Grand Jury Investigation

Some of you may remember the mention of the BAT van controversy; the Blood Alcohol Testing equipment was not adequately maintained and was giving false positives, resulting in people who may not have been over the legal limit getting DWI convictions.

Apparently this was not enough of a problem for anyone to care about, until the shit hit the fan when a technician was allegedly fired for complaining about the problems. There has been a Grand Jury investigation into the matter, and Pat Lykos was called to testify about whether her office had been retaliating against this individual.

I think.

The whole situation is pretty complicated, and what still amazes me is that the fact that no one seems to be particularly interested in the wrongful convictions that may have resulted from this bullshit.

The point is, Pat Lykos’ office is being investigated at the beginning of an election year. With the Grand Jury Investigation drawing to a close, it’s a fair bet that the situation will be resolved as much as any governmental injustice is ever resolved. The fallout might continue for months. The scandal will probably be brought up whenever Lykos is mentioned in the news. She needs something bigger for people to focus on.

Why shouldn’t that something be a new trial for Carlos Coy? It’s a case that belonged to a previous era, when misrepresentations and foolishness were rampant. It’s a guaranteed media magnet, not only because of Coy’s place in the hearts of the community but also because of the volatile relationship between the judicial system and the general public. The DA’s office is going to have to pick a side in this case, right or wrong.

I can’t imagine a better situation for Pat Lykos to illustrate her fight to bring integrity back to the justice system. We’re not asking for an automatic get-out-of-jail card, but for a second chance at justice; a new trial for a man who experienced the worst the police and courts had to offer.

Think about this as you write a letter to the DA’s office; what can we do to present this as an opportunity for them to shine? To show the public that, in spite of mistakes made in the past, they really are trying to pursue justice; Not just for those going through the system at the moment, but also for those that have already been locked away and told to give up hope.

http://search.abclocal.go.com/search/client?st=ktrk&q=%27BAT+vans%27&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/in_focus&id=8425632

Questions for SPM

Go to our Facebook page to vote on the question you'd like to see answered.

http://www.facebook.com/SPM.Aftermath

Dear Family (Part 1)

Dear Family,

 

I told Jay that I’ve written letters for her blog, I’ve written all kinds of stuff, but I’m such a perfectionist that I rewrite shit, and end up picking it all apart, and then getting exhausted, and then ending up getting nothing to you.

 

            Today I’m just going to write a fucking letter and make sure not to reread it. Just put it in an envelope and mail it to you. I’m sending you my letter through her blog because she (Jay) keeps her blog updated, unlike Dope House’s site.

            She sent me a letter with a question, the 1^st question that was most popular of your questions. I don’t have that letter in front of me, but the question was if I thought my incarceration was part of a conspiracy. That was a great question and I’m going to give you guys an answer on my next letter. I’ll work on that after I write this letter.

            So what’s been happenin, man? I’ve been good. Been working out with my homeboy, Red. “The Son of Norma” will be out this year and I’m excited about getting it to you. Or shall I say, “finally”, getting it to you.

 

Let me find the list of songs that will be on that album…….Alright, I’m back.

“The Son of Norma”

 

1.)   Los Vs. K-Luv (Battle Rap)               10.) Chiefin On Good

2.)   If You Only Knew                              11.) Addicted To Storms

3.)   The Poor Kids                                     12.) Make Me Wonder

4.)   My Homegirl                                      13.) Till They Come

5.)   The Son of Norma                              14.) Brave

6.)   To The Flame                                     15.) Angels

7.)   No Love For No One                          16.) Dark Memories

8.)   Even In A Prison                                17.) My Greatest Hits

9.)   Frustration

Believe it or not, I decided to have no guests, except one song that features Pimpstress. That song is “Dark Memories.” As you guys know, I usually feature the entire Dope House Family: Grimm, Quota, Lucky, Bash, Gotti, Low, Sheedy, Powda, Coast and so on. Carolyn still sings on the hooks, and Russell Lee sings on “The Poor Kids” and….. Oh, shit! Where’s “Don’t Go Away”? There’s a song called “Don’t Go Away” that Russell Lee sings on. So the list is obviously not entirely accurate.

