SAVE Willie Minor in ALABAMA
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NEWS
New appeal filed requesting Oral argument
in respect to suppressed exculpatory microscopic evidence.
This is a death penalty case involving an innocent man
who has been incarcerated for 21 years. Oral argument is appropriate to address the many constitutional deprivations that led to Minor’s wrongful conviction. Foremost among them, the case can be resolved easily and narrowly because exculpatory microscopic evidence, which was suppressed (...), exonerates Minor of killing his two-month-old son.
Read more in appeal below
| 2016_06_17_minor_appeal_coa_alabama.pdf |
Who is Willie Minor?
Willie Minor is the son of a Tuscaloosa family, and the father of two boys: Dondrell who loves him, and Ebious, tragically deceased in 1995 when he was 2 months old. Others describe him as a "wise, caring, compassionate person" who always responds "with sympathy, compassion and thoughtfulness". From prison, he is one of the most devoted and active participant in the interfaith ministry and tries to bear a positive influence on others, advising the youth against bullying.
If you are a bully, why do you feel like you have to bully other people?
Let me tell you, in my world- in prison- bullies get no respect and often they become another man’s woman in prison, or lose their lives. And you should know that if you are a bully, it will send you to prison or the grave, so please stop bullying people. So what if people are different? Learn to embrace the differences in other people. If they are white, black, Hispanic or Asian, short or tall, skinny or overweight, they are still human. They deserve your respect. (...) So let’s end the bullying and have respect for life and all human beings.
(Source: A message for Bullies, Willie Minor)
E'bious and his cousins
Case summary
Willie Minor was sentenced to death in 1996 and again in 2001 for beating his two-month-old son Ebious to death at their Tuscaloosa home in 1995.
An autopsy examination revealed that Ebious's injuries included 12 recently fractured ribs, internal bleeding caused by a torn liver and a torn spleen, skull fractures, and trauma to the scrotum area.
Willie Minor maintains that he did not kill, nor hurt Ebious. According to him, the mother Lakeisha admitted during a telephone conversation with him that she had killed Ebious because she believed Ebious' death was the result of falling from a couch. Willie Minor also maintains he saw Ebious hit the door of the apartment as Lakeisha was leaving with him to go to the hospital.
Since the trial, Willie Minors' new defense team have called in experts who contend that the injuries caused to the child did not happen at the time Willie Minor was with his child that night, but rather earlier in the day -- This would have been when the child was under the responsibility of his mother.
Unfortunately, Willie Minor's lawyers and his putative experts were not given any microscopic evidence from the autopsy before or during trial. The prosecutor admitted at trial: "I am well aware that they [the defense attorneys and their experts] have not seen this" 2001-R 1980:7-8
Willie Minor was sentenced to death in 1996 and again in 2001 for beating his two-month-old son Ebious to death at their Tuscaloosa home in 1995.
An autopsy examination revealed that Ebious's injuries included 12 recently fractured ribs, internal bleeding caused by a torn liver and a torn spleen, skull fractures, and trauma to the scrotum area.
Willie Minor maintains that he did not kill, nor hurt Ebious. According to him, the mother Lakeisha admitted during a telephone conversation with him that she had killed Ebious because she believed Ebious' death was the result of falling from a couch. Willie Minor also maintains he saw Ebious hit the door of the apartment as Lakeisha was leaving with him to go to the hospital.
Since the trial, Willie Minors' new defense team have called in experts who contend that the injuries caused to the child did not happen at the time Willie Minor was with his child that night, but rather earlier in the day -- This would have been when the child was under the responsibility of his mother.
Unfortunately, Willie Minor's lawyers and his putative experts were not given any microscopic evidence from the autopsy before or during trial. The prosecutor admitted at trial: "I am well aware that they [the defense attorneys and their experts] have not seen this" 2001-R 1980:7-8
Case of Willie Minor: Rush to judgment?
