How would you think you would feel if you were WRONGFULLY imprisoned over 35 years?

by tncdel Posted 2011/02/01 00:43:08

Related Topics: Constitution, Murder, Facebook, Philadelphia

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I believe all of us who love our country should uphold the ideals of our Constitution. And we have a patriotic DUTY to try to correct an injustice to others, not simply when it happens to us.

In this particular case, a black man has been wrongfully imprisoned over 35 years since he was a teenager. Wrongfully convicted on the basis of perjured testimony as an accomplice to a teenage gang murder in Philadelphia in the early 70's, despite the fact that he was nowhere close to the scene of the crime when it took place.

The four young teens, whose testimony was the sole "evidence" used to convict this man when he was a teenager, were pressured by Philly cops into testifying against him in order to avoid being prosecuted for un-related drug charges.

The witnesses, long after the statute of limitations for perjury had elapsed, RECANTED their false testimony. But, no doubt because Pennsylvania doesn't want to have to pay him millions of dollars in a wrongful imprisonment lawsuit, the courts have turned a deaf ear to his requests for a hearing to call forth the witnesses, so they can confess that their testimony against him was false.

If you're not one of those selfish "As long as it didn't happen to me" types, I am asking each and every one of you to PLEASE show human empathy, imagining how YOU would be feeling right now, if you yourself had been wrongfully imprisoned over 35 years. Then, if you are concerned about this man's plight, please contact him by mail at the following address:

&... Darrell McKelvie
&... AF-5156
&... 500 E. 4th Street
&... Chester, PA 19013

Anyone knowing a lawyer who would volunteer to offer Mr. McKelvie assistance in getting the hearing he needs to call forth the witnesses, please provide the lawyer his mailing address.

The facebook account I just created on behalf of Mr. McKelvie can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001956297363&v;=info

+25

Zuggi 2011/02/01 00:51:06

+5
I'm sure he's already connected, but get him in touch with Project Innocence.
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More polls by tncdel

RachelLord 2011/02/17 00:08:56

This poor man. I will write him.

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««zamboni»»Hellsoldier-BN0 2011/02/06 11:56:06

Hate the World.

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Anna E 2011/02/03 19:12:24

I'd feel as if the law had SFA to do with justice and I'd be contacting all the human rights, legal rights, etc. organisations I could find.

Um, sending support to McKelvie is ok I guess, but wouldn't it be more effective to put pressure on PA to smarten up?

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Harley Quinn 2011/02/03 18:05:12

I'd be really pissed.

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Colbert 2011/02/02 03:10:40

I think I'd be a little pissed off.

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AnaMancini 2011/02/01 22:01:43

+1
This happens to more people every day and not just the ones that serve jail time. Just being accused can ruine your life.

And as for a suit against the state! Ha good luck with that, as long as they did it in " Good Faith" nothing will happen.

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☆The Rock☆ * AFCL* The Sher... 2011/02/01 19:46:53 (edited)

+1
They better give me millions after I sue them! I mean that is 35 years of wasted life and they will pay me back in money!!

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ray to ☆The Ro... 2011/02/01 20:46:34

+2
What amount of money, regardless of the number of zeros, could possibly replace the last thirty five years of your life?

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☆The Ro... to ray 2011/02/02 14:58:30

+1
Yes that is so true!

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bob 2011/02/01 18:51:48

+1
What a waste for his life.

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$$*gat*$$ BL39 2011/02/01 17:48:18

+3
thx, I am looking into this

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tncdel to $$*gat*... 2011/02/02 01:34:47

+1
Please write him at:

Darrell McKelvie
AF-5156
500 E. 4th Street
Chester, PA 19013

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$$*gat*... to tncdel 2011/02/02 04:01:58

thx, yea, I took that down already, I am trying to look into a few options

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DebraJMSmith 2011/02/01 17:23:38

+1
What an awful thing to have happen to a person!

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tncdel to DebraJM... 2011/02/02 01:36:23

It would be great if you'd write him a short note offering to make phone calls seeking help for him.

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DebraJM... to tncdel 2011/02/02 18:26:01

Well, the only thing is that I cannot make the phone calls. I couldn't take that on my plate at this time.

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Azrael-In GOD we trust 2011/02/01 16:49:47

+2
I copy and pasted your writing to O'Reilly and Megan Kelly at FOX News. If we can get them to at least take a look into the matter, they could do more good for the man than anyone else (in my opinion.)
That would be absolutely devastating to live thru.
I'll keep looking around elsewhere, also.

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tncdel to Azrael-... 2011/02/01 17:24:03

+1
THANK YOU!

