To: Shelby County District Attorney, Jim Strickland, Mayor, and Shelby County Public Defender Office
Stop Shelby County From Wrongful Convictions
Please help me to stand up to the Memphis and Shelby County judicial system. We are asking that they stop the attack that they have on our black males with wrongful convictions and botched investigations.
Why is this important?
This petition is to cause attention to be brought to the Shelby County judicial system that not only wrongfully charge our black males but also, when there is no case or no evidence, falsely put together evidence so that they can get a conviction.
Edgar Smith was charged with first-degree murder July 2014 when a store surveillance tape, which showed that the perpetrator was clearly not him, was lost or mishandled by the prosecutor. Now, weeks before the trial, the prosecutor has an "edited" tape that shows Edgar in the scene and a new witness who can identify him.
Edgar is not the only black male in the Shelby County Jail system who has been held for years under false allegations or by the prosecutor mishandling the evidence. We are tired of having our black males taken away from their families for years just to set them free without restitution or getting the public defender to make them feel like it's no matter if you are innocent or not, you need to take this deal because there is no hope.
Edgar Smith was charged with first-degree murder July 2014 when a store surveillance tape, which showed that the perpetrator was clearly not him, was lost or mishandled by the prosecutor. Now, weeks before the trial, the prosecutor has an "edited" tape that shows Edgar in the scene and a new witness who can identify him.
Edgar is not the only black male in the Shelby County Jail system who has been held for years under false allegations or by the prosecutor mishandling the evidence. We are tired of having our black males taken away from their families for years just to set them free without restitution or getting the public defender to make them feel like it's no matter if you are innocent or not, you need to take this deal because there is no hope.