1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: In May of nineteen seventy seven, fourteen year old white 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: twin sisters Karen and Sharon Sanders allegedly went to help 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: their eighteen year old cousin, Keith Laboard, clean his house 4 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: in a Voles Parish, Louisiana. Years later, Keith Laboard admitted 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: to carrying on a sexual relationship with Karen Sanders, but 6 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: back in May of seventy seven, when asked about a 7 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: scratch on his neck, Keith began to spin a narrative 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: supported by the twin girls, that led in a well 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: tread direction. According to Keith and the twins, they picked 10 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: up a hitchhiking black man who allegedly pulled a gun 11 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: and forced Keith and Karen into the trunk before raping Sharon, 12 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 1: followed by Karen. Conflicting accounts and descriptions, as well as 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: a rape kit that confirmed that Sharon was still a virgin, 14 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: didn't stop the accusation of an alleged black assailant. While 15 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: police officer Robert Laboord was out searching for a potential 16 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: culprit on the morning of May twenty third, nineteen seventy seven, 17 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: his partner Floyd Juno spot at Vincent Simmons, whom he 18 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: knew from previous petty crimes. Despite not matching what we're 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: already conflicting descriptions of this imaginary black man, they arrested 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: Vincent for the alleged rapes. Both girls and Keith picked 21 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 1: out the only handcuffed black man in the lineup, and 22 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: when Vincent refused to confess, Officer Robert Leboard shot him 23 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: in the chest. Miraculously, Vincent survived, but only to have 24 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: all evidence, all of it exculpatory withheld from him at trial, 25 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: condemning him to serve one hundred years in Angola Prison. 26 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: Vincent's fight against a web of family connections, lies and 27 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: the worst in American racism continues to this very day. 28 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: This is wrongful conviction. Welcome back to wrongful conviction. I'm 29 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: Jason Flopp. Today's case is so troubled that I don't 30 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: know where to start. But I will tell you this 31 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: before we even get into it, and I introduce to 32 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: you the man himself, Vincent Simmons, who's still incarcerated in 33 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: the Angola Penitentiary for over forty four years now for 34 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: a crime he had nothing to do with. I will 35 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: tell you that this case has a toxic mixture of 36 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: small town racism, false accusations, a total lack of evidence, 37 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: a police officer who was closely related to what should 38 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: have been the obvious suspect, who actually shot mister Simmons 39 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: in the police station when he refused to confess in 40 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 1: the chest by the way, narrowly missing his heart and 41 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: killing him. Yes, you heard that correctly. And everybody involved 42 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: basically is white except for mister Simmons, who's black. And 43 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: now that's just the freaking beginning. So first of all, Vincent, 44 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: I'm so honored that you're here today to talk to us. 45 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: I'm so sorry that you are where you are, that 46 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: we're talking to you from prison, and I'm hoping that 47 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: soon we'll be having a totally different conversation from the 48 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 1: free world. So welcome to wrongful conviction. 49 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 2: Thank you, I haven't me. 50 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: We're very happy to have you, and we apologize to 51 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: our audience in advance for the audio quality on Vincent's phone. 52 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: It sounds like he's calling us from a time capsule, 53 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 1: and in many ways he really is. And Gola Penitentiary 54 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: was built on a literal plantation, which couldn't put a 55 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: finer point on what this case is all about and 56 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: joining us today as a man who you may be 57 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: familiar with from our coverage of Nelson Cruz in Brooklyn 58 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: and Marcus Wiggins in Chicago. Now today he's fighting for 59 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: Vincent's case pro bono, flying back and forth from New 60 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: York to Louisiana. So justin bonas, thanks for coming back 61 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: to wrongful conviction not. 62 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 3: A problem, Jason. It's great to be on here again 63 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 3: as well. 64 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: So this insane saga goes all the way back to 65 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy seven. So Vincent, before this happened in your 66 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: life that turned upside down and inside out, what was 67 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: your life like before this insanity? 68 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I was born in a ball Paris, a place 69 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 4: called Mansillah Lewis Air. When I was living in Mansilla, 70 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 4: I had had some involvement with a ball parent sheriff department. 71 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 4: I was involved with competitive crime. I moved to Houston 72 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 4: and I got a job and I was learned to 73 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 4: test my father at had time, and I come back 74 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:40,679 Speaker 4: to Lewis the Air. I was back for about a month. 