What good are Conviction Integrity Units? Ask a hit man. No, really.

Conviction Integrity Units are being peddled to the public as the solution to all that ails our justice system, although there are clear indications that they’re not.

Below Michigan Attorney General Bill Shuette’s 2011 press release announcing his Public Integrity Unit are my ignored 2011 and 2012 emails to Shuette about convicted “hit man” Vincent Smothers publicly confessing – over and over again – to carrying out the Runyon Street quadruple homicide with another hit man, not half-blind, developmentally disabled 14-year-old Davontae Sanford, who remains incarcerated although innocent. Shuette says his Public Integrity Unit doesn’t cost Michigan taxpayers anything, but clearly Davontae’s persecution and wrongful incarceration is costing a fortune.

Officers, public attorneys (defenders, prosecutors, D.A.’s, S.A.’s, A.G.’s, judges, justices, etc.) have immunities from prosecution ranging from qualified to absolute. It is the legislated elimination of civil immunities, not the creation of additional layers of government, that will fix our completely corrupt justice system.

We’re the only cavalry that’s going to show up for incarcerated innocents, folks; saddle up and start signing petitions.

[Update 3/11/15: Apparently being ignored by Shuette on the subject of Michigan prisons is far less harrowing than having him pay attention to you, per the 3/9/15 Detroit Metro Times article titled, “Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette withdraws subpoenas of Huffington Post reporter, Michigan Radio.” Again, folks, so much for the integrity of Integrity Units.]

 

Schuette Creates Public Integrity Unit To Ramp Up Fight Against Public Corruption

Contact: John Sellek or Joy Yearout 517-373-8060

February 10,  2011

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced that he has created a new Public Integrity Unit in the Attorney General’s office to ratchet up the fight against corruption in state and local government, protect tax dollars and restore the public’s trust in government.

“Corruption scandals have damaged the public’s trust in government and left Michigan with a national reputation as a place where businesses wonder who they have to pay off before creating a job,” said Schuette.  “Today, we are turning up the heat on corruption in Michigan.  There will be no more Kwames.”

Schuette noted that current Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has done a solid job restoring public trust.  However, the ongoing fallout from the Detroit corruption scandals and other issues statewide have damaged Michigan’s reputation as a place to create jobs.  Furthermore, as residents struggle to maintain employment in Michigan’s poor economy, it is vital to ensure their hard-earned tax dollars are not being lost to corruption.

Acknowledging Michigan’s tough budget situation, Schuette said the unit is being created without additional spending by reallocating existing resources in the Attorney General’s office.  The Public Integrity Unit will allow the office to put an increased focus on public corruption cases currently handled by the office’s Criminal Division, a priority Schuette identified upon taking office last month.

Schuette expects the unit to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to uncover and prosecute crimes at all levels of state and local government.

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From: Susan Chandler
Date: April 30, 2012 4:48:22 PM EDT
To: Bill Schuette <miag@michigan.gov>
Cc: ombudsman@legislature.mi.gov
Subject: Davontae Sanford; cleared by perpetrator, falsely imprisoned, reportedly abused- Citizen Inquiry AG# 2010-0026914

The Honorable Bill Schuette, Attorney General
State of Michigan
G. Mennen Williams Building, 7th Floor
Lansing, MI 48909

Dear Attorney General Shuette:

I am writing to insist that you end 19-year-old Davontae Sanford’s false imprisonment. There are reports that Davontae and other inmates are being abused by Ionia corrections officers.

To review my previous correspondence: In 2007, Detroit police coerced an incredible false confession to a single-handed quadruple homicide from 14-year-old, half-blind, developmentally-disabled Davontae without a parent or advocate present. In 2008, “Hit Man” Vincent Smothers confessed to being one of the two adult shooters; he has reasserted his guilt at every opportunity, accurately describing the homicides and weapons (link below).

As an attorney, you are aware that the younger and more mentally challenged a suspect is, the likelier he is to tell officers whatever they want to hear. I have made you aware that Detroit police have a history of coercing confessions. Eddie Joe Lloyd – also mentally challenged – died prematurely after his DNA exoneration due to Michigan’s negligent prison care.

Hog-tying. That’s what the reports say Davontae is being subjected to. For over 24 hours.

You announced today, in regards to unpaid child support, “It is a privilege to help more than 10,000 children and their parents when they need it most.”

You haven’t helped Davontae and his parents when they needed it the most, the minute you took office. Because you didn’t, they all have additional losses and traumas to heal from. Myfoxdetroit described Davontae as a man. He’s still a teen. He’s still half-blind. He’s still developmentally disabled. He’s still innocent.

Drop whatever you’re doing and do what you should have done in January of 2011 … send Davontae home. Then make sure that coerced confessions, malicious prosecution, judicial malfeasance and cruel and unusual punishment end in Michigan.

Sincerely,

Susan Chandler

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/detroit-hit-man-signs-confession-to-help-free-another-accused-man

From: Susan Chandler
Date: July 28, 2011 3:23:20 AM EDT
To: Bill Schuette <miag@michigan.gov>
Subject: False imprisonment of Davontae Sanford – Citizen Inquiry AG# 2010-0026914

The Honorable Bill Schuette, Attorney General
State of Michigan
G. Mennen Williams Building, 7th Floor
Lansing, MI 48909

Dear Attorney General Shuette:

I am writing to again ask that you intervene in the persecution of Davonate Sanford.

