Missouri Prison Reform received the following message from a resident of a Missouri prison. Some edits were made for clarity. Names were redacted by Missouri Prison Reform.
I truly believe Allah hand is in work on my case the truth will prevail. I must always keep everything 100 because once I try to explain something I want it to be about the truth an no matter what, the truth never changes. Yes, I was bisexual. I am no longer involved in that type of behavior. I have become a Proud Muslim; however, I am not pushing my beliefs on to anyone. I just know the peace I have obtained through this worse experience in my life. I honestly attempted to kill myself and even though I honestly shouldn’t be here, Allah has a plan even for little O me. I must start my story with facts I am 1000% innocent. An Allah is my witness. I had a Public Defender who came and visited me 2 time in 2 years (I have my visit log if needed). I wrote the Civil Rights Division in Washington. I wrote the Bar in Jefferson City, and this was done a year before trial. My lawyer was part of the Public Defender lawsuit saying they could not do their job. Even though their case was thrown out and the judge stated it wasn’t enough staff it was because of the training of the Attorney. I was charged with abusing my nephew. (Allah as my witness I never touched him). I honestly believe that if someone attempted to ask him. Today he would tell the truth. His mother was fighting a child endangerment charge where she and her then boyfriend got into a high speed with her 2 kids one 3 and the other 8 at the time. Then became a victim of Her then gay brother (myself), saying I touched her son. But they didn’t care that the DFS investigator went and talk to the said victim, and he stated I have Never been touched by Him (myself). Now what’s so crazy about that is until we received the paper, we didn’t know about this (paperwork requested by the investigator who I talk to more than my attorney). He was the state witness but after we got the paperwork the state took him off their witness list (didn’t want that to come out). An attempted to discredited him during the trial. They didn’t care that the school had called the hot line on her over 30 times. They didn’t care that her son gets his arm broken by her and she said the victim in my case done it. We had phone records that she threatened to break her son jaw for leaving an empty paper bag in the refrigerator. We had phone records that she said she beat the shit out of the victim, and he isn’t going to do nothing else wrong. But said that her child wasn’t afraid of her. This statement is crazy because one of the state witnesses (another one of her children) said they get in trouble if they don’t say what she wants them to say. The court allowed the State to introduce evidence (that I only asked to speak to said victim) and that he was so scared of me that he didn’t say anything until after his younger brother said that he (the said victim) touched him while giving him a bath. But the Jail house phone call are the reason this conversation came about was not allowed in trial because of a possible crime being commented by the said victim. We have log of the Detective interviewing the said victim but was not able to give us a copy of the interview. Mind you, we have copy of a memo where the whole Unit was under investigation for falsifying interviews and closing case without investigating it. We have proof that this injustice happened in my case but because of the nature of my case. The jury didn’t get a chance to hear anything of this information. But it’s like now a person would rather be wrong lock me up then been wrong and let me out. The system doesn’t care about an injustice being done. Because I had appeal attorney who on the form 40 evidence hearing she messed up and didn’t follow her supervisor direction. Now this hearing was conducted by the same judge that handle my trial who would have to admit she did something wrong. Now understand this a form 40 evidence hearing responses usually take 3 to 4 months to get an answer back. It took 3 weeks on my case. A miscarriage of justice is when the same judge that was over the trial can review its own hearing. Now something for you to think about the attorney General offices fights tooth and nail to uphold a conviction even when they know it’s wrong. This is done with your tax paying dollars. This isn’t 50% of the injustice I received. But with an attorney that didn’t know my case to bring this information to the jury. They only heard the story the State put before them. An even though we had information that would have questioned the state case and could have provide the truth, it wasn’t what my attorney or the judge care to show. I hate that I am not a part of the Justice system because I got 30 years for something the victim didn’t even remember. But remember justice isn’t about justice if you’re not a part of the US in the justice word. I was taught that the truth will set me free. I will be locked up for 9 years for something I never did. But I have lost everyone and have no family because of a lie. Just think about doing this alone. But I am not alone, I have Allah and His truth will always stand firm. And I trust His truth with my soul. -Mark Powell