75 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 4: I was living with my sister or leave you and 76 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 4: I was on my way to work and I was 77 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 4: picked up a ball of Paris police, So. 78 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: You were a known entity to a Bowls Parish police 79 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: before heading to Houston for work and returning when your 80 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: father passed away, which made you available to be picked 81 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: up for what allegedly happened to these twin girls on 82 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: May nine, nineteen seventy seven. And the date, I mean, 83 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: we're not even sure of that, because the girls were 84 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: never really clear on a date and time. But the 85 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: narrative that comes out is a sadly familiar American tale, 86 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: a false accusation of a black man by an alleged 87 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: white victim or victims in this case, and the alleged 88 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: crime that took place. The narrative that set this horrible 89 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: in justice against Vincent in motion is this. On May ninth, 90 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy seven, twin sisters Sharon and Karen Sanders allegedly 91 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: went over to the house of their eighteen year old cousin, 92 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 1: Keith Leboard remember that last name, to help him clean, 93 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: and while driving the sisters home that night, the three 94 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: allegedly stopped for gas when Vincent Simmons allegedly approached and 95 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: asked the Board for a ride home, to which the 96 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: Board supposedly agreed and then the claim is that six 97 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: miles outside of Marksville, on a deserted stretch of Little 98 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: California Road, Vincent allegedly took out a gun, forced Keith 99 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: the Board and Karen into the trunk while he allegedly 100 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: raped Sharon, and then he allegedly put Sharon in the trunk, 101 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: drove on for a bit before retrieving Karen to do 102 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: the same to her. Now, afterwards, Vincent allegedly threatened them 103 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: all before dropping himself off to catch a bus. So 104 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: about two weeks after this alleged incident, May twenty second 105 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: is when this narrative is first reported to the Sheriff's 106 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: office and the investigation, if you can even call it, 107 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: that begins justin take us through this nightmare. 108 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 3: So there was Karen Sanders, Sharon Sanders, and then Keith 109 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 3: the Board that were allegedly basically kidnapped, thrown in a trunk. 110 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 3: The two sisters were raped. That's their story. So on 111 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 3: May twenty second, John le Board, Keith's father, calls the 112 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 3: sheriff because Keith's father is the parish assessor. What you 113 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 3: have to understand about the boards is there's like ten 114 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 3: thousand of them in a voles Paris. This is a 115 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 3: very strong family. He calls the chief of police and 116 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 3: he says that my twin nieces have been raped by 117 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 3: a black man. That's how this begins. And then the 118 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 3: girls are brought in. The girls don't know what date 119 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 3: it happens. The police give them a date, okay. The 120 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 3: girls provide their initial statements, which weren't turned over a trial. 121 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 3: They weren't turned over till nineteen ninety three. They give 122 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 3: completely inconsistent statements. Sharon Sanders actually calls the suspect the 123 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 3: N word over and over again, says all blacks look alike, okay, 124 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 3: and that's why she wouldn't be able to identify him. 125 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 3: They don't talk to the boy, Keith Leboard, until after 126 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 3: Vincent is already arrested. Neither of these girls give a 127 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 3: description that matches Vincent. They say short and fat, well, 128 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 3: Vincent is five to nine fifty. Again, their descriptions conflict. 129 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 3: You know, it's just one thing after another, and specifically 130 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 3: with regard to Karen Sanders, she talks about being raped 131 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 3: anally orally vaginally. When the doctor looks at her after 132 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 3: she talks to police, there is no injuries. Sharon talks 133 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 3: about a thirty minute rape vaginally to the point where 134 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 3: she bled. She said that she gave her panties to 135 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 3: her grandmother and they were washed, of course. And what's 136 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 3: interesting about Sharon is that her hymen was intact when 137 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,959 Speaker 3: she was examined by the doctor in this case. 138 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: So okay, inconsistent statements, conflicting descriptions, and outright lies unsupported 139 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: by physical reality. And the next day, at nine to 140 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: twenty am on May twenty third, Vincent was just walking 141 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: to work when he was picked up off the street, 142 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: arrested and brought to the station. 