U.S. President Bill Clinton
White House
1600 Pennsylvania
Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
USA
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing in behalf of Pennsylvania death row inmate James (Jimmy) A. Dennis (# BY 7796). I am familiar with the case of Mr Dennis and believe in his innocence. It's hard for me to understand how Jimmy could get a death sentence, because all facts are saying he can't be the murderer. And there is another thing I worry about. The man who committed the murder walks still free.
October 1991, when the 17 years old Chedell Williams got murdered under tragic circumstances in broad daylight. It's understandable, that the city of Philadelphia cried out in pain. This put a lot of public pressure on the police to find the killer.
The police questioned everyone in the projects where Jimmy grew up and lived, so his name came up. The one, who mentioned his name had extensive police records, unlike Jimmy. When he heard about it, Jimmy and his father and brothers went to the Homicide Division. After almost an hour they were told that the police didn't have any question to him.
A month later Jimmy got arrested for the crime…
Here some facts standing for the innocence of Jimmy A. Dennis:
* There is no forensic evidence linking Jimmy to the crime scene or to victim Chedell Williams.
* All eyewitness accounts are saying the shooter was between 5'10" and 6' (often subscribed as tall as the victim or a bit taller the victim was 5'10''tall), he was a very dark skinned black male, and weighed approximately 200 lbs. - In contrast, Jimmy has a light skin complexion, weighed this time only 125 lbs, and he stands only 5'4" tall.
* Charles Thompson said in his statement to police, that he saw Jimmy the night of murder with a weapon. Later he recanted his statement to legal representatives. Said it was made under duress, while he was in the police station handcuffed to a chair, being interviewed and misled by 5 detectives for hours on end. Police implied charges might be pending against Charles himself in this case if he didn't cooperate with them.
* Witness David LeRoy, who owned a hot dog stand at the scene of the crime said later that the police had tried to make him pick Jimmy out as the shooter, but he said, "I will not take away anyone's life with a lie."
Those are only excerpts of the points standing for Jimmy's innocence.
Another issue is the
unfairness of Jimmy's trial: First time Jimmy saw his lawyer, Lee Mandell,
was the day before trial. Apparently Mr. Mandell takes on more death penalty
cases than anyone else in Pennsylvania, and does not have the resources and/or
ability to represent them all adequately…
During some points at trial, the
jury foreman was falling asleep and nothing was done about it…
The July 1998
Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in which the majority denied Jimmy a new
trial was the closest one in years,
4 : 3. Three Supreme Court
judges thought Jimmy should get a new trial, due to prosecutorial
misconduct.
Mr. President, I ask
you with all respect, to take some time to look into the case of Jimmy A.
Dennis. I am sure you will come to the conclusion, that justice had failed in
this case. It is not too late for a victory of the truth. An innocent young girl
had to die, this is very tragically. She and her relatives have my deepest
sympathy. But there is a young man awaiting his death for a crime he has nothing
to do with. And there is his family suffering of the injustice against Jimmy. On
the other side there is a killer, who walks still free with the chance to bring
sorrow to another family.
Please Mr. President, help Jimmy in his desire for
justice - he does not want much - only a fair chance to prove, what he is
claiming about all the years: his innocence.
Sincerely,