new, Trial 445 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,239 Speaker 3: you have a new. Case what you're going to? Do 446 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 3: how do you perceied going? Forward and mister kron he was, like, 447 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 3: hey we got a few. Options and one of those 448 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 3: options was we could see if the c W, s 449 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,680 Speaker 3: the CENTERM waw For, convictions will be willing to take your. 450 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 3: CASE i told, him, yeah you could do whatever you. 451 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 3: Want BUT i asked them about and they said, NO. 452 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 2: I had good luck with. 453 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 3: That. Yeah so you, know we come we have this 454 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 3: attorney meeting AND i see these the new. Faces i'd 455 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,880 Speaker 3: never seen this one, little, small wildly looked woman like 456 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 3: she barely stood over the table like and she was, like, 457 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 3: Hey i'm Caring. Daniels and she was, like, yeah so 458 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 3: we are going to be here and taking your case 459 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 3: And we're looking forward to working with. You and the 460 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 3: first THING i said was when she got, finished was, Like, 461 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 3: hey but y'all told me no. Before why you tell 462 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,239 Speaker 3: me no? Before and LIKE i was just sitting there 463 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 3: intently waiting on the, answer and she didn't say. Anything 464 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 3: she just gave me that mother look and looked at 465 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 3: the paper and she liid it to. Me AND i 466 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 3: signed that paper and that was one of the best 467 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 3: things That i've ever done for my. 468 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: Life and that lawyer Was Karen daniel makes she rest in. 469 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 2: Peace she was a renowned wrawful convictions attorney who at 470 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 2: the time was a co director of The center For Wrangful. 471 00:26:55,720 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 2: Convictions she and the students she supervised one more than 472 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 2: twenty exoneration cases during her. Career she was a great, 473 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 2: woman a real hero who helped me out WHEN i 474 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,719 Speaker 2: was lost in the airport coming From georgia and she 475 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 2: really didn't even know. Me she died in a tragic 476 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 2: hit and running car crash in twenty, twenty a lass 477 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 2: that's felt deeply across the innocence movement. 478 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 3: Community she liked my second. MOTHER i often tell people 479 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 3: like that she the one who gave me my second 480 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 3: birth who gave me my second. Life so to, me, like, 481 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 3: yeah she was like my mother and she just did so, 482 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 3: much like in a way for this. Community if she 483 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 3: didn't work your, case it didn't get you an. Attorney 484 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:44,959 Speaker 3: she made some precedent that you ultimately ended up, using 485 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 3: and everybody benefited from. 486 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 2: Her arrogan's new team of lawyers brought us case to 487 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 2: THE Us Seventh Circuit court Of. Appeals Judge Ronald guzman 488 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 2: Granted eric's petition for rid of habeas corpus and was 489 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 2: let out prison on bond penning of. Retrial actually the 490 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 2: same DAY i got, OUT i. 491 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 3: Was living life very barely because you always had the you, 492 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 3: know imposition that maybe you may go. Back you know 493 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 3: What i'm. Saying you knew what it was. Like you, 494 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,879 Speaker 3: know it was always hanging. There it's like walking around 495 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 3: with that black cloud or that am build over your, 496 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 3: head just waiting for it to, drop and you didn't 497 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:27,199 Speaker 3: know what it would. Be you. KNOW i know THAT 498 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:29,360 Speaker 3: i hadn't done, anything BUT i KNEW i hadn't done, 499 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 3: anything you, know the first. Time AND i believe it's 500 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:37,119 Speaker 3: the fall case that says even an innocent man still 501 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 3: faces a fifty to fifty chance if he goes to. 502 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 3: Trial SO i knew what my chances. WERE i didn't 503 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 3: want to go back to, jail BUT i knew WHAT 504 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 3: i had to. Do like we still had that hurd 505 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:52,680 Speaker 3: her to get. ACROSS i was scared as. HELL i 506 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 3: wanted to prolonget as long AS i, could but then 507 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,480 Speaker 3: that really wasn't a viable. Thought SO i told my 508 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 3: attorneys to let's do man. Trial it was six months 509 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 3: AFTER i got, out and we demand the, trial and, 510 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 3: uh when it came, time they decided not to. Proceed 511 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 3: they dropped the. 512 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 2: Charges then comes to, Celebration, nah. 513 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 3: Not, really because it was anti. Climactic you think it's 514 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 3: gonna be overw then you, think, like, hey life is. 515 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 3: Great you know a lot of us think that that 516 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 3: would be the end of the, movie Right, Na but 517 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 3: it's just the. Beginning BECAUSE i heard that thing for 518 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 3: like more than half of my. LIFE i didn't really 519 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 3: know like how to live without. It like it was 520 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 3: a different. 