 

      Well, just expect at least fifteen of these seventeen songs, and maybe two not mentioned. Sorry about that. I’ve changed this song list a hundred times but I promise, this list is 95% accurate. It’s just that I had to choose from like 50 songs and (no bullshit) all 50 are crack.

 

      I also want to let you guys know that I will do a much better job of staying in touch with you. I’ll be talking about the facts of my trial on this blog, and we’re also finding the right people to give the Dope House site a total makeover.

      Well, guess what? I feel like flowin. Let me shoot some dope in my pen so it can do what it does. I’ll write you guys the answer for your “conspiracy” question later today. I love you.

Carlos

Another Cold 40

“Like Brothers”

Los crumble the borin, so they mothers will mourn

I’m just sorry that my gift is so troubled and torn

rollin thunder was norm, see I come from da storm

still I’m fuckin comp like they fuck sluts on a porn

mothafuckaz was snorin, while I stung in the foreign

made a couple hundred thousand on dat Cullen and Orem

It’s the corner of dreams some say the Corner of Lust

see the game ain’t a game but to score is a must

better tour on a bus before explorin the brush

cause the flesh finds rest then it forms into dust

forty-fours that’ll bust internal organs and guts

cops come and we like “Are you sure it was us?”

Killas sworn to the cuts we live and die by the code

Hillwood “Forever Young” ain’t no time to get old

let the silence unfold, it’s been tryna get told

it’s been screamin from the hollowness inside of my soul

Lord, provide me with hope, help me lighten my load

I been travelin so long don’t let me die on the road

a million miles from my home, in the fire and smoke

I been searchin for water, please, it’s dryin my throat

as I cry and I choke each moment fightin to cope

I know You love me but it feels like You privately don’t

of course the title is mine but is it worth what it gives?

I jus wanna eat fresh and go to church with my kids

but it hurts to admit the words the serpent has spit

when he ever doubted God or claimed mercy’s a myth

cause the worst of it is, if I was free as I speak

no, it wouldn’t be church but some weed and a freak

maybe two even three, but the most was four

cause my “Go Go Gadget” wouldn’t go no mo

at the telly wid tens but one had dropped to a nine

bitch, I’m sorry but I saw a pimple on ya behind

that’s another reason you ain’t make the video shoot

what, ya thought that you could make it with a pimply glute?

No Ma’am, but I am fallin off the subject at hand

and to think it all started with a couple of grams

and a troublesome man who keep a gun in his pants

got drunk at the club and beat up one of his fans

look, I’m sorry that I left you all covered in blood

but we fought like brothers it was nothin but love!

                                                                                      (laughing)

That was funny. Please take good care, and I’ll be writing you more in just a bit.

Los/SPM

Letter to Pat Lykos 12

The Honorable Patricia R. Lykos

1201 Franklin, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77002-1923

Ma’am,

I’m writing today about the case of Carlos Coy, #908426.

The more I learn about his case, the more I wish to see justice for him.

Please, reconsider his case and give him a new trial.

Me, my address, blah blah blah.

 

That’s all I’m writing for today’s letter. I believe this letter is just as important and informative as all of the three and four paragraph ones that I’ve written in the past. They don’t have to be flowery, or argumentative, or ‘smart’; they just have to be sent.

Please join me in sending out a letter tomorrow. You can copy this one, or write your own.

I have a long list of subjects that I want to talk about, but these letters are so important; we cannot fail to write; those in power must be continually reminded of our interest in this case, the new information that we find,  our determination to see justice done.

Please, take the time to send a letter to DA Lykos. It can be as long or as short as you feel is necessary. It does not need to be perfectly spelled, grammatically correct, or worded in any particular way. It just needs to get there, to let them know we’re still here.

Weekend Reading 26

A report on bias against men in family court...and written by someone at the Houston Press; very interesting.

Take special notice of the way the 'experts', 'counselors', and commissioners twist facts in their official reports, and imagine yourself trying to go up against that shit.