143 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 3: He was arrested on May twenty third of nineteen seventy 144 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 3: seven on view for this crime. And what on view 145 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 3: means is they didn't have a name Vincent Simmons, They 146 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 3: had no probable cause to arrest him. They saw him 147 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 3: on the side of the street. When I say they, 148 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 3: you had mentioned a family member of one of the 149 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 3: alleged victims, and that was Robert Leboard. And I don't 150 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 3: know his direct relation to Keith Leboard, but I believe 151 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 3: it could be a cousin. So really, what you have 152 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 3: to understand with Vincent is he had a history with 153 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 3: the Marksville police Department and the Vols Parish Sheriff's office, 154 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 3: and Floyd Juno was driving with Robert Leboard on the 155 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 3: Dave Vincent got arrested on May twenty second. And he 156 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: knew Vincent, he knew who he was before, and he 157 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 3: knew he was a troublemaker. And he's the glue to this. 158 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 3: He's the person that basically points the finger at Vincent first. 159 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: Right, right, right, And if you have the chance to 160 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: watch one of the documentaries about vincent story, there's the 161 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: farm and Shadows of a Doubt, we'll have them LinkedIn 162 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: the by of course. But in Shadows of a Doubt, 163 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: Floyd Juno described this arrest in much the same way 164 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: that Justin has. So that same morning, the sheriff sent 165 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: deputies for the twins who were picked up from school 166 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: and brought to the station along with Keith Leboord, who 167 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: was brought from work, and told them that they were 168 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: going to view a lineup with the perpetrator in it. 169 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: So officers picked out seven guys for the lineup, one 170 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: of whom was white. Okay, a few others were well 171 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: over six feet tall. But remember the description was of 172 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: this imaginary perpetrator was black, short, and bat right, and 173 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 1: they placed Vincent in the center. And get this, Vincent 174 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: is the only one who was handcuffed out of all 175 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: of them. I mean, it wasn't like they were trying 176 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: to be subtle here right as to who they wanted 177 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: them to identify. So the twins and Keith lo and 178 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 1: Behold all select Vincent as the perpetrator. 179 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 4: They claimed that I was identified, and from that point 180 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:00,079 Speaker 4: they took me into another room and that's when he 181 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 4: told me that I had to give him a confession, 182 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 4: and I refused to give a confession. I told him 183 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 4: that before I confessed to a crime that I didn't do, 184 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 4: I'll die first. And that's when they hit me. And 185 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 4: they knocked into the clothes and started kicking me. And 186 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 4: then when I tried to get up, he kicked me again. 187 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 4: And then when I did you to chat, I was 188 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 4: sitting in to get up Robert Loboid, he raised up 189 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 4: from his seat where he was writing a confession and 190 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 4: pulled his weapon and shot me. 191 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 2: He shot me in the check. 192 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:58,679 Speaker 3: I think something that I really want to bring to 193 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 3: your attention to her, Jason, is is that technically Vincent 194 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 3: really should have been charged with kidnapping Keith Laboord. They 195 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 3: didn't charge him with that. Why, well, you know, I 196 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 3: think we know why. The other thing is the police 197 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 3: all said that Vincent attempted to grab the gun of 198 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 3: one of the officers and the safety was on or 199 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 3: something like that, ridiculous story. They don't ever charge Vincent 200 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 3: with attempted murder of a police officer either. 201 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: And this is weird, right, because it's not like the 202 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: state typically has any issue at all with piling on charges, right, 203 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: But there were no gun charges here either, as that 204 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: was part of the alleged kidnapping in this case as well. 205 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: So at the preliminary hearing on July seventh, both twins testified, 206 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: but neither the alleged kidnapping victim Keith la Boord, nor 207 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: the alleged attempted murder victims the police officers participated. Yeah 208 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: that's yeah, sure, okay. So during her testimony, Sharon is 209 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: asked three consecutive times to identify the man from the crime, 210 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 1: and this is the twin who states that all black 211 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: people look alike. She doesn't respond until the court steps in, 212 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: and this was when, for the very first time ever, 213 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 1: she says that the man said his name was Simmons. Now, 214 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: Karen also parroted this statement that the Culport told Keith 215 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: his name was Simmons. But then, in the same preliminary hearing, 216 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,439 Speaker 1: when asked why it took two weeks to come forward 217 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: with this story, Karen testified that, quote, we couldn't go 218 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: to the cops because we didn't know his name, unquote, 219 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: So which one is it? Karen right, which is it? 220 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: Because both of those things can't be true. 221 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 3: Everyone overlooked that that means that their testimony in the 222 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 3: preliminary hearing that they knew the man's name, and their 223 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 3: testimony a trial that they knew the man's name is false. 