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Lord of War 2011/02/01 16:17:36

i would be mad as hell the i would start shooten the idiots who put me there

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harry 2011/02/01 16:09:21

i would be angry and escape jail

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tncdel 2011/02/01 16:02:50

+1
ATTENTION PLEASE:
I don't know why some people here are making the mistake of presuming that the Innocence Project takes non-Death Row cases. They don't. At least that's what they told me.

This man has NO ONE helping him besides me and his 84 year old father on Social Security. And we are unable to do it by ourselves. Bottomline: If no one else helps him, he will die in prison wrongfully imprisoned for his entire adult life.

Maybe that doesn't bother you, but it bothers the hell out of me enough that I could not respect myself as a human being, if I turned a deaf ear to his pleas for help.

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Sheila 2011/02/01 15:34:36

Well, THAT SUX. Bless his heart. I would go through all the same emotions that anyone else would. Anger, bitterness, defeat, depression, and eventually (hopefully) peace. God has a plan for all of us. So apparently this is for the good of someone....not saying who, or how, but as a christian I know that someone will come to God BECAUSE of this mans trials. But bless his heart......

If the witnesses are willing to say they did in fact lie at the trial then will someone like 20/20 or 48 Hours not help?

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Sheila to Sheila 2011/02/01 15:36:27

+1
I am adding this here rather than editing. Our system is FAR from perfect, but it is the best in the world. I would rather live under our system than anyone elses.

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tncdel to Sheila 2011/02/01 15:42:18

Please ask them. I've already written 20/20 and many others. But thus far no one in the media cares, for the simple fact that the media only goes after what sells more advertising space.

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Sheila to tncdel 2011/02/01 15:52:08

Bless you for trying to help. Are there any local groups in Philly that can petition the media on his behalf?

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tncdel to Sheila 2011/02/01 16:37:37

+1
Please answer your own question by trying to find one. Maybe you'll be luckier than I've been so far. :)

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Chaya2010 2011/02/01 15:22:47

That stinks. Poor man.

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badmommy 2011/02/01 14:03:24

There are more and more Lawyers that take on cases pro bono. These wrongful convictions have come to light since DNA.... So many have died behind bars unfortunately, either by execution or other...

http://www.law.northwestern.e...

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tncdel to badmommy 2011/02/01 15:45:46

+1
No, you are wrong. The number of cases lawyers are taking pro bono has dropped considerably in our tight economy. Everyone is trying to cut back costs, and there is less manpower now than before.

Also, DNA has no bearing on this particular case. For the actual murderer was someone else is a matter of record.

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badmommy to tncdel 2011/02/01 16:39:56

As far as DNA, I was talking general.... I am wrong so be it. Sick of arguing on SH!

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tncdel to badmommy 2011/02/01 19:46:21 (edited)

Wasn't trying to do that. Was only hoping to make you see the reason for why we need to accept our moral responsibility to help the man, that's all.

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lstl5 2011/02/01 13:48:27

If they took the best years of my life, I would want to kill someone, but instead, give me lots and lots of money, so I can live the rest of my life well.

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bags 2011/02/01 13:25:13

The Innocence Project is his best hope.

http://www.innocenceproject.org/

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tncdel to bags 2011/02/01 15:48:22

+1
If that was his best hope, then what you are saying is that he has NO hope. As I pointed out many times [please read my posts], the Innocence Project says his case doesn't meet the threshhold of urgency like the Death Row cases they almost exclusively focus on.

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bags to tncdel 2011/02/01 15:55:16

And then that's the truth of it. Yes, I feel that if they do not take his case, he has little hope. William Kunstler is dead.

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tncdel to bags 2011/02/01 16:06:31

+1
If you have empathy for the man, PLEASE try to find help for him. If you are unable to do it yourself, then please at least pitch in with me to try finding someone who can and will help.

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bags to tncdel 2011/02/01 16:29:35

I have a great deal of empathy for this man.....please don't misunderstand me, I've been involved in trying to win freedom for another man wrongly imprisoned. Sorry if my cynicism is showing.

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MiMi 2011/02/01 12:38:43

+1
I do not think the judicial system in this country upholds what it should....because one never knows who is behind the black robe of the person making the decisions....or who is behind the suit of the person who is trying to represent the person charged with the alleged crime...are these people there for a good reason....or are they there for revenge? Attorneys do not always go by what is fair and just....Click the following link to view the full article:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/D...

And I say this from firsthand experience.....see the above link....

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tncdel to MiMi 2011/02/01 13:18:33

I think in my friend's case the DA rationalized it as "one less potential young black troublemaker off the streets" back then. But it's time to redress a wrong done by a "system" that undermined our Constitution.

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danjac1263 2011/02/01 11:09:35

Dont you watch lockup? Everyone in prison is innocent.

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