According to the AP as reported in clickondetroit.com, Judge Brian Sullivan decided to disregard the testimony of Linda Borus – a state investigator – that confirmed what the police, prosecutors, judiciary, your predecessor and you already know … that Davontae Sanford’s confession was coerced; Vincent Smothers and another man committed the quadruple Runyon Street homicides that Davontae is serving time for.

As Smothers’ very reasonable fear in testifying publicly for Davontae is prison retribution for naming his accomplice in those homicides, please immediately find a way to grant Smothers the ability to admit to his role and exonerate Davontae without naming his accomplice.

Jailhouse informants – and I can name many – who provided coached, false testimony typically got “walks” or reduced sentences.  All Smothers has asked for is not to be forced to turn his prison sentence for admitted homicides into a death-by-other-inmate sentence for snitching.

That’s not a lot to ask.

It’s clear that Vincent Smothers cares about what happens to innocent young Davontae.  Please make it clear that you do, too.

Sincerely,

Susan Chandler

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/28660393/detail.html

From: Susan Chandler
Date: July 11, 2011 7:33:34 PM EDT
To: Bill Schuette <miag@michigan.gov>
Cc: ASKDOJ <askdoj@usdoj.gov>
Subject: False imprisonment of Davontae Sanford – Citizen Inquiry AG# 2010-0026914

The Honorable Bill Schuette, Attorney General
State of Michigan
G. Mennen Williams Building, 7th Floor
Lansing, MI 48909

Dear Attorney General Schuette:

I am writing again to ask that you personally intervene in the ongoing persecution of Davontae Sanford.

Allowing a judge to ignore a client-authorized exception to attorney/client privilege does not serve justice; it instead furthers a four-year fraud on Michigan taxpayers.

I also ask you to personally intervene in Governor Rick Snyder’s lawlessness.  For all you know, you may be the next elected public servant whom Snyder deems too inefficient to retain elected office.

After it [all], it is fiscally irresponsible to incarcerate innocent young Davontae Sandford while guilty, self-proclaimed “hit man” Vincent Smothers is already behind bars and has named an accomplice who remains free to commit additional homicides.

Sincerely,

Susan Chandler

Judge in Davontae Sanford hearings bars testimony from hit man’s former lawyer – Detroit Crime | Examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-detroit/judge-davontae-sanford-hearings-bars-testimony-from-hit-man-s-former-lawyer

Michigan’s Governor May Be Worse Than Walker
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/michigans-governor-may-be-worse-walker

From: Susan Chandler
Date: January 6, 2011 2:26:50 PM EST
To: Bill Schuette <miag@michigan.gov>
Subject: False imprisonment of Davontae Sanford

Dear Attorney General Schuette:

Doubtless you are besieged by requests for assistance.  I can only hope that you anticipated that you would be and were prepared to hit the ground running.

Were you to search incoming emails to the Attorney General’s office, you would find my requests were ignored, and bear repeating:

Out of curiosity, 14-year-old Davontae Sanford approached police officers at a crime scene, in his pajamas.  That naïve act cost him his freedom.

Blind in one eye and developmentally disabled, Davontae was the unlikeliest of suspects for a quadruple homicide.  Just as mentally challenged Eddie Joe Lloyd had been tricked into confessing to a 1984 Detroit homicide, Davontae was tricked into confessing.  Although accused decades apart, the two shared a an embittered and ineffectual attorney, and both were convicted.

Mr. Lloyd was not exonerated until he had spent 17 years in prison.  He died shortly afterwards; harsh prison conditions had ruined his health (link below).

That should not be Davontae Sanford’s fate.  The facts are much clearer in his case.

Self-proclaimed “hit man” Vincent Smothers credibly confessed to the same crimes, along with eight others.  While Smothers is serving time for the eight homicides selected by Wayne County prosecutors to spare Detroit Police embarrassment, the other killer – whom Smothers named – walks free to make Detroit’s streets bloodier.

Davontae’s family believes that their prayers will free him.  I believe that if you are anything like your predecessor, Davontae doesn’t have a prayer, at least not for the next four years.  Please cut through Wayne County and Detroit politics to free Davontae and make sure that – on your watch – every civil servant fears framing innocents just to please the press.

Additionally, A. G. Cox did nothing to make sure that rape kit backlogs were rapidly cleared, the likeliest reason that the perpetrator has not been found for the homicide that Mr. Lloyd was framed for.

While it is important that invasive fish species do not enter the Great Lakes, it is my hope that you can multi-task and ethically address the corruption that keeps Davontae Sanford incarcerated and make sure that all crime scene forensic evidence is rapidly and accurately processed so that the real perpetrators can be found the first time, with no stand-ins.  There is no time to waste, Davontae has been transferred to an adult facility, and has few defenses to survive there.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Susan Chandler

http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/Eddie_Joe_Lloyd.php