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Gary
Wells: Professor studying eyewitness misidentification
| Richard
Leo | Elizabeth Loftus
| Joe Warren | John
Graham | Daron Caldwell
| Walter Gillespie and Robert Mailman
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Ronnie Lee Wilson
On
August 11, 2002, we rec'd the following e-mail. So many cases
of wrongfully imprisoned people have surfaced since ordinary
people gained access to the internet it is virtually impossible
to keep track. Here in the home of David Milgaard (population
less than a million) where we know for sure there is at least
one other wrongful conviction of murder (Leon Walchuk), we are
not surprised that there may be several hundred such cases on
this continent. It is discouraging to realize that in Texas,
Florida and other southern states, new wrongful convictions are
proliferating faster than old ones are exposed --
http://truthinjustice.org/ronnie-wilson.htm.
Above is a link to the case
of Ronnie Lee Wilson which we are in the process of re-investigating.
Wilson is serving a 66 year
sentence and codefendant Alvin Kelly was convicted of capital
murder and is now on Death Row. Kelly is waiting on a response
to his federal habeas petition. If the petition is denied, his
execution date will be set.
The facts of the case, when
viewed objectively, demonstrate clear evidence of prosecutorial
misconduct. The close examination of Wilson's case has revealed
serious inconsistencies and purposeful omissions which have convinced
us the the testimony used to convict Wilson was completely false.
I am hoping the case will be of interest to you and suitable
for posting on your site.
The case came to me indirectly
through a student who met an acquaintance of Wilson's. They asked
if I would look over the material they had, which I did as a
totally objective outside source. I approached the project with
all due journalistic skepticism, thoroughly prepared for the
possibility that Wilson's professions of innocence were false.
After studying the documents, it soon became obvious that there
were serious problems in Wilson's trial, the "evidence"
presented by the purported "eyewitness" whose testimony
comprised the entirety of the prosecution's case, and activity
during the investigation and trial phases of the case verging
on official criminality. Highlights include:
- Suppression of exculpatory
and impeachment evidence (which the Longview Police Dept. recently
reported as lost to officials of the Texas AG's Office) - Compelling,
credible alibi witnesses and evidence
- Perjured, very likely coerced,
testimony by "eyewitnesses"
- Absolutely no forensic evidence
linking Wilson, the co-defendant or supposed "eyewitness"
to the crime
- Failure to pursue another
very promising avenue of investigation on two early suspects
and others who had lived in or worked near the trailer preceding
the murders
- Refusal to allow a change
of venue for a highly publicized and sensational crime
- Refusal to allow impeachment
cross examination of critical state witnesses - Errors in charges
and directions given to jury and conviction (overturned on appeal)
Recent developments are promising
to us. As part of Kelly's federal habeas process, DNA testing
was being conducted on the only forensic evidence at the scene,
African American hairs which were found on a towel under the
the female victim's head (Wilson and all others are Anglo).
We are convinced that the hairs
on the towel will provide a link one or both suspects who were
arrested shortly after the crime to the crime scene. The men
were interviewed but never properly investigated. However, I
was told the DA refuses to turn over the hair samples on the
towel to Kelly's attorney, though I have not been able to verify
that. As a result, Kelly's attorney was only able to test hairs
from vacuumings of the house and the stolen truck. Not surprisingly,
the samples did not match that one suspect. There are, however,
a baker's list of suspects to test against. In addition, a necklace
found in the possession of the two initial suspects was also
tested, but the lab said it had been "cleaned". It
is identical to one owned by the female victim which has never
been found. We recently requested DNA testing in Wilson's case
and we are hoping we will get a lawyer who will not take no for
an answer. Also, we intend to have the necklace re-examined.
It is an involved and complicated
case but it has been well researched and there is a mountain
of information available. Recent depositions (via Kelly's habeas
petition) of the state's primary and secondary witnesses confirmed
my suspicions about some of the inconsistencies in Wilson's case
and some Brady material affecting both cases. The sisters of
the primary witness were also deposed and it appears they are
apparently privy to more of the truth than they initially indicated
and that they changed their "facts" to reflect the
state's case.
With the recent developments
on wrongful imprisonment in Texas and the rising concerns about
systemic prosecutorial misconduct, this is a timely and topical
case. Wilson has spent nearly 10 years in prison (and an additional
2 years in Gregg County Jail prior to trial) for a crime he obviously
did not commit.
My contact information is below
should you be interested in this case.
Thank You,
Donna J. Strong
Work: Student Publications
Office, Del Mar College (after Aug. 19) 101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus
Christi, TX 78404 361/698-1246, e-mail: dstrong@delmar.edu
Home (evenings and prior to
Aug. 19): 1237 Cambridge Dr., Corpus Christi, TX 78404 361/851-0596
(also fax), 361/960-4323 (digital) e-mail: djstrong@worldnet.att.net
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Truth can never be told so as to be understood,
and not be believ'd.