What Willie Minor's lawyers say
If the microscopic evidence that [Willie Minor] finally obtained
during Rule 32 proceedings had been presented at trial,
there is a reasonable probability that he would have been acquitted. [Willie Minor]'s conviction was obtained on the theory that the injuries that caused E'bious Jennings' death had to be sustained in the 60 minutes before he arrived at Druid City Hospital (DCH) on the night of of April 15, 1995 and that Minor must have inflicted those injuries during the portion of that 60 minute window (no more than 30 minutes) that they were alone together. The newly discovered microscopic evidence demonstrates that E'bious' injuries were not possibly sustained during that period; rather they were sustained many hours before the baby arrived at DCH that night. The newly discovered disproves the prosecution's theory and exonerates [Willie Minor]. (Post hearing brief, p 4-5)
What the Statistics say
. More than 1600 children died from abuse and neglect in the USA in 2012 alone
. Over 40% of the children are one year old or younger
. 80 % of the child abuse is committed by one parent or both including:
- 27.1% is committed by the mother alone
- 17.1% is committed by the father alone
- 21.2% is perpetrated by the mother and the father acting together
Read Report:
Child Abuse and neglect - Fatalities 2012: Statistics and Interventions
. More than 1600 children died from abuse and neglect in the USA in 2012 alone
. Over 40% of the children are one year old or younger
. 80 % of the child abuse is committed by one parent or both including:
- 27.1% is committed by the mother alone
- 17.1% is committed by the father alone
- 21.2% is perpetrated by the mother and the father acting together
Read Report:
Child Abuse and neglect - Fatalities 2012: Statistics and Interventions
What a former captain of the Tuscaloosa Police Department says
During M. Minor's 1996 trial,
officer Bush stated that he eliminated [the mother] as a suspect at approximately 1:55 am on April16,1995, the morning that Ebious died. However, in my professional opinion and based on the investigation conducted, there was no evidence at that time that would have eliminated [the mother] as a suspect. Rather, this was a circumstancial case in which a lot more investigation was needed to find out what had happened to the baby.
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What witnesses say (Source: Post hearing brief)
Evidence showed that despite Ms J. denials that she screamed at, cursed at, punched, or lost control with her children, her neighbours, friends, and acquaintances had witnessed such conduct. ([Witness AB] testifying that she saw [mother LJ] lose patience with her children and hit them; (Witness DM: Testifying that she witnessed [mother LJ] shove her young son hard enough to knock him under a table); (Witness W: testifying "I often saw [mother LJ] hit the kids"); (Witness CN: [mother LJ] "often yelled at [her children] and... hit her kids very hard. I saw [mother LJ] do this multiple times"). Trial counsel however, had not obtained any of this evidence. (...) Trial counsel were ineffective for failing to investigate and elicit testimony about [the mother]'s' record of concealing and misrepresenting her children's medical histories, as she had with E'bious medical condition.
Had such testimony had been elicited at trial, there is a reasonable probability that the outcome would have been different. As Captain Lowery testified: "Child abuse is often part of a pattern" and evidence that [mother LJ] had a pattern of offering contradictory excuses for her children's significant injuries is relevant to an investigation of an incident of potential child abuse.
Evidence showed that despite Ms J. denials that she screamed at, cursed at, punched, or lost control with her children, her neighbours, friends, and acquaintances had witnessed such conduct. ([Witness AB] testifying that she saw [mother LJ] lose patience with her children and hit them; (Witness DM: Testifying that she witnessed [mother LJ] shove her young son hard enough to knock him under a table); (Witness W: testifying "I often saw [mother LJ] hit the kids"); (Witness CN: [mother LJ] "often yelled at [her children] and... hit her kids very hard. I saw [mother LJ] do this multiple times"). Trial counsel however, had not obtained any of this evidence. (...) Trial counsel were ineffective for failing to investigate and elicit testimony about [the mother]'s' record of concealing and misrepresenting her children's medical histories, as she had with E'bious medical condition.
Had such testimony had been elicited at trial, there is a reasonable probability that the outcome would have been different. As Captain Lowery testified: "Child abuse is often part of a pattern" and evidence that [mother LJ] had a pattern of offering contradictory excuses for her children's significant injuries is relevant to an investigation of an incident of potential child abuse.
What a former neighbours and friends say (AB)
Lakeesha told me that she was trying to save up money to get an abortion.
Lakeesha told me that she would steal from the mall and then sell them to try to raise money. At least one time, I remember Lakeisha getting in trouble with the law for doing so. She got caught stealing, but I saw that her aunt [TW] who was a police officer brought Lakeisha home and I understood Lakeisha did not get charged.
Later I remember Lakeisha crying because she still did not have enough money for an abortion. Afterwards, probably when she was several months pregnant, I used to see Lakeisha jump up and down the apartment building's stairs onto a landing, which was six or seven steps down. I saw her do this at least on two occasions. When I asked her what she was doing, she told me she was doing so to try to cause a miscarriage. Lakeisha also told me that she also drank some mixture, I believe it contained turpentine and fingernail polish removal, in an effort to miscarry. (...)