521 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 2: Era we come home to a different. Area it's a different. 522 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 3: World yeah it really. Is but then you you, know 523 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 3: you really just like wake up and you don't have 524 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 3: to worry about, That you don't have to go through. It. 525 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 3: Anymore but it's LIKE i don't, KNOW i don't even 526 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 3: remember the point to WHERE i didn't have to go through. 527 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 3: It so. 528 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 2: It's like it becomes our, life, right and it becomes 529 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 2: almost like which we're defined, by like you were actually 530 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 2: become a success story just like you start WORKING. Cwc, 531 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 2: right what is? That like where's the sweet part like 532 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 2: in your? Work and you know WHAT i, Mean. 533 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 3: LIKE i tell people like, THIS i guess the great 534 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 3: sweet spot is that you still get a chance to 535 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 3: work on trying to ultimately correct the system or not 536 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 3: allow whatever happened to me to happen to the next. 537 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 3: Person you, know that's the part that gets up and 538 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 3: keep me, driving you, know keeps me. Going at the same, 539 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 3: time it's like going back to visit your tournament to 540 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 3: over and over and over, again because every time you 541 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 3: pick up a, case it takes you right back to 542 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 3: that spot for. You every TIME i go to the, 543 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 3: court you, know And i'm, Good i'm, great rap, Everything 544 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 3: but sometimes that same fear creeps back is that first 545 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 3: day WHEN i was standing in there AND. 546 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 2: I know it's it's all, consuming it's all. Consuming, Yeah 547 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 2: SO i mean our day THAT i don't have A stateville. 548 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 2: Reference there's not a single day THAT i am not back. 549 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 2: There WHAT i want to ask, you, though is what 550 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 2: would you invite the, audience how can they help, you 551 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 2: or something that's near and dear to your heart? Right 552 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 2: what is your call to? 553 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 3: ACTION i guess my personal call to action is to keep, 554 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 3: fighting is to keep on trying to do things to 555 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 3: make our justice system. BETTER i know people might say 556 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,600 Speaker 3: that we have like a great justice, system BUT i tell, 557 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:51,640 Speaker 3: people much like Doctor king once said that an injustice 558 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 3: anywhere is a threat to justice. Everywhere so if one 559 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 3: person is in jail, wrongfully or if one person is over, 560 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 3: sentenced then it runs the chance of it happening to 561 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 3: two and three and four and five and so more 562 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 3: to where it'll become the. Norm AND i look at 563 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 3: so many people that are sentenced, today AND i see 564 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 3: a lot of people over. Sentenced we're punitively punishing people, 565 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 3: consistently like and WHAT i mean by that, Is, yeah 566 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 3: people make, mistakes people commit, crimes but do we take their? 567 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 3: Lives like for every. Infraction we have more people slated 568 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 3: to die in prison now than at any point in time. 569 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 3: Before so WHEN i say to, people, yeah you could, 570 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 3: say somebody committed a crime more or WHATEVER i say to. 571 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 3: You so what do we do do we take the 572 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 3: life from and to the people that say, Yeah i'll just, say, 573 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:49,960 Speaker 3: hey what about that red stop sign that you? Read 574 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 3: what about that red light you? Read that's not what 575 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 3: penalty should you? Get you. KNOW i work with a 576 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 3: lot of different Org so the first thing IS i 577 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 3: work for The MacArthur Justice, center which is a civil 578 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 3: entity that sues for people like us and other people 579 