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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jul 26, 2010 0:47:46 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jul 26, 2010 1:34:06 GMT -5
Excepts taken from his online petition which can be seen in its entirety here; www.thepetitionsite.com/1/justus-4-shawn-hawkinsWe are petitioning Governor Strickland in an effort to save Shawn from unjustly being put to death by the State of Ohio for the murders, which he did not commit, of Terrance Richard and Diamond Marteen in Mt. Healthy, Ohio. We stand firmly on the belief that Shawn Hawkins is innocent of these crimes! We feel Shawn was unjustly convicted for the following reasons: NO INVOLVEMENTHe had absolutely no involvement in this crime that he was charged with, and unjustly convicted of. UNRELIABLE WITNESSThe State's key witness, a juvenile at the time, Henry Brown, failed two polygraph tests, changed his story multiple times, lied about his alibi the night of the murders, and he later confessed to participating in the crimes. Henry was granted full Immunity.After Shawn's conviction, Henry Brown told investigators that he had lied at Shawn's trial and confessed to participating in the homicides. One year after Shawn's conviction, Brown robbed two others at gunpoint in a manner similar to the murders of Terrace Richard and Diamond Marteen. He is currently serving another sentence of 4 to 7 years for aggravated robbery. PARTIAL FINGERPRINTThe only physical evidence was a questionable partial fingerprint found in the car with the victims. Shawn had admittedly been in the car several times during the course of that horrific day with the two young men. The Miami Valley Crime Lab, which had the latest laser technology, determined that a fingerprint could not be enhanced, lifted, or identified from any of the prints found in the car and therefore could not help the State's case. The lab sent the prints, some of which had been destroyed in the testing process, back to the detectives. Although the Crime Lab was unable to identify the fingerprints, the State Examiner, who had no prior blood print experience, used this same physical evidence and miraculously enhanced it to identify Shawn's print. None of this information was made available to Shawn's attorney and the circumstances surrounding the fingerprint evidence were revealed during Federal Discovery, many years later, after Shawn's conviction. INEFFECTIVE COUNSELLegal Counsel told Shawn that there was no way he could be convicted of these crimes. Counsel believed the state's evidence was so unsubstantial that he had him testify in his own defense, failed to call witnesses on Shawn's behalf, failed to present any mitigating evidence, even though such evidence was readily available and conducted an extremely weak defense. Counsel's closing arguments focused entirely on berating and threatening the jury for its prior determination of Shawn's guilt, while failing to present mitigating evidence or call witnesses on Shawn's behalf. The jury issued a death sentence following Counsel's closing arguments. POLICE INVESTIGATIONThe conduct of the police investigators was reprehensible. The agenda was on closing the case and not finding the actual killers of these two young men. The State's key witness implicated two additional people as participants in the crimes, but neither person was ever arrested or charged, which illuminates the fact that they really never cared about finding the truth. There is an existing audiotape of the police investigators where one detective makes the statement "two dead black persons in Mt. Healthy". This demonstrates how low they regarded the lives of blacks and did not hesitate to help convict and ruin the life of another innocent black man. At trial, they testified that they lost their notes regarding what Shawn had told them during the investigation, which speaks for itself! The fact that Shawn's jury did not hear much of this important evidence has not been corrected by the courts. |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Nov 11, 2010 13:30:36 GMT -5
Dead Man Walking' nun offers solace Sister Helen Prejean, one of the world's leading authorities and outspoken critics of the death penalty, says she has seen many condemned men die alone without their families. Prejean, 71, the author of "Dead Man Walking," continually touched a theme when she met for three hours over lunch Wednesday in the home of a couple whose son on Ohio's Death Row has exhausted all of his appeals.
More;news.cincinnati.com/article/20101110/NEWS01/11110335/-Dead-Man-Walking-nun-offers-solace |
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Post by kellster on Mar 23, 2011 21:40:52 GMT -5
This man killed my brother. I was a little girl and I didn't not get the chance to know him. There was no one out there fighting for my brother’s life as he was shot and left in the streets. There was no forum hoping that someone would listen and hear the cries of his family for his life. This man does not deserve any sympathy for he gave none himself. He killed two men. This is a world where we have to face the consequences of our mistakes and he is probably genuinely sorry but that is not the price for his actions. This was not a fist fight or a yelling match this was bullets and death for money and jewelry. He felt that 2 lives were worth money and jewelry. Well now he has to come face to face with his actions and be a man. We all lay in the beds we make.
