A very likely innocent man is on Death Row in California.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

This is a very compelling case for innocence. The guy was at one point hours away from execution.

It sure looks like he was framed by unethical police and lab technicians.

Was Kevin Cooper Framed For Murder?

By Nicholas Kristof

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/17/opinion/sunday/kevin-cooper-california-death-row.html

The first sign that something was wrong was a continuous busy signal on the home phone of Doug and Peggy Ryen.

Bill Hughes, who lived nearby, wasn’t initially concerned. His 11-year-old son, Chris, had slept over at the Ryens’ and he thought maybe they had all gone out for breakfast. But finally at noon Hughes drove over to pick Chris up and, when no one answered the Ryens’ door, he peered through the sliding glass doors — and his brain couldn’t process all the red. “This is paint, makeup,” he thought wildly.

Then reality sank in, and he kicked the kitchen door in. Blood from the five victims was splattered everywhere. Hughes rushed to his son, but the body was cold. Doug and Peggy Ryen, both nude, had also been stabbed to death, and the bloody corpse of their 10-year-old daughter, Jessica, was in a doorway. But Josh Ryen, 8 years old, was moving feebly on the floor even though his throat had been slashed and his skull fractured

Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Soon sheriff’s deputies were swarming all over the Ryen house in affluent, suburban Chino Hills, east of Los Angeles, that day in June 1983. Several signs, including Josh’s personal account, pointed to three white attackers, and blond or brown hairs were found in the victims’ hands, as if torn off in a struggle.

Sheriff’s deputies were also contacted by the woman whose boyfriend was a convicted murderer, recently released from prison, whom she suspected of involvement in the Ryen killings. She not only gave deputies his bloody coveralls but also told them that his hatchet was missing from his tool rack and resembled one of the weapons reportedly used in the attacks.

But instead of testing the coveralls for the Ryens’ blood, the deputies threw them away–and pursued Cooper. After a racially charged trial, he was convicted of murdering the Ryens and Chris Hughes and is now on death row at San Quentin Prison.

Gov. Jerry Brown is refusing to allow advanced DNA testing that might finally resolve the question of who committed the murders, even though Cooper’s defense would pay for it. Brown refuses to allow even advanced testing of the blond or brown hairs that were found in the victims’ hands.

[still_one]

1. That the only eye-witness, and victim to the incident, Josh Ryen, pointed to someone else than

Cooper as the attacker should be reason enough to warrant the advanced DNA testing

[Bettie]

2. This is ridiculous

Took the time to read the article and it is pretty clear that this guy is not the one who committed this horrible act.

I'm disappointed in the Democrats involved in this as well...I expect such from right wingers, I expect better from our side.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. This part really struck me:

It’s obvious to you by now that this is not a usual column — I’m not sure The Times has ever published a column of this length — so why am I exploring the case with such passion? I became interested primarily because Fletcher and other respected federal appeals judges had said he was framed. That just doesn’t happen.

I’m also haunted by something else. In 2000, I proposed reporting a lengthy piece about doubts about the conviction of Cameron Willingham, who was then on death row in Texas for the arson murder of his three children. An editor talked me out of it, and I never did write about Willingham, who was executed in 2004. Since then, growing evidence has emerged that he was innocent, and perhaps it’s partly to atone for my earlier failure that I’ve taken up Cooper’s case.

[Bettie]

5. That makes me tear up a bit

Our system is so unbalanced, so heavily biased that it is hard to even call it a system of Justice at all.

I read an article about Willingham as well. I think I recall a claim that Iron Maiden and Led Zepplin posters indicated he was a sociopath...that stuck in my head at the time and still comes to mind years later.

I'm glad this writer took the time to read the piece and I hope that Mr. Cooper's case has a better ending.

It is because of cases like this that I am 100% against the death penalty in all cases. It does no good, it doesn't bring the dead back, it just creates more death, sometimes of innocent people.

[DFW]

4. The part I don't get

Why is Jerry Brown refusing to consider exonerating evidence here? He's not running for re-election. He can afford to be lenient, especially if there is strong evidence Cooper might not be guilty. This seems so wrong, I wonder if there is more to this story somewhere? Who would NOT for preventing an innocent man from being executed (overlooking Rick Perry, that is).

[Uncle Joe]

8. I agree DFW, there is nothing to lose from more DNA testing.

[MFM008]

6. I read the whole thing

You dont have to be Sherlock Holmes to know the evidence merits more testing.
I remember a case in Virginia years ago, the guy
Said he couldnt have raped and murdered his sister in law(i think his SIL) he claimed DNA retesting would clear him.
Well they did the test i think after he was executed.
It showed he WAS the guilty party.
I say let the evidence speak.

[grantcart]

7. Very disturbing

[grantcart]

9. kick