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 3: who you, know face any civil rights. Violation we do 580 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 3: things like voters, rights prisoner, rights solitary wrongful, convictions wrongful, 581 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 3: death police, shootings and those type of. Things so these 582 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 3: are the things THAT i feel are really near and 583 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 3: dear to me being a chance to write the. SYSTEM 584 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 3: i also work for The Chicago Torture Justice, center which 585 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 3: works on basically trying to make sure that all of The, 586 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:37,640 Speaker 3: birds The John, birds torture, victims you, know get justice 587 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 3: in their. Cases AND i sit on the board for that. 588 00:33:40,600 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 3: END i also sit on the board for another or 589 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:47,600 Speaker 3: called The Justice Renewal, initiative where we try to give 590 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 3: jobs to youth that are you, know disadvantaged and targeted 591 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 3: or you, know return to, citizens and we try best 592 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 3: to work with youth on that front to ultimately help. 593 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 2: Them, yeah so they don't talk what we went. Through, yeah, 594 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: yeah exactly. Important so we'll have those links to those 595 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 2: organizations in the. Bile hopefully everyone will check them. Out 596 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,440 Speaker 2: you get to find a word disclosing. ARGUMENTS i, really, 597 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 2: really really truly want to thank you for let me 598 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 2: tell your. STORY i really commend you your survive. 599 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,120 Speaker 3: THANKS i Guess i'll take this time to just thank 600 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:28,880 Speaker 3: the people that helped me to get to this, point 601 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 3: help me get, freedom help me be sitting here with you. 602 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:34,839 Speaker 3: ALL i don't think THAT i get a chance to say, that, 603 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 3: well thank you and just tell those people how much they, 604 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 3: meant how much every little thing that they ever did help. 605 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 3: ME i thank all of those, people And i'd just 606 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,399 Speaker 3: like to say thank, you thank, you thank, you thank, 607 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 3: you thank. YOU i don't THINK i can say it. 608 00:34:53,840 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 2: Enough thank you for listening To Wrongful. CONVICTION i like 609 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,760 Speaker 2: to thank our executive Producers Jason flem And Kevin. Wadis 610 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,319 Speaker 2: The senior producer for this episode Is Jackie, polly and 611 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 2: our producers Are Lyla, Robinson Conner, hall And Jeff. Cliveborne 612 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 2: our editor Is Roxander gwedy and special thanks To Jillian 613 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 2: forstad for help on this. Episode the music in this 614 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 2: production is by three TIME oscar nominated Composer Jay. Ralph 615 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 2: be sure to follow us On instagram At Wrongful, conviction 616 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 2: On facebook At Wrongful conviction, podcast and On twitter at 617 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 2: Wrong conviction as well As lava For. Good on all three. 618 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 2: Platforms you can also follow me On facebook And instagram 619 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:46,840 Speaker 2: at Free Patrick pursley at Imkit culture two and online 620 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 2: at imkidculture dot. Org Wrongful conviction is a production Of 621 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 2: lava For Good podcasts and association With Signal Company Number. 622 00:35:56,200 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 1: One tune in next week for the third and final 623 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,720 Speaker 1: episode Of Wrongful, conviction Where Patrick persley plays the host 624 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:13,320 Speaker 1: And patrick this time is going to Interview Jarvis ballard 625 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 1: about their tragic shared. Experience, now both of them are 626 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,960 Speaker 1: innocent men who spent decades behind, bars and in this 627 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: intimate and highly emotional, episode they're going to talk about 628 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:26,920 Speaker 1: the lies that Landed jarvis in prison and the patterns 629 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: of misconduct at play in so many wrongful conviction, cases 630 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaker 1: just like. Theirs, Now patrick Met jarvis the same TIME i, 631 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:38,240 Speaker 1: did which is that this Year's Innocence network conference In, Phoenix. 632 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 1: Arizona both of us were immediately taken by this larger 633 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,360 Speaker 1: than life. Character this guy just got out of prison 634 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: after two decades and he's there representing himself in such 635 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:55,360 Speaker 1: a powerful. Way so these guys bonded. Immediately it was 636 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: an honor for me to be able to facilitate their 637 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:02,319 Speaker 1: connection and to Have patrick on the mic in my 638 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:06,200 Speaker 1: chair Interviewing. Jarvis it just means the world to, me 639 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 1: so tune in listen Next monday in The Wrongful conviction 640 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 1: podcast feed