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Post by guest on Mar 26, 2011 2:23:20 GMT -5
I'm very sorry for your and your families loss.
But what if the real killer is still on the streets? Because he is.
Shawn is gonna die the same useless death and another family will suffer, just like yours.
Let's pray justice will be done.
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Mar 27, 2011 20:34:40 GMT -5
Kellster This forum is not pro death and, in general, inappropriate comments will be removed. Our policy is that/ Constructive comments or links to memorial sites dedicated to victims can be placed in the Victims remembered area. bretthartmann.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rememberedThis free website tool has been recommended. www.webs.com/ That being said, I left your posting in the hope that a constructive discussion might happen. I feel that the guest who posted above me has made a valid point that needs to be considered. I don't know Shawn, nor am I speaking on behalf of him or his family. I can only speak for myself as a person who has a family member on Ohio's death row, and I would like to take this opportunity to share this article with you. I find it hard to believe that any victim would have wished to create more victims in their name. www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/defenseupdates/deathpenalty003/$FILE/MVFHReport.pdf |
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Post by guest on May 2, 2011 12:59:30 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 3, 2011 13:09:05 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 5, 2011 1:24:59 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 5, 2011 1:36:57 GMT -5
Shawn Hawkins needs yours support: To support Shawn's case: contact the Chairwoman of the Ohio Parole board and express your concern that Ohio may execute an innocent man. Also contact Governor Kasich and urge him to grant Shawn Hawkins clemency. 1. Contact Cynthnia Mauser (Chairwoman of the Ohio Parole Board): 614-752-1200 or or toll-free 888-344-1441 2. Contact Governor Kasich: (614) 466-3555 Read the following Press Release distributed by the NAACP: PRESS RELEASE May 4, 2011 For Immediate Release Contact: Christopher Smitherman Cincinnati NAACP Conservatives and Liberals Agree
that Shawn Hawkins Deserves
Clemency Shawn Hawkins due to be put to death on June 14th CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 4, 2011 - After reviewing the facts in this case the Cincinnati NAACP Executive Committee and Membership believe that Shawn Hawkins is innocent. The evidence produced by a "jail house crook" is not enough to put a man to death. The Parole Board will hear his case today and will make a recommendation to Governor Kasich. "It is our hope that the Parole Board will see that Shawn Hawkins should not be put to death on June 14, 2011. This 22 year old case of one person testifying that Shawn Hawkins was involved in this crime is not enough to kill him. There is no weapon. There is no blood sample. There are no eyewitnesses other than the person who we believe committed the crime," Christopher Smitherman, president of the Cincinnati NAACP said. NEW VOICES: Conservatives in Ohio Petition Parole Board to Spare Man's LifeA number of prominent conservatives in Ohio are lending their voices in support of clemency for Shawn Hawkins (pictured), who is facing execution on June 14. Republicans Ken Blackwell, a former Secretary of State and 2006 gubernatorial candidate, former Attorney General Jim Petro, and state Sen. Bill Seitz have all written letters to Gov. John Kasich or to the Parole Board on behalf of Hawkins. Blackwell wrote, "I have been a public advocate for the death penalty and remain so today. Furthermore, in the 30-plus years of my public life, I have only written two letters requesting clemency for an individual. I have reviewed the facts and circumstances of this case with a number of sources. Shawn Hawkins does not deserve to die. . . I urge you to spare him from the death penalty." Sen. Seitz added, "[T]here is no reason to end Mr. Hawkins' life on something so utterly flimsy as mishandled and inconclusive fingerprints and the testimony of a witness with every motive to lie. . ." The sentence of life without the possibility of parole was not an option in 1989 when Hawkins was sentenced. The chief witness against Hawkins, Henry Brown, was also charged with murder and robbery as a co-conspirator in the same crime, but was given immunity in exchange for testimony against Hawkins. Brown changed his statement at least five times and failed two lie-detector tests. www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-voices-conservatives-ohio-petition-parole-board-spare-mans-life |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 5, 2011 1:47:21 GMT -5