224 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 3: That kind of just got glossed over. 225 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: So let's get to the trial, and I'm gonna put 226 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: trial in quotes here. So there's no physical evidence that 227 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: these rapes ever actually happen. Start with that no forensic 228 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: tests were done on the twins' clothing or the car 229 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: in which the alleged rapes occurred, and police reports did 230 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: not include a single lead appointed to Vincent. Doctors didn't 231 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: find any signs of injury on either of the alleged victims, 232 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: including Sharon's intact hymen. She was a virgin who was, 233 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: according to her statement, the victim of a bloody rape, 234 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: which of course is physically impossible. So if you're listening 235 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: to this now and going, well, then there's all this evidence, right, 236 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: How the hell could anyone, even a black man in 237 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: the Deep South in the seventies, how could anyone get 238 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: convicted on the basis of this. Well, it later comes 239 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 1: out to Vincent and his attorney received exactly none of this. 240 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: They received no discovery in this case. By none, I 241 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: mean zero. What I'm saying is all of that critical 242 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: exculpatory evidence that you just heard wasn't revealed to him 243 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 1: for another sixteen years. His lawyers never even knew about 244 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: the shady lineup with the handcuffs, you know, which was 245 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: obviously done for one reason, so that these alleged victims 246 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: would know who to pick in this imaginary crime. There 247 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: were pictures of that, the inconsistencies and conflicts in the 248 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: initial accounts and assailing descriptions and initial statements. They said 249 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: they didn't know his name, but later testified that he 250 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: had told Keith his name was Simmons. How Karen gave 251 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: a clue to that discrepancy in her preliminary hearing, testimony, 252 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: all of it. So the fix was in, So justin, 253 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: can you take us through what happened at this sham trial? 254 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 3: So they take him the trial and the girls get 255 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 3: on the witness stand and they say they know his name, 256 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 3: they say a rape happened, and the defense attorneys don't 257 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 3: do a great job of poking holes in there because 258 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 3: they don't have anything to poke holes in. They don't 259 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 3: have any cross examination material. Okay, they have three witnesses 260 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 3: that were allegedly with this man for three hours. That's 261 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 3: a long time to be with somebody. Mistaken identification is 262 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 3: not really something you can argue when you're around somebody 263 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 3: for three hours unless you saw the initial statements, right, 264 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 3: can't really do it. I mean the trials a joke. 265 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 3: Eddie Knowle, who was the prosecutor, and the district attorney 266 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 3: and his wife are the ones that tried the case, 267 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 3: and this was a flim flam show. They actually, on 268 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 3: occasion during direct examination they would interchange when they thought 269 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 3: the other one didn't ask enough questions or on cross examine. 270 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 3: I've never seen that. 271 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: And they probably could have done anything they wanted because 272 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: without discovery, they had nothing with which to hold the 273 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: prosecution or any of the witnesses accountable. Then you have 274 00:16:55,480 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: these racially charged elements, two white twin sisters under age, 275 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: by the way, fourteen years old, a black guy in 276 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 1: Louisiana in nineteen seventy seven. So they could have said 277 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: that he took them in a spaceship, hit them on 278 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: the head with a toaster oven, and then they went 279 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: and visited, you know, talking penguins on Mars. I mean, 280 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: they could have said anything, And I could actually picture 281 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: in my mind the jury just sort of sitting there, 282 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: you know, harfyed, with their mouths open, hearing about how 283 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: these two young girls were brutalizeding you know, these these 284 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: poor little girls. It's hard to turn away from that 285 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: kind of testimony. But there were some very significant things 286 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: that still should have sowed serious doubts in the minds 287 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,120 Speaker 1: of these jurors. 