Texas Didn’t Get it Right -Again.
This is getting old. It seems two more men will be released today after being locked up for crimes they did not commit.
::Claude Alvin Simmons Jr., 54 & Christopher Shun Scott, 39::
Claude Simmons Jr., 54, and Christopher Scott, 39, received life sentences in the 1997 murder of Alfonso Aguilar. Another man has now confessed to the crime, and Simmons and Scott were scheduled to be released today.
Investigators now believe Don Michael Anderson, 40, and Alonzo Hardy, 49, are the actual killers. Anderson is under arrest, charged with capital murder. Hardy is already serving time for an unrelated crime.
These guys were locked up for 12 YEARS! And I guess all TX can say it. “Sorry.” Had it not been for a joint investigation between the Dallas Police Department’s Cold Case Unit and the Conviction Integrity Unit of the prosecutor’s office, these men would still be in prison.
They have lost 12 years of their children lives. 12 years of not being able to see their families, other than thru a pane of glass. 12 years if watchin they asses in the shower, and all they can say is ‘Sorry’? This is not a movie, and everything will be alright when they role the credits. This is real life.
I’d make dayumm ‘sho make SURE they showed me the money, tho! I’d sue them and charge them, if I could. False imprisonment for one, and I’m sure there is a violation of civil rights in here somewhere as well…
The Big Elephant (and yes, he’s WHITE!) in the room is TX and they way they handle minority cases. They have a very high percentage of incarcerated Blacks, Hispanics, and Others (!) who have turned out to be innocent. Its no secret that this is a very racist state, but these numbers are climbin’ way to high. We hear something like this every few months…
I think that instead of releasing the wrongfully accused and just slappin’ those responsible on the hands and being done with it, these people should be held accountable. Fired, demoted, and sued individually… something. I’m not sure some of these ‘racists in high places’, are making a mistake, and instead knowingly sending an innocent minority to jail.
After all, all this money that TX is payin’ out for the lawsuits that surely follow these travesties should be recompensed somehow. And maybe in the future, these ‘string pullers’ will be more diligent and honest, especially if its gonna cost THEM.