Local Death Row Inmate Claims Innocence An attorney for a Hamilton County man scheduled to die next month says he's convinced his client is not guilty of a 1989 double killing in the Cincinnati area. Tony Covatta says doubt surrounds every important element of the case against Shawn Hawkins, sentenced to death for the slayings of 18-year-old Terrance Richard and 19-year-old Diamond Marteen in Mt. Healthy. Covatta is calling into question the testimony of the sole eyewitness against Hawkins as well as the validity of a partial fingerprint of Hawkins found in the car where the men were killed. "This is one of those rare cases where justice went astray," he said. Hawkins' family said he didn't take a plea deal in the case because he contends he is innocent. "I said, 'Now look, be honest with me. If you committed these murders, this will be your only way out to save your life. They said they will give you 20 years and you'd be out again,' and he said 'Pops, I didn't commit these murders,'" and I've been rolling with him ever since," stepfather Charles Hogan said. "I know he's innocent." "I'll say it until the day I die; he was at home with me at the time these boys supposedly were murdered," Hawkins' mother, Judy Hogan, said. The 42-year-old Hawkins also has support from two Republicans who normally support capital punishment, state Sen. Bill Seitz of Cincinnati and Ken Blackwell, Ohio's former secretary of state and a 2006 gubernatorial candidate. "We got a bunch of powerful, influential people who looked at this case, who agree with us that this never should have happened and Shawn shouldn't be on death row," Covatta said. Read more: www.wlwt.com/news/27772651/detail.html#ixzz1LSRFbHoGIncludes video |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 5, 2011 1:55:54 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 12, 2011 12:41:45 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 12, 2011 13:17:00 GMT -5
Clemency Recommended For Local Death Row Inmate The Ohio Parole Board has recommended mercy for a condemned inmate who says he's innocent of killing two men in 1989. Defense attorneys have argued that doubt surrounds every element of the case against 42-year-old Shawn Hawkins. Read more: www.wlwt.com/news/27867794/detail.html#ixzz1MAC3wGqz |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 12, 2011 13:32:33 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 12, 2011 13:42:53 GMT -5
This morning the Ohio Parole Board recommended 7-0 that Shawn Hawkins receive clemency. Good News but not the final Good News. We need to continue to contact Governor Kasich to grant clemency. Two ActionsShawn Hawkins Call - In Week Mon. May 23 Cleveland/Youngstown Tues. May 24 Toledo Wed. May 25 Columbus Thurs. May 26 Miami valley/Yellow Springs/Springfield Fri. May 27 Cincinnati The Clemency Board unanimously recommended clemency for Shawn We need to urge Governor Kasich to support clemency. Let the Governor know that Ohioans do not want this execution to take place. 1. Call the Governor’s office: 1-614-466-3555 2. Basic script: “My name is _____________. I’m calling from ___________________ I would like to urge Governor Kasich to grant clemency to Shawn Hawkins.” 3. Other information you can include. Choose 1 or 2: · The only eye witness changed his testimony many times. · Fingerprint evidence was corrupted and can not be used. · The gun prosecution implied was used in the murder was in police custody when the murders took place. · 3 judges have expressed misgivings about Shawn’s guilt. 4. SPREAD THE WORD!! Ask others to call the Governor. Motion For a New Trial for ShawnOn Tuesday, May 17 at 10:00 in Rm 510 of the Hamilton County Courthouse there will be a hearing on the motion for a new trial for Shawn Hawkins. Tony Covatta, Shawn's lawyer, thinks it would be a good idea for supporters of clemency were present in the courtroom at that time. Have a little free time? Please consider attending this hearing. You are needed. Hamilton County Courthouse 1000 Main Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Directions and Parking Informationwww.courtclerk.org/directions.asp(I'm not sure of the courthouse security procedures, but I would suggest that you take proper identification with you.) |
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Post by Unknown on May 15, 2011 21:40:07 GMT -5
I know shawn was not the one who did this I know u putting an inocent man to death
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 17, 2011 11:46:06 GMT -5