288 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 3: Now, I think the biggest thing here that we started 289 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 3: to uncover as we investigated is that the area that 290 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 3: Vincent allegedly sees these three at a gas station in 291 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 3: the middle of Marksville, but then he takes them allegedly 292 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 3: or tells them to go to a part of a 293 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 3: Voles parish that's like clan country. So where these alleged 294 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 3: rapes happen is in the middle of clan country. It's 295 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 3: not where the black community is. That's what to me 296 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 3: should have raised alarm bells for everybody, including the white jury. 297 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:27,919 Speaker 3: This is not believable. 298 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 1: What was alleged to be a three hour long encounter 299 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: with two twin underage white girls being raped by a 300 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: black man in the middle of clan country. I would 301 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,479 Speaker 1: have sooner bought into the story about Mars and Vincent 302 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: was able to present something in his defense right. His 303 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: attorney called him to the stand where he said that 304 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: he was at a bar on May ninth, and presented 305 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 1: three alibi witnesses who all dated that he was at 306 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: the bar with them. 307 00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:00,359 Speaker 3: His alibi witnesses, they tried to discredit these people with 308 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 3: traffic tickets and like petty crimes because they wanted to 309 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 3: make the alibis look like they were not law abiding citizens, 310 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 3: even though they basically were. I mean, one of the 311 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 3: witnesses that testified for Vincent was a business owner, and 312 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,479 Speaker 3: they attacked them using like speeding tickets and parking tickets 313 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 3: that he received. It was a joke. The trial was 314 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 3: a joke. 315 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a joke, but not a funny one though, 316 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 1: because eleven white people and one black woman on the jury. 317 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: I remember at that time in Louisiana and all the 318 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: way up till twenty eighteen, they didn't need a unanimous 319 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 1: verdict to convict. It was one of the ways that 320 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: they disenfranchised black folks. You only needed ten of the 321 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: twelve members on the jury to vote guilty. So black 322 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:43,199 Speaker 1: woman or not, let's just call it like it is. 323 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: There was no hope in hell for Vincent. And so 324 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: there you are, still trying to heal from a gunshot 325 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: wound to the chest at close range and watching this 326 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,639 Speaker 1: ridiculous trial. Did you still have any hope that they 327 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,199 Speaker 1: would see the discrepancies in this crazy narrative and that 328 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 1: you were innocent? 329 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, there was no hope because the way the 330 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 2: juror was focused, oh what the victims were saying, There 331 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 2: was no hope of receiving a fan crown. And even 332 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 2: though I was shot and they seed that I was shout, 333 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 2: there was no question answer what happened. 334 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: So, Vincent, that moment, a lot had happened to you already. 335 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: But I have to think this would be the worst 336 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: moment of anybody's life to be wrongfully convicted of a 337 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: crime they didn't commit. Do you remember that moment when 338 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: they declared you guilty and sentenced you to one hundred 339 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: years in prison? 340 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 2: Yes? I did. 341 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:50,679 Speaker 4: When I heard all those yes sold and the juror 342 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 4: come back and convicted me, even with my alibi with Kevin, 343 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 4: the juror still believe their lives, and it was amazing 344 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 4: for me to believe that those people would, yeah, that 345 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 4: kind of lie to the juror, and the juror believed them. 346 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 4: When I got dan Gola and they slammed the doors 347 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 4: behind me, it was like a shot for me. And 348 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 4: from that moment then I was experiencing nightmares at night. 349 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,719 Speaker 4: When I went to sleep, or tried to go to sleep, 350 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 4: I would have a nightmare of being shot and beaten 351 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 4: over and over again. When I got down. Even the 352 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 4: guys in the tail they already knew what my jarge 353 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 4: were and I went through mulate experiences. They so I'd 354 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 4: brought all you ship human weights. You know your torture. 355 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 4: I've been stalled several times, you know, all the skin 356 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 4: come off my padley, But I wouldn't report it because 357 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 4: they would call you a wreck here at several night 358 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 4: night falls. That was from of all pals, they would 359 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 4: make it possible for they didn't make the st a 360 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 4: home the guds He of all pals, they would intentually 361 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 4: like to report where I would be the sepetrator of 362 00:22:56,119 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 4: the night. So from one lock down to another, that's 363 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 4: what calls me to be locked down and solatarif confined 364 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 4: in all these years because I was being attacked and 365 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 4: being transfer it to another lockdown. I've said twenty some 366 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 4: years in solid confinits and I just got out in 367 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 4: two thousand nineteen, and that's when I got the call 368 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 4: from Justin say as you were going take my cakes. 