Wrongful Conviction

This is an updated episode that originally aired on September 21, 2021.

On May 18th, 1998, Charlie Winbush told her fiancé, Julius Graves, that a man named Li Run Chen, who worked at a Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood had touched her inappropriately. Graves replied that he would scare him. Later that day, Julius Graves, his fiancée's cousin, and another younger friend had a few drinks with Graves and his friend Anthony Sims as they listened to music by Sims’ car. 

That same evening, Graves asked Sims to drive him to the restaurant where Chen worked and Sims agreed, unaware of any issue with Chen. They went into the restaurant when it is believed that Graves shot and killed Chen. In shock, Sims fled alone while Graves and the two younger men returned to his apartment, wiped the gun clean, figured out where to stash it, and began to conjure up a story to deflect blame from Graves and onto Sims. Consequently, investigators set their sights on Sims who was eventually sentenced to 25 years to life for the crime. 

Learn more and get involved at:

https://www.freeanthonysims.com/

https://www.wrongfulconvictionpodcast.com/with-jason-flom

Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashley and Albert Debelbot met in the Army, got married and had their first child together, McKenzy, on May 29, 2008. Days later, Ashley noticed a bump on her newborn’s forehead and rushed her to the emergency room. Tragically, McKenzy passed away within hours. Ashley and Albert were immediately under investigation, and the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the baby’s skull. Ashley and her husband both received life sentences. Maggie speaks to Ashley Jordan, Ashley’s mother, Brenda Jones, and Ashley’s attorney, Jimmonique Rodgers. 

To learn more and get involved, visit:

http://www.schr.org/

https://www.vote.org/

https://www.womenontherisega.org/

Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On August 20, 1988, 22-year-old twin sisters C.W. and B.W. were kidnapped by a gunman as they got into their car in Dayton, OH. The gunman pointed a handgun at them and ordered them to drive to a wooded area where he sexually assaulted them. The man then blindfolded both women, robbed them, and fled. Soon after C.W. and B.W. reported their attack, another woman came forward and said she was attacked in a very similar manner earlier that month. The man had told all the victims that he was a store security guard and his name was “Roger.” Two years later, all three women selected Roger Gillispie – who was known to everyone as “Dean,” his middle name – from a photo lineup and he was arrested. Dean was convicted of the crime, but before he was sentenced, the defense found out that DNA had been tested and it excluded Gillispie. So a second trial was held and he was convicted again. This time, he was sentenced to 22-56 years in prison.

To learn more about the junk science of hair microscopy evidence, visit:

https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/152-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-hair-microscopy-evidence/

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://innocenceproject.org/policy/ohio/

Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One evening in March, 2003, a fire broke out in Deborah Nicholls' Colorado Springs, CO home, killing her three children. Her husband suffered significant burns, but escaped. After a 2-year investigation, it was determined that the fire was not accidental, and that Deborah and her husband started it for the insurance money. The trial was a battle of the experts – one presenting the junk science of arson evidence, one asserting that the science was outdated. The former triumphed, and Deborah was sent to prison for the murder of her children. Maggie speaks to Deborah Nicholls, Deborah's father, Douglas Baumgardner, and Deborah's attorneys, Anne-Marie Moyes, Director of the Korey Wise Innocence Project and Kathleen Lord, Staff Attorney at the Korey Wise Innocence Project.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/149-wrongful-conviction-junk-science-arson-evidence/

https://www.colorado.edu/outreach/korey-wise-innocence-project/

https://giving.cu.edu/fund/korey-wise-innocence-project-fund

District Attorney John Newsome:

https://www.denverpost.com/2009/01/15/former-springs-da-cited-for-official-misconduct-for-misusing-funds

https://gazette.com/news/newsome-i-sincerely-apologize/article_4886ac0d-fb7c-5c21-b7a2-15ea6c12ef4e.html

Assistant District Attorney Amy Mullaney:

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/report-da-drove-county-vehicle-after-drinking-8-beers/73-343049675

Attorney Representing Tim Nicholls:

https://gazette.com/news/respected-colorado-springs-attorney-dennis-hartley-disbarred-over-misdeeds/article_c137be7a-c37e-11e9-aace-b7dbb10e4465.html 

May 07, 2010 20/20 episode Burned, The Amanda Gutweiler story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X8Bk8oBNG8 

If you'd like to write to Deborah, send mail to:

