On Behalf of Edward Chapman: NC

Below is a letter on behalf of Edward Chapman to Governor Easley. Please feel free to copy, paste, print, mail, and/or e-mail this letter to other groups, churches and individuals. We are trying to mount a ... letter-writing campaign urging Easley to take this important step before he leaves office. Easley's e-mail address is : governor.office@ncmail.net.

Thanks,
Alex Cury

Governor Mike Easley
Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301

Re. Pardon of Innocence for Glen Edward Chapman

Dear Governor Easley:

Glen Edward Chapman was released from Death Row on April 2 of this year after being incarcerated for over 15 years for crimes he did not commit. This case is about a man who was very nearly sent to his death because police detectives lied at trial, covered up the existence of a confession by the real killer, buried the results of a photo lineup in which someone else was positively identified, hid witness statements that pointed to the innocence of Mr. Chapman and the guilt of another man, and altered other witness statements to make them better fit the officers’ theory of guilt. Those fabricated statements were disclosed to the defense lawyers to throw them off the track. It is a case of official corruption that exposes striking frailties in our system of justice. The police misconduct was compounded by the complete ineptness of the lawyers assigned to defend Chapman at his trial, as well as by other flaws, including forensic medical evidence demonstrating that one of the two murder victims was not a homicide victim at all. I am very concerned that our criminal justice system lacks meaningful safeguards against the possibility that the truth-finding process will be perverted by unscrupulous officers bent on justifying an arrest, even when the result is to send an innocent man to his death in the execution chamber.

The court found that the officers had lied and concealed evidence, vacated the conviction and granted a new trial. The charges were eventually dismissed and Mr. Chapman was released after many long years on Death Row for crimes he did not commit.

I urge you to award Mr. Chapman an immediate Pardon of Innocence upon the grounds that Mr. Chapman did not commit the crimes for which he was convicted so that he may receive the appropriate compensation from the State of North Carolina for his unjust and unlawful incarceration per N.C.G.S.A. § 148-82-84.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Very truly yours,