369 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: Forty four years wrongfully convicted, and twenty seven of those 370 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: were in solitary confinement because of constant assaults from other 371 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: prisoners who also found ways to believe the childish, nonsensicalize 372 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: that these three backwards, redneck low lifes told to cover 373 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: up their dirty, disgusting little incest secret. And I don't 374 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: even know what to say except that I'm absolutely amazed 375 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: at your courage and your strength to persevere and just 376 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: even be here at all, after all you've gone through, Vincent, 377 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: you are a living miracle. So justin we know that 378 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: the post conviction litigation start almost immediately back in nineteen 379 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: seventy eight, and it went about as well as the 380 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: trial did. But Vincent finally got a break of sorts 381 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety three. Can you talk us through that. 382 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 3: Nineteen ninety three, Vincent files a man Damus and somebody 383 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 3: in the DA's office copies the whole file. That's how 384 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,680 Speaker 3: Vincent gets his file. That's when he first gets the discovery. 385 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 3: And then Vincent got a letter from his lawyer in 386 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 3: ninety eight saying that we've never seen these documents before. 387 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 3: You know, and by the way, that lawyer in ninety eight, 388 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:45,640 Speaker 3: I think he was a judge by that point, I mean, 389 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 3: these are credible people that came forward and said that 390 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 3: they had never seen these documents before. 391 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 1: Right, this is the discovery with the details that we 392 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier. That if Vincent's trial attorney would have had 393 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 1: this at the trial in nineteen seventy seven, and of 394 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:02,719 Speaker 1: course it was totally illegal for them not to share it, 395 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: but if they had had this discovery, it's very possible 396 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: that even that jury could have come to the right conclusion. 397 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:14,719 Speaker 1: So in addition to that, more exculpatory evidence has developed 398 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: over time. Meanwhile, Vincent has denied parole again and again 399 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: and again and again. The sisters showed up at the 400 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 1: parole hearings and said all sorts of awful racist things. 401 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: I remember seeing this on the video and hearing about 402 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 1: it on one occasion where one of the three members 403 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: of the pro board was a black gentleman, and one 404 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: of the sisters actually said in the parole hearing that 405 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: she wouldn't feel safe alone in the room with him. 406 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: And I'm talking about the guy who was on the 407 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: parole board, the black guy on the parle board. Am 408 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: I actually right about that? 409 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 3: You are? You cannot make this sub So. 410 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,359 Speaker 1: Now we're all the way at October twenty twenty and 411 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: justin you've now joined Vincent's team, and Vincent has applied 412 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: for post conviction based on several two process violations and 413 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: newly discovered evidence which shows that the alleged rape was 414 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,199 Speaker 1: a total fabrication, and that part of the new evidence 415 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:11,879 Speaker 1: that was presented is from a family member of the 416 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: alleged victims themselves. Right, So can you tell us about that? 417 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 3: Essentially, we have a family member of the the Boards 418 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 3: coming forward with a detailed statement about an admission that 419 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 3: Keith gave her. I think it was in twenty eleven, 420 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 3: twenty twelve, And actually what happened forty four years ago 421 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 3: was she was there when Keith came into her mother's 422 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 3: house and he had a scratch on his neck. And 423 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 3: it appears is that Keith is the first one that 424 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 3: drops the story that gets Vincent thrown in prison, which 425 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 3: is that you know, he gave a black man a 426 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 3: ride home with the girls and the black man scratched 427 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 3: his neck, throw him in the trunk, and rape the 428 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 3: two girls. See the problem with that, though, is if 429 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 3: you talk to this witness, she knows Keith Leboard. He's 430 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 3: a total psycho. Keith also, I believe I said twenty eleven, 431 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,640 Speaker 3: twenty twelve, he admits that there was no black man. 432 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 3: We actually have Facebook messages between Keith Leboard's first cousin 433 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 3: and Karen, where Karen admitted that Keith le Board raped her. 434 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 3: Now you have to understand this same cousin, Keith le 435 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 3: Board actually admitted that he had what he termed to 436 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 3: be consensual sex with Karen and threw Sharon in the trunk. 