Questions for SPM

You've read the letter from SPM; if you have a question about what he wrote, or anything about the case, send it to the address below. At the end of next week I'll pick four & put up another poll on the Facebook page so you can vote on which one to send him.

Also, we have a shiny new website up at www.spmaftermath.com. If you're telling people about the site, you can direct them there; it should be easier to remember than the address of the blog. There's not much there right now, but it will lead them here.

Opinions

For the last couple of months, I’ve been going through articles from the Houston Press, primarily ‘South Park Monster’,  and offering my opinion of them.

As you may have guessed by now, I’m a big believer in the power of words. I believe a phrase carefully considered and properly delivered can provide more spin than cold fact. Writers at and quoted by the Houston Press seem to have been bending their considerable skill in this area to presenting a particular view of Coy’s case. Monday’s letter offers an explanation as to why.

Most people get their news from trusted sources; newspapers and TV channels. We assume that those outlets will at least try to present both sides of an issue, and include enough information so that we can decide where we stand. But sometimes, you get a piece like South Park Monster that, although it seems pretty comprehensive, just leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth.

Most people are getting their information about the case from either the Houston Chronicle, or the Houston Press. Until recently that was the only information available, so please understand that many of those who stand against us have never been allowed to get the whole story. They know that eight women were brought in to accuse Coy, but they don't know that all those cases were dropped. They heard the impassioned words of the prosecutors on TV, but were never told that one of those prosecutors now works with SPM's defense lawyer. The Chron seems to have been pretty dispassionate about the whole thing; the Press, less so. A search of the Houston Press’s archives bring up quite a few mentions of Carlos Coy, sometimes leaving you wondering “Why did they even include that?” If they're going to take time out from an article about food to call Coy a child molestor, surely they can take a few minutes to let people know that many key figures in his case have had serious ethical questions raised against them.

 Well, Monday we got an answer; maybe that's why the Houston Press never has Coy's name far from their tongues.

It is so important to spread what we’ve learned. There were a great many factors that I believe contributed to Coy's conviction and long denied justice, and the shaping of public opinion against him was a big part of that. You can help turn that around.

Please, take a moment this weekend to talk to somebody about the case. Pass out a couple of flyers, or write a letter to the DA. The purpose of putting this information out there is to reach out to people that may not have fully considered the circumstances of Coy’s conviction. By allowing them access to information, you free them to make a decision based on fact, not the opinions of others who may be bearing a grudge.

We don't have advertisers. We don't have a massive distribution budget. We don't have a bunch of college graduates banging away on word processors to make our point to the public. But we have truth, and we have you.

You, and the information you possess, are our strategy for justice.

Thanks for reading, and acting.

SPM Responds (Part 3)

…I want to talk to you about your letter, and how you took on some of the things written in the article called “South Park Monster” by John Nova Lomax.

            When I was going to court, there was always this fat dude sitting where the public sits to listen to trials. He was eight notches past ugly, hairy in the face with glasses that only added insult to injury. He was usually the first person to sit in the benches and I often nodded to him as a greeting. He always gave a friendly nod back.

 

            Little did I know that this was the owner of the Houston Press, a wildly popular newspaper that was free to the public. I actually attended the Houston Press Music Awards at a restaurant in Houston two years before. I won six awards, which was more than any artist to date. Each time I won, I thanked different people and made a few wisecracks as I’ve been known to do.

 

But no one at Dope house had any sense to say, “Hey, Carlos, make sure to thank John Lomax since he owns this paper, and set this show up.” I didn’t even realize some fat, ugly dude was in the audience getting angrier and angrier at my failure to recognize him. By the time I won my fifth and sixth award, I was thanking the fucking waiters who were bringing me my ice cold Coronas. Sadly, and unknowingly, I walked out the door and into my limousine without even shaking the dude’s hand.

            I continued to blow the fuck up in Houston and, at times, wondered why the Houston Press never gave me a front cover. They did for other bullshit bands, so why not me– the dude that swept their award show. By-the-way, I still have all these awards.

           

            When I found out about the “South Park Monster” article, it all became clear. I finally got my front cover, but the fat bitch gave it to me as the foe he had become. I doubt he has written a more complex article to this day.

