U.S : an innocent Black man has been locked up for over two decades, but this Attorney General is blocking his chance for release.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is blocking Lamar Johnson, an innocent Black man, from reuniting with his family.

Demand Attorney General Eric Schmitt defend Lamar's right to a new trial.

Dear friend,

The Missouri Attorney General is stopping Lamar Johnson, an innocent Black man, from reuniting with his family.

In 1995, Lamar Johnson was falsely accused, wrongly convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. More than two decades later, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner discovered multiple instances of prosecutorial misconduct in Lamar’s case including the bribing of the prosecution’s key eyewitness, who later recanted his testimony.² 

Now as part of an effort to right the wrongs of tough-on-crimes policies, Kim Gardner has petitioned the courts to hear the evidence of innocence and grant Lamar a new trial. But Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is BLOCKING Lamar's new trial and release. Schmitt claims that Gardner has no authority as a prosecutor to correct a miscarriage of justice and that the state technically cannot request a new trial for a defendant.³ This is morally reprehensible — why wouldn't he want to support freeing an innocent man ? 

It’s time for Schmitt to stop playing political games with people’s lives. That is why we are demanding that Schmitt immediately end his efforts to block Gardner’s motion for a new trial and reverse course by joining hundreds of community advocates and legal experts in securing Johnson’s freedom. 

Tell Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt: Defend Lamar Johnson's freedom

It is not unusual for police officers to manipulate the evidence in order to lock Black people away. We have seen police officers and prosecutors coercing false confessions, tampering with evidence, and lying under oath all to keep Black people in cages. From the infamous case involving the Exonerated Five to more recently, Dontae Sharpe, a Black man wrongly convicted and incarcerated for two decades --  it is no secret that law enforcement will go to extraordinary and even unethical lengths to harm Black people. This blatant abuse of power needs to be addressed and stopped.

In Lamar’s case, the claims were downright ridiculous. Police officers claimed that Lamar miraculously left his home, traveled three miles to commit murder, fled on foot for three miles back to his apartment -- all under 5 minutes.⁴ Most shockingly, Johnson was not even released after the men actually responsible for the crime came forward and confessed, both in 1996 and 2002.⁵ The racist criminal justice system in Missouri has essentially robbed Lamar of his life and promising future. There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of falsely accused people locked up in cages. However, in the past three years, there have only been 13 exonerations in Missouri.⁶

The last thing AG Eric Schmitt should be doing is blocking any time attempt to free this Black man. Gardner should be commended not bullied for her efforts. We need more elected officials doing the right thing and addressing the harm of mass incarceration, especially in the cases of those who are innocent.

Sign now to demand Lamar Johnson’s freedom

All across the country, prosecutors are using conviction review units (CRUs) to free people from prison. For instance, as a result of the State’s Attorney’s Kim Foxx's investigation of prosecutorial misconduct, nearly 40 incarcerated people have been reunited with their families.⁷ In the same vein, AG Schmitt can now correct the mistakes made by the criminal legal system 2 decades ago -- he can help reunite Lamar with his loved ones and return him to his beloved community. Lamar should not have to wait another day in prison. 

Justice means bringing Lamar home. Demand AG Schmitt put an immediate end to this obstruction.

Until justice is real, 

Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika Clarise, Malachi, Marybeth, Marena, Madison, Leonard, Tamar, Neosho, and the rest of the Color of Change team.

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References :

1. "To win a murder conviction, police and prosecutors made up evidence and secretly paid a witness, St Louis DA finds." The Washington Post, 26 July 2019.
2. Ibid.
3. "Missouri AG looks to block efforts to free Lamar Johnson, saying Gardner does not have the authority." KMOV4 News, 1 November 2019.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. The National Registry of Exonerations. 8 November 2019.
7. The National Registry of Exonerations. 8 November 2019.

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Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.