437 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 3: So that's why Sharon Hymen is attack as Keith threw 438 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 3: her in the trunk because she didn't want to have 439 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 3: sex with him. But he definitely had sex with Karen. Now, 440 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 3: Karen says that it was a rape. Keith says it 441 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 3: was consensual sex. But at the time of the alleged 442 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 3: sexual act, Keith was an adult, Karen was a minor. 443 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 3: You know. Then we have an investigative report from our 444 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 3: investigator who spoke to Karen, where Karen said she might 445 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 3: have made a mistake, that she doesn't want to testify 446 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:51,679 Speaker 3: again in this case. 447 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 1: This is even worse than I originally thought, which I 448 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: didn't think was possible. So where are we now? What 449 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 1: in the world is it going to take to bring 450 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: Vincent home? 451 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 3: Where are we right now? We filed the motion to 452 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 3: vacate the conviction, a post conviction relief motion in October 453 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 3: of twenty twenty. I mean, there's Affidavid's newly discovered evidence. 454 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:20,199 Speaker 3: There's scientific reports in here, identification experts, doctors, obviously the 455 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 3: previous discovery that wasn't turned over when the motion was 456 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 3: initially filed. Carrie Sprool was the judge that was overseeing 457 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:34,160 Speaker 3: the motion and Charles Riddle was the district attorney, and 458 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 3: essentially what happened is in March of twenty twenty one, 459 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 3: I got my hands on a document where Carrie Sprool 460 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 3: admitted that he represented Keith Leboard's daughter in a previous 461 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 3: I don't know if it was a custody case or 462 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,680 Speaker 3: a family court case. And so we had a hearing 463 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 3: to recuse Carrie Sprool, and in that hearing to recuse 464 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 3: Harry Sprool, Kerrie Sprool not only admitted that he had 465 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 3: represented Keith the Board's daughter, but also that he had 466 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 3: a close relationship with keithle Board since I guess almost childhood, 467 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 3: and actually hired Keith the Board to work on construction 468 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 3: projects in his house, so he had a long standing 469 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 3: relationship with Keith the Board and his family. And then 470 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 3: after that is when we had the motion to recuse 471 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 3: the District Attorney's office where we took testimony from Vincent's 472 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 3: trial attorney, Mike Kelly, where Mike Kelly testified at the 473 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 3: hearing that the defense received no discovery, not a single document. 474 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 3: They didn't know there was a lineup, they didn't know 475 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 3: that there was original statements made, they didn't know anything. 476 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 3: We took testimony from a civil rights activist, Alan Holmes, 477 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 3: who heard Charles Riddle admit that Mike Kelly didn't receive discovery, 478 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 3: and then we took testimony from Charles Riddle himself, and 479 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 3: Charles Riddle admitted that he believed Mike Kelly when Mike 480 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 3: Kelly to testified that they didn't have any of the 481 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 3: discovery in this case. That caused Judge Bennett to recuse 482 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 3: Charles Riddle because Charles Riddle refused to consent to give 483 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 3: Vincent Simmons a new trial. Essentially that Riddle was basically 484 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 3: condoning a constitutional violation. Right he knew that there was 485 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 3: a violation and refused to remedy it. And a prosecutor 486 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 3: has a duty to act fair and and partial, and 487 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 3: his duties are based upon the Constitution. He has to 488 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 3: be fair to the accused, and when there's a due 489 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 3: process violation like there is in this case, the only 490 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 3: way he can remedy that is by giving Vincent another trial, 491 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 3: and he refused to do it. We now have an 492 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 3: Attorney General's office that's taken over. They're trying to vacate 493 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 3: the recusal of Charles Riddle. They're basically trying to delay 494 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 3: this as best as they can. No one wants to 495 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 3: give Vincent any relief here, and that's where we are 496 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 3: right now. We're in front of the Supreme Court battling 497 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 3: it out over the motion to recuse a district attorney, 498 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 3: and I'm in the process of filing something to try 499 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 3: to compel the court to do the right thing here. 500 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: So before we go to the closing of the show, 501 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: is there something that our listeners can do, Hopefully they're 502 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: going to be inspired to take action. What would you 503 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: recommend that they do to help Vincent or just to 504 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: help in general. 505 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 3: I would recommend that they write Judge William Bennett the 506 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 3: Attorney General's office, and that they write the Governor of Louisiana, 507 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 3: and that they write the District Attorney of a vols Paris, 508 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 3: Charles Riddle. These are all people that have the ability 509 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 3: to concede. I mean, Vincent would love a retrial because 510 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 3: the retrial is not going to happen because it didn't happen. 