            The cover was a huge, colorful image of my face, and inside the pupil’s of my eyes was the image of a little girl on a bike. I’m sure it was one of his proudest accomplishments.

Playa Made Mexicanz

Online and in stores this February! Show your support!

Non-DNA Exonerations

The culture is changing.

Slowly the idea that there are innocent men imprisoned has been seeping into the consciousness of America. It's a novel idea for many of us, I think. Without having someone you love get screwed over by the system, why would anyone want to think about it? It's better to tell yourself that the convicted are guilty, and their incarceration makes all of us safer.

 

Through the exonerations of men like Michael Morton, Johnny Pinchback, and Anthony Graves, people are beginning to realize that sometimes the courts get it wrong, and innocent people suffer. But what will we do, when all the DNA has been tested? Will we give up then, and say “That’s it, we’ve freed all the ones we wronged!”

I don't think we're going to. This article from Dallas talks about the unusual case of Dale Duke, who you may remember was freed, not with DNA, but by the confession of his supposed victim that it had all been a lie.

Ricky Dale Wyatt was recently released after serving 31 in Texas’ prison system. Although his defense attorney back in 1981 had specifically asked for certain evidence that could show his innocence it was withheld by prosecutors, resulting in Wyatt’s conviction. This week he got to hug his daughter, who was only three when he was first incarcerated, and his granddaughter, whom he had never met.

Wyatt is not technically an exoneree. The state says that he has not proven his innocence; but he was able to prove that the state did not establish his guilt during his trial.  While he’s not innocent in the eyes of the law (I think the whole ‘innocent until proven guilty thing is pretty much ignored), they are admitting that they had no right to hold him for those 31 years. He will not be eligible for compensation unless the District Attorney’s office decides to “support a claim of actual innocence”, whatever the fuck that means.

The DA’s office sat on evidence that could have resulted in this man going free back in 1981, but they are the ones who get to decide whether or not he’s ‘actually innocent’? I think they made their position on his guilt pretty obvious by keeping evidence that could have set him free from his defense lawyer. Still, Dallas DA Craig Watkins has freed many men who have been falsely convicted, and maybe he’ll help out one more.

Don't give up; don't be discouraged. The wheels of justice grind slow but fine, and it's up to us to keep them turning.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/convicted-rapist-set-free-136698253.html

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/01/after_31_years_locked_up_ricky.php

http://www.innocenceprojectoftexas.org/

Daughters

A phrase that comes up pretty frequently in discussions of Carlos Coy is this: “Well, I have a daughter…”

It was even mentioned in an article that the Houston Press published in 2009, written about a blog post written by Rolando Rodriguez. Now, it doesn’t mention anything about it in the article, but Mr. Rodriguez has written for the Houston Press. I don’t know when that relationship started.

But this is a blog post, presumably written for the site www.redbrownandblue.com, that the Houston press thought was awesome enough to devote an article of their own. Now, a search of Redbrownandblue does not bring up the article; for some reason, it’s been removed. If you’re a little tricky you can track down a copy of it through Google, but the relevant portion of it is quoted by the Houston press. Here’s Mr. Rodriguez’ take on the Free Spm movement:

I have an eight-year old daughter and the thought of anything like that happening to her doesn't allow me to support the "Free SPM" movement, and that should be reason enough for those who have children of their own and do follow the "Free SPM" movement, not to anymore. I'd rather be wrong about SPM's guilt and face my own community in embarrassment, than be wrong about his innocence and face my own daughter in shame."

I think this is a good summation of any argument that begins with "Well, I have a daughter..."

Let's take it in two parts. First up: I have an eight-year old daughter and the thought of anything like that happening to her doesn't allow me to support the "Free SPM" movement, and that should be reason enough for those who have children of their own and do follow the "Free SPM" movement, not to anymore.

Okay, so you have a daughter. Imagine for a moment that some ex-girlfriend, sister-in-law or random teacher gets a bug up her ass about you. Let’s say she asks your daughter a bunch of leading questions (Does Daddy ever hug you too hard? Has he ever helped you go potty? Is he ever in the room when you put your pajamas on?) and decides that your daughter has been sexually abused. By you. Maybe she really believes it, or maybe she’s just pissed and wants to see your life fucked up.

