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://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/in_focus&id=8425632
4 comments:
Wow.. That's a really good idea and I agree with you 100 %..
Yo! Greetings from Mexico. I got some ideas that you might´ve thought or maybe not. Just trying to help in any way possible, since I understand that people´s genuine help can make all the difference in everything. Anyways, here´s what I found:
"Our research team has used neuroimaging techniques to scan subjects while they experience true and false memories, and the resutls provide some insights into why false memories can be so subjectively compelling." pg.8
"Our memories are sometimes permeable to outside influences: leading questions or feedback from other people can result in suggested false memories of events that never happened. Suggestibility is a special concern in legal contexts...Young children are especially vulnerable to the influence of suggestive questioning, as illustrated in a tragic Massachusetts day care case in which an entire family went to prison because of children´s recollections that I believe have been tainted by suggestive questions. I´ll disucss such cases, and also consider recent experimental evidence showing that it is surprisingly easy to elicit false confessions in noncriminal settings. " pg. 9
The Seven Sins Of Memory {How the Mind Forgets and Remembers}
Daniel L. Shacter
I don´t know the specifics of SPM´s case but I hope it helps. I´m hoping you catch my drift of where I´m trying to go with this. I´m not very good at explaining myself sometimes.
If that doesn´t help much, I have another question worth dedicating time to. Since Carlos is Mexican is there anything that can be done by the Mexican government or community to help his case be reopen or something somewhere along that line?
Sorry, taking up space. lol. If there is anything I can do from the southern side of the border, let me know, I´d be happy to help. I´m not a lawyer or anything like that, but shieet my race is "world changing idea generator." Thanks for your attention. If there is anything I can help with, just let me know, I´ll be keeping my eye out for information that can possibly help in any way possible(sorry for being repetitive.) If you write to Carlos, can I ask you for a favor? Can you mention somewhere in there this: "You will not be forgotten, you have changed the world in your own way. I can assure you Carlos, that you have inspired many, including myself. Thanks to you and the way God has organized the universe, my goal has become to change the world in my own way. Thank you Carlos, you´ve helped me in tough times without even knowing it and I´ll try to help you in the ways I can."
Hope to hear from you. Now im truly out. Peace.
Aldo, thaks for your amazing post! I appreciate you sharing your information; I know for a fact I'm not smart enough to get this done myself, so I'm grateful to you for taking the time to write it all out.
I believe SPM was born in Texas, so the Mexican consulate would not be involved, but that's an interesting suggestion.
I will be taking a look at the book you mentioned, and will let everyone know if there's anything we can do to help. I send these comments to Carlos in my letters, so he'll get yours.
Thanks for reading, and especially for contributing!
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