511 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,800 Speaker 3: Vincent has a page on the Friends and Family of 512 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 3: the Wrongfully Convicted, which is an organization that Derek Hamilton started, 513 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 3: and then he also has a change dot Org web 514 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 3: page as well. 515 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: We're going to put everything in the episode bio for 516 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: everybody to do what they can. And I've gotten to 517 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: know the governor of Louisiana over the years. I think 518 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: he's a good man, and I think he's a fair man, 519 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: and I believe if he was made aware of this 520 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 1: that he will feel inspired to take the action that 521 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: the local authorities are still to this day unwilling to take. 522 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 1: So with that, we now turn to the closing of 523 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: our show, and it works like this. It's called closing arguments. 524 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: First of all, I thank you Justin Bonus again for 525 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: being here sharing you know, your frustration and your thoughts 526 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: on this case. And of course, Vincent Simmons, stay strong. 527 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 1: You know there's a lot of good people out here 528 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: that care about you. I'm one of them. And as 529 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 1: though I speak for our whole wrongful conviction community when 530 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: we say we're rooting for you, a lot of people 531 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: praying for you and hopefully help is a red around 532 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: the corner. So now the end of our show works 533 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: like this. I turned my microphone off, I leave both 534 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: of your guys on, and I turn it over first 535 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 1: to Justin for his final thoughts. Whatever he wants to say. 536 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:05,320 Speaker 1: And then, of course, Vincent, we're going to save the 537 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: best for last, all due respect to you, justin Vincent 538 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: is the man of the hour. And then Vincent, you 539 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: could just say whatever you want about whatever you want. Okay, 540 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: I'm now going to turn my microphone off, a kickback 541 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: of my chair and just listen. 542 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 3: Okay. Well, I just want to start off by saying, 543 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 3: what's right in front of the court right now is 544 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 3: probably the most egregious Brady violation in the history of 545 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:34,720 Speaker 3: the United States, because I've never seen a case where 546 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,720 Speaker 3: no discovery was turned over and almost all of the 547 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 3: discovery is exculpatory that the DA's office in a Vols 548 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:47,719 Speaker 3: Parish has admitted that they believed that Vincent Simmons' defense 549 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 3: attorney that he didn't receive discovery in this case. The 550 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:54,240 Speaker 3: only way you can remedy that situation is by a 551 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,720 Speaker 3: new trial, and they are refusing to give him a 552 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 3: new trial. It should start there because the evidence that 553 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 3: wasn't turned over is what proves that Vincent Simmons didn't 554 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 3: commit this crime. This guy didn't commit this crime. He 555 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 3: was railroaded, he was legally lynched, and he's been in 556 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,920 Speaker 3: prison for almost forty five years. It's a disgrace. This 557 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 3: is simple. They could give him a new trial right now, 558 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,360 Speaker 3: but they know that they can't retry him because the 559 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 3: people that testified against him will never testify against him 560 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 3: again because they lied. All of the evidence that wasn't 561 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 3: disclosed proves that they lied. I took this case because 562 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 3: my wife said I have to take this case because 563 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 3: that's how much she believed he was innocent. But I 564 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 3: believe he will be victorious because he is innocent and 565 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 3: every single shred of the evidence shows it. And that's 566 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 3: all I have to say. 567 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 2: I say, God is the light of uncovers all, so 568 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 2: I have faith it does and I have faith. Yes, yeah, 569 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 2: God have to put justice molds in my life. In 570 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:07,600 Speaker 2: this face, just going to grant us this. 571 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Wrongful Conviction. Please support your 572 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: local innocence organizations and go to the links in our 573 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:27,320 Speaker 1: bio to see how you can help. I'd like to 574 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:31,400 Speaker 1: thank our production team Connor Hall, Justin Golden, Jeff Clyburn, 575 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: and Kevin Wardis. The music on this show, as always 576 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 1: is by three time OSCAR nominated composer Jay Ralph. 577 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:39,319 Speaker 2: Be sure to. 578 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: Follow us on Instagram at wrongful Conviction, on Twitter at 579 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 1: wrong Conviction, and on Facebook at Wrongful Conviction. 580 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:46,800 Speaker 2: Podcast. 581 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 1: Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts 582 00:35:50,160 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: and association with Signal Company Number one