Given everything I knew about how much she did not want to have the baby (...), it did not surprise me to find out that he had died (Source: Baten Steve 018 Doc).
| baten,_steve_px_018.pdf |
What a neighbour and acquaintance says (CN)
My relationship with Lakeesha was one of neighbor and acquaintance.
We had friends in common. Her children and mine knew each other. From my relationship with Lakeesha and having regularly seen her around the apartment complex and in the community, I knew she was very tough on her kids. She often yelled at them and hit them. She did have patience and she did not know how to correctly discipline such young children. Instead,would hit her kids very hard. I saw Lakeesha do this multiple times. And sometimes through the common wall between our apartments, I could hear her scream and whack her kids. Because of how I knew Lakeesha to act toward her kids, I was not surprised when E'Bious died. (Source: Minor R32 - Final day 2, p 292)
COULD FATHER WILLIE MINOR be responsible
for the beating TO DEATH OF HIS BABY?
What the polygraph says
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Conclusion of the Polygraph Examiner
Using the questions, techniques and equipment noted above, I administered a pre-test interview and polygraph examination to your client, 21 May 1996 in the Tuscaloosa County Jail. My opinion formulated from the examination is "No Deception Indicated". In other words, I am convinced that Willie Minor's physiological reactions to the test questions indicate that he is truthful in these matters.
What the mother of deceased child, Ebious says in original police interview (She is stated as LJ)
What the family says
Family standing for Willie Minor: His son Dondrell, his brother Marcus; his niece Neka, his grand son Dondrell Jr; his niece Kela; his sister Treshur; his niece Kaylah. They believe in his innocence.
Family standing for Willie Minor: His son Dondrell, his brother Marcus; his niece Neka, his grand son Dondrell Jr; his niece Kela; his sister Treshur; his niece Kaylah. They believe in his innocence.
What Willie Minor's brother says
As for Willie's demeanor towards kids, he cared for children
as much as anyone you could imagine.
Whether it was with his children, or those of other people when they acted up,the only discipline Willie imposed was refusing to give them candy or take them to store. Normally, when kids were around, he would take them to the store where he would buy them whatever treats they wanted. When they acted up, he'd just say "if you keep acting like that, I'm not going to give you any candy or take you to the store". I think Willie had this attitude toward discipline because our parents rarely spanked us when we were growing up.
| l._dan_turberville-41.pdf |
What the mother of Willie Minor's first child says
It was unbelievable to hear that Willie was being charged with [his baby son's] death.
He loved the baby and he loved children so much; Willie would not harm a child, much less harm me (...)
My son and Willie love each other very much. Willie has remained a central figure in Dondrell's life. Willie writes constantly, calls often and tries to make sure that Dondrell dedicates himself to his studies so he can avoid the dangers Willie fell into and fought so hard to overcome.
| l._dan_turberville-23.pdf |
What Willie Minor's former school teacher says
Willie was a bright student that never caused serious problem in my class.(...)
When I read about Willie having been arrested for the murder of his son, I was shocked. I could have understood if Willie got involved in a violent incident that was drug related, but I could not imagine him hurting a child. I followed the case in the newspapers over the years, but no attorney ever asked my opinion about the case. If I had been asked, I gladly would have testified at Willie's trial.
| l._dan_turberville-37.pdf |
What his friend Priya says
I believe I first began corresponding with Willie in 2002,
when I was in a college student. In the intervening years, we have gotten to know each other quite well. I know about his life and family, about his past, and his future aspirations. He, in turn, knows about mine. Having gotten to know him over the years, and having read the documents related to his case, I believe deeply and without any doubt that he is innocent of the crime for which he now sits on death row. This is a case of clear and profound injustice; injustice to Willie, injustice to his infant son whose life was lost, and an injustice to the rest of his family from whom he has been separated so many years. Willie is a reflective, generous, and good-hearted person. He genuinely cares about others, takes pride in his family, and is a true support for his friends. It is imperative that the state of Alabama review this case honestly, fairly, and openly - if they do, they will have no choice but to exonerate Willie."
Find out more
Appeals
1999 -- Court of Criminal Appeals, Alabama
2000 -- Supreme Court of Alabama (Decision ordering a new trial)
2004 -- Court of Criminal appeals, Alabama
1999 -- Court of Criminal Appeals, Alabama
2000 -- Supreme Court of Alabama (Decision ordering a new trial)
2004 -- Court of Criminal appeals, Alabama
How you can help
If you have any information in relation to this case, please contact us or contact his lawyers
If you have any information in relation to this case, please contact us or contact his lawyers