Local Death Row Inmate Denied New Trial A local man facing execution may yet have his life spared, but he won't be granted a new trial. Judge Dennis Helmick denied Shawn Hawkins' request for a new trial on Tuesday morning. Read more: www.wlwt.com/news/27923421/detail.html#ixzz1Md3t2wpS |
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Post by Ivet on May 20, 2011 5:09:43 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on May 20, 2011 23:04:11 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 2, 2011 1:12:57 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 4, 2011 12:17:34 GMT -5
Governor has expressed doubt about condemned man's guilt in murders After allowing four killers to be put to death, Gov. John Kasich faces a dilemma in the case of Shawn Hawkins, a Cincinnati man scheduled for execution on June 14. Supporters claim Hawkins, 42, did not kill Terrence Richard and Diamond Marteen. Both men were found shot to death in a car in Mt. Healthy, a Cincinnati suburb, on the morning of June 12, 1989. Kasich himself said there is "considerable doubt" about the case. More;www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/06/04/kasich-to-decide-inmates-fate.html?sid=101 |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 7, 2011 23:09:35 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 8, 2011 12:54:34 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 8, 2011 12:58:05 GMT -5
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 8, 2011 13:03:06 GMT -5
Kasich commutes convicted killer's sentence to life without parole Convicted killer Shawn Hawkins will not be executed because details of his role in the double slaying are "frustratingly unclear," Gov. John Kasich said today in commuting his death sentence to life without parole. In his clemency statement, Kasich said there is "no doubt that the defendant played a significant, material role in this heinous crime, but precise details of that role are frustratingly unclear to the point that Ohio shouldn't deliver the ultimate penalty in this case. "Therefore, I am ordering that he spend the rest of his life in prison and have no chance of ever getting out. As someone who has experienced sudden and tragic loss, I know the pain that comes with losing loved ones. My prayers go out to the families of Diamond Marteen and Terrence Richard in the hope that they may find peace." More; www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/06/08/kasich-spares-life-of-convicted-double-murderer.html?sid=101 |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 8, 2011 23:31:49 GMT -5
Gov Kasich grants clemency to death row inmate Hawkins Ohio Governor John Kasich has spared the life of a convicted killer of two people, expressing concern that there is considerable doubt about the case. 43-year-old Shawn Hawkins had been scheduled to die next week for the 1989 killings of 18-year old Terrance Richard and 19-year old Diamond Marteen in Mount Healthy. But his attorneys had raised questions about evidence that sent him to death row. Last month the Ohio Parole Board recommended that Kasich spare Hawkins. The family of convicted killer Shawn Hawkins are thrilled his life was spared. His parents worked 22 years to keep him alive. Hawkins is the first death row inmate to receive mercy from Governor Kasich. Hawkins will spend the rest of his life in prison. His family told us, they are eternally grateful and that they never lost hope. ____________________________________ "This really is a great day," said Sister Alice Gerdeman, CDP, of the Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center in Cincinnati. "And we should have more days like this in the State of Ohio, more times when truth is told, when it's recognized, when life is valued." Gerdeman is a family friend and has helped champion Hawkins' clemency. "When you get to less than a week before an execution," Gerdeman said. "Of somebody with all of the signs of innocence that this case has, it should make everybody in the State very, very aware of the fact that we could make a mistake, we didn't this time, but we could." There is a bill before the Legislature right now to eliminate the death penalty in the State of Ohio. "And if there's ever a case that would make a case for that bill to be passed this is it," Gerdeman said. More; www.fox19.com/story/14871564/gov-kasich-grants-clemency-to-death-row-inmate-hawkins |
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 8, 2011 23:39:25 GMT -5
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Post by Ivet on Jun 13, 2011 21:50:31 GMT -5
Yes! Shawn is off death row!!
Please now take action for Brett!
Call or e-mail Governor Kasich and ask him to spare his life!
Kill death penalty!
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Post by thinkinkmesa on Jun 15, 2011 11:05:30 GMT -5
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