So she goes as an ‘Outcry Witness’ to the police. If you watch movies about lawyers and courts, you probably know that ‘hearsay evidence’ isn’t admissible in court…Except in the case of Sexual Assault of a Child. In those cases, the ‘Outcry Witness’ can go into court and testify about what they say they were told by the child. As far as as I can tell, no proof is required.

So back to your theoretical ex/relative/teacher, who at this time has just finished swearing to the police that you’re a filthy baby-raper. The police don’t know you and don’t know her, but they decide that you look kind of shifty and send a social worker to take your wife and daughter to a ‘children’s center’ where your daughter is surrounded by people who have spent years in college learning how to ‘detect abuse’.

These people have paid a lot of money for their degrees, and they’re going to get some use out of them, dammit. So they ask your daughter questions; simple questions, smiling helpfully and nodding when she answers. Then they start asking her questions about how she feels about being hugged, or tickled by you. Does daddy ever drink beer or volunteer to help with her soccer team?  Pretty soon they’re asking your little baby how she feels about your penis, and telling her that you're just a very sick man, that you need help, and if she just answers the questions then they can get you that help. What little girl wouldn’t want to help her Daddy, especially if all she has to do is make up answers to a few weird questions about something she can’t possibly understand?

Don’t think your daughter would fall for it? What about your daughter’s best friend? Or the kid that your wife sometimes babysits? Do you think that baby will stand up for you against an army of adults armed with therapy degrees and social worker accreditations? After all, who doesn't love a good court case about perverse Satan-worship and cannibalism?

So you have a daughter…Then you should be twice as worried about this because if the system does get their claws into you and you’re sent away, she gets to grow up without a father. If you want to be be there for your daughter, you need to be considering how easy it was for Coy to be convicted. No evidence, weak 'victim' testimony, in a county that is absolutely fucking famous for convicting the innocent. Think about it the next time you defend a court system that can and has sent men to prison for decades on the testimony of an outcry witness, an army of 'experts' and a scared, confused little kid.

The second part of the quote is this: I'd rather be wrong about SPM's guilt and face my own community in embarrassment, than be wrong about his innocence and face my own daughter in shame."

Because his conviction is really all about you, huh? It’s about how YOU feel, and what YOU would rather see happen. His deprivation, his imprisonment, his tragedy is nothing compared to the possibility of you being shamed in front of your daughter.

But hey, if he’s eventually proven innocent, all you have to suffer from is a little embarrassment. Well shit, that’s not such a bad deal! You get a little red-faced while he will be left to pick up the pieces of a life that was effectively stolen away by a justice system that didn’t even have the decency to demand proof of wrongdoing.

No. No, I don’t buy this shit for one second. If you have sons and daughters, fear for all of them; but I believe it will be easier to keep our daughters out of the hands of sexual predators than it will be to defend our sons if they’re ever falsely accused of sexual misconduct. All it would take to put my boy or yours in prison for the rest of his life is a girl with a grudge and a prosecutor with a stick up her ass. That last link is to a story about a six year-old being charged with a first degree felony for playing ‘doctor’. That's right, six years old.

You think this shit can’t happen to you, or to someone you love? Then keep your head in the sand, and I hope to God that you never find out you're wrong. If you can deny that this bullshit is happening, then you might not be strong enough to survive if it does.

Weekend Reading 25

Another man being released in Dallas after being incarcerated for 31 years...It recently came to light that prosecutors had witheld exculpatory evidence from the defense.

Pursuit of justice, huh?

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/01/03/3631858/prosecutors-back-overturning-31.html

Conspiracy Theory Theory

The poll is closed, thank you to everyone who voted! I’m going to send the top two questions off in my letter today, and SPM will answer at least one, maybe both.

I want to take a moment to talk about one of the questions that came from several different people: “Do you believe your conviction may have been the result of a conspiracy?”