Deborah Nicholls #144097 PO BOX #392005 Denver, Co 80239

Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October 1997, Skip Clark was killed in York, PA. Police officers decided that the death was gang related, and that two gangs were out for each other after having a dispute. Tysheem Crocker was dragged into the conversation. The State argued that he and others plotted to retaliate against their rival gang, and that Skip was caught in the middle. Despite four witnesses testifying that they knew who the killer was and that it was not Tysheem, and despite the fact that his whereabouts were accounted for at the time of the crime, Tysheem was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.change.org/p/innocent-man-sentenced-to-life-mother-of-victim-says-wrong-man-convicted-of-sons-murder?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=85e6b1a0-b1dd-11ec-af26-eb687487e64a

https://www.facebook.com/justuiceforTysheem/

https://sgpub1.com

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B074SPJV6N/about

Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 16, 2005, Dennis and Norma Woodruff were found murdered in their Royse City, TX home. Their son Brandon, a freshman in college, had been visiting that weekend and police became suspicious of him and his lifestyle. Brandon is bisexual and was struggling in school, so police developed a narrative that Brandon had to kill his parents in order to maintain the double life he wanted. These details, however, were not secrets to Brandon’s parents at all. And despite evidence that supported his innocence, Brandon was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

To learn more and get involved, visit:
https://www.change.org/p/texas-court-of-criminal-appeals-take-up-brandon-woodruff-s-case

https://freebrandon.org/

Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 29, 1996, two gunmen broke into Michael Kershner’s apartment in Elkhart, IN and robbed Kershner, his mother and four friends. After fighting back, Kershner was shot in the abdomen. Months later, Keith Cooper was arrested on a purse snatching charge. Lead Detective, Steve Rezutko, determined that Cooper might be one of the perpetrators in Kerschner’s case based on his resemblance to a computerized sketch of the gunmen. After placing Cooper’s photo in a lineup, witnesses identified him, along with one witness who claimed to recognize his voice without ever seeing him. However, the DNA from the hat left at the scene by the gunman did not match Cooper. Solely based on eyewitness testimony, Cooper was convicted of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

To learn more, visit:

https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/211-jason-flom-with-marcus-wiggins/

https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/289-jason-flom-with-andrew-royer/

Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 19, 2008, a police officer found the body of Julie Burchett in her parked car in an abandoned pallet mill in Monticello, KY. Hope and her boyfriend lived nearby and gathered with other observers at the scene. A police informant eventually concocted an elaborate story that Hope threw a party at her mother’s house where she stabbed Julie to death. Despite Hope’s alibi, another suspect, and evidence that there was no party at all, Hope was arrested, tried and convicted. Maggie speaks to Hope White, Brittany White, Hope’s sister, and Hope’s attorney, Miranda Hellman, Attorney at the Kentucky Innocence Project.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://dpa.ky.gov/home/about-dpa/who-we-are/kip/

Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2011, 17 year old Octavius Williams was at a Halloween party hosted by his father and his father’s girlfriend in Cleveland, OH. Toward the end of the party a fight broke out in the backyard of the apartment building and Cole was shot. Cole survived, but suffered lower-body paralysis. Several witnesses said that Octavius’ brother Ricky was the shooter. But Cole identified Octavius as the person who shot him. Despite Cole’s account being the only one naming Octavius, Octavius was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

To learn more and get involved, visit:

 [email protected]

Wrongful Conviction  is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On October 23, 2005, Planes Adolphe was found in front of his Louisville, KY apartment, robbed and murdered. Police were led to a man named Steve, but Steve told police that Adolphe’s 16 year old girlfriend, Johnetta, was involved. Police eventually arrested Johnetta’s two friends – one of which endured a lengthy interrogation which ended in her implicating Johnetta. Even though the friend quickly recanted, and despite the lack of physical evidence against her, Johnetta was arrested. Johnetta ultimately accepted an Alford plea and was sentenced to 20 years in prison at 16 years old. Maggie speaks to Johnetta Carr, Lorinda Baker, Johnetta’s mother, and Johnetta’s attorney, Suzanne Hopf, Directing Attorney at the Kentucky Innocence Project.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/eh6s2-travel-expenses

www.kentuckyinnocenceproject.org

Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

​​We have worked hard to ensure that all facts reported in this show are accurate. The views and opinions expressed by the individuals featured in this show are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Lava for Good.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.