Nobody asked me, but I’m going to give you my personal opinion; conspiracy theories hold us back. It’s easier to say ‘Someone’s out to get me’ and just give up, than it is to say ‘the system is broken because we broke it’, and then work to fix it.

People get the government they deserve, and by our inattention we have allowed the justice system to become the kind of monster it is. We stopped caring who it ate, as long as we felt safer at night, and next thing you know it’s eating our children.  Carlos Coy was convicted without proof and taken away from his family because that’s how the justice system works. It did the same thing to those before him, and it continued to do it to those that came after him; that is our fault, and fixing it is our responsibility.

Now, that’s my opinion. I base that on my personal experience, just as those that believe in conspiracies base their belief on their own experiences. I’m smart enough to know that I can’t know everything, so I’m not going to say it’s impossible that the Illuminati, or whatever you want to call them, did this. But even if you believe that Coy’s conviction was orchestrated, consider that the only way to get him a fair trial is going to be by focusing on local government. If you take out the guy at the top of the pyramid, there will be ten more just waiting to take his place. To see results we’re going to have to go against the base, the deeply entrenched petty officials that allow those higher up in government to act without regard for justice or the will of the people.

So don’t excuse yourself; don’t throw up your hands and say “The world is against us, we can’t fight it.” Gird your loins, grab a pen, and write a letter to the DA. If you believe in only one thing, believe in the power of your fellow man.

We can change this.

Letter to Pat Lykos 11

 

I took the last week of the year off, which means I have a ton of new things to cover. Among them are a slight shift in the direction of the blog, the changing politics of prisoner exonerations, and of course, more from SPM. But it wouldn’t be the first post of the month if I didn’t write a new letter to DA Pat Lykos.

Now, Lykos is up for re-election this year. She does not have the support of Houston PD, and she’s being challenged for the Republican nomination by a member of her own party, Mike Anderson. She is going to be as busy as fuck this year, which is why we need to make ourselves heard.

She can’t rely on the traditional supporters of Republican candidates; we need to show her that there are others out here who will gladly help her continue her campaign to bring integrity back to the Harris County DA’s office. We see that she is willing, even eager to exonerate those who have been convicted wrongfully. Please, drop her a line and let her know that you want one more case looked at.

Remember, you are welcome to print out my letter and send her a copy; you can change it around a little bit, or start from scratch and write your own. A few lines with Carlos Coy’s name and case number is all that is required. If you don’t feel comfortable writing, why not print off one of the flyers to your right and sending that in? It only costs .44 for a stamp, and it could give a man a second shot at justice.

The Honorable Patricia R. Lykos

1201 Franklin, Suite 600
Houston, Texas 77002-1923

Ma’am,

I’m writing today about the case of Carlos Coy, case #908426.

In May of this year, Mr. Coy will have served ten years of a 45 year sentence he received in a trial in which there was no evidence presented. The supposed victim in this case was unsure if the crime had actually happened; No effort to gather physical evidence was made by HPD investigators.

Many of those who helped put together this conviction have had what appear to be ethical questions raised against them; Denise Oncken, a prosecutor, was investigated for withholding Brady Material in the case of Glen Kahlden. Fiona Stephenson, the interviewer, had at least one case where she allowed irrelevant information to become inextricably intertwined with exculpatory evidence, rendering it useless to the defense.

Heidi Ruiz, the investigating officer, was so biased against Coy that a special mention was made by one of the appeals courts; serious questions were raised about her conduct during an unrecorded interview in the case of Aldo Pena Penaflor v. The State of Texas, another emotionally charged case with a very young victim. With Officer’s Ruiz assertion in Coy’s trial that her feelings were her proof, it is not out of the realm of possibility that her emotions may affect her judgement.

You will be extremely busy this year, but as you pursue another term as DA please do not let the work of justice fall by the wayside. Please review the case of Coy vs. Texas, examine the police reports and the evidence lists. I believe it is only a matter of time before Mr. Coy receives a new trial; why not make it happen in an election year? You will be able to demonstrate your perpetual fight for justice while appealing to a voting bloc that may never have considered heading to the polls.

Please, give us justice.

Me, My address, blah blah blah.