CONVICTION OVERTURNED MO - Kent Heitholt, 48, found murdered, Columbia, 1 Nov 2001

[iluvmua]

I'm not feeling too confidant about this....... first I hear if he wins his appeal he could be released by halloween and then I read a report where his dad was quoted as saying he could get out by thanksgiving.

It would not shock me in the least if they turned down his appeal.

I would have thought they would have already had their answer by now as far as granting his release.

Of course, they may be dotting all of their I's and crossing all their T's before they make a final choice.

 

[iluvmua]

BTW, Ryan's B-day is October 19th.

 

[Still_Seek_Answers]

While I do hope he gets a new trial......and I still do not think they had enough evidence to convict him...... I wonder if anyone ever checked to see if Charles Erickson had any sort of mental issues? I know he had substance abuse issues....but he is not the first person to remember a murder in a dream....Serial killer Bobby Long often swore he could not remember the actual murders, until they would come back to him in dreams......after he read about them in the newspaper. No, I am not saying that makes his story true.....I am asking if anybody ever followed up on his mentality.

 

[CHICANA]

I looked for this case today because I saw a car this morning that had Free Ryan Ferguson all over it with a huge picture of him. Black sporty car, think a Dodge. Pretty sure it was the dad driving now that I've seen some pics. Talk about love and dedication !

 

[Jewels53]

Saw this this morning:

Mo. court overturns conviction in 2001 killing of sports editor

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. —A Missouri appeals court panel has overturned the murder conviction of a Columbia man who has been serving a 40-year sentence for the 2001 slaying of a newspaper sports editor.

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-cit.../22808852/-/kht545/-/index.html#ixzz2jmfUH0Uq

 

[Jewels53]

I guess I need to alert a Mod to let them know that Ryan Ferguson's conviction was overturned.

 

[rachelle]

http://www.news-leader.com/viewart/...mbia-Daily-Tribune-sports-editor?sf19115477=1

 

[time]

Happy to hear this news!

 

[Madeleine74]

Thank goodness and finally! The evidence contradicts any involvement by Mr. Ferguson and he never should have been charged in the first place. Frankly I don't even think his accuser was at the scene of the crime either--he is clearly mentally ill or somehow convinced he was involved, but there's no evidence of him being there either.

 

[time]

Thank goodness and finally! The evidence contradicts any involvement by Mr. Ferguson and he never should have been charged in the first place. Frankly I don't even think his accuser was at the scene of the crime either--he is clearly mentally ill or somehow convinced he was involved, but there's no evidence of him being there either.

I agree completely!

After Erickson began telling friends of his fears, police pulled him in for questioning. In the video taken of his interrogation, it appears that Erickson knows no details of the crime, that is, not until detectives give him the specifics. Later, they also give Erickson copies of police reports that, he says, convinced him that he really was involved.

When a detective tells him that his "head is on the chopping block," Erickson says he became convinced that he could be executed unless he put most of the blame on Ferguson. When he took the stand at Ferguson's trial, he was no longer the confused, disoriented man in the police video; Erickson was now a confident and polished witness whose testimony was credible to jurors.

Ferguson says one looking "at the evolution of events and the facts that have come out in the past decade, I think it is very clear to see that Charles Erickson is a victim....a victim of police and prosecutorial corruption and greed and just the absolute desire to get a conviction at all costs."

If the Court decides to overturn Ferguson's conviction, what, then, happens to Erickson? Like Ferguson, none of the physical evidence matches Erickson. There are no eyewitnesses that connect him to the murder, only his own taped confession. It may be tough to convince a court to take another look at his situation.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_...e-if-he-gets-out-what-happens-to-his-accuser/

I think it is clearly a case of of police and prosecutorial corruption or misconduct. It's about time these cases are reviewed and we all know along with any on coerced or forced confessions. The prosecutor should have refused to try this case.

I think in the 48 hrs (?) about this case there was also another woman who was a witness who said it was not Ferguson, but they never called her to the stand - anyone remember that?

 

[Cappuccino]

Good news!

They have 15 days to decide whether or not to retry him, otherwise he'll be released from prison.

 

[whoanellie]

Amen!

 

[Still_Seek_Answers]

Good news!

They have 15 days to decide whether or not to retry him, otherwise he'll be released from prison.

He may actually have to wait a little more than the 15 days....
http://www.news-leader.com/viewart/...mbia-Daily-Tribune-sports-editor?sf19115477=1



The appeals panel said Ferguson should be released if prosecutors have not filed notice of a retrial within 15 days after the court issues its formal mandate, which could take several weeks.

 

[Cappuccino]

That link doesn't work, SSA.

 

[Still_Seek_Answers]

That link doesn't work, SSA.

Sorry....it does now.....Thank you.

Cole County Judge Dan Green declined to grant Ferguson a new trial last year. Ferguson then took his case to the appeals court, which heard arguments this September. The appeals panel said Ferguson should be released if prosecutors have not filed notice of a retrial within 15 days after the court issues its formal mandate, which could take several weeks.

 

[Cappuccino]

His attorneys are filing a motion for his immediate release on bond. I hope they're succesful.

 

[TigerBalm]

It's about time, great news for Ryan and his family!

I have been following this case for years hoping his conviction would be overturned as I feel there isn't any evidence that Ryan (or Chuck for that matter) committed this murder.

 

[Madeleine74]

He should be granted bail...heck he should be freed and not retried. There is zero evidence linking him to this crime and I am certain of his innocence.

Those who know me from other cases know I don't often think someone is factually innocent, but in this case, yes absolutely 100%.

 

[Jewels53]

This is from an article out of Columbia, MO, where the crime occurred.

Ryan Ferguson, convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the 2001 death of Tribune Sports Editor Kent Heitholt, must be released from prison because the state violated federal law by withholding material evidence during his trial, the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

Attorneys for the state have 15 days during which they can either appeal today's ruling or ask the Missouri Supreme Court to consider the case. If the state declines either option, Ferguson would be freed Nov. 20.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news...cle_5c9d1970-4624-11e3-b206-001a4bcf6878.html

 

[TigerBalm]

He should be granted bail...heck he should be freed and not retried. There is zero evidence linking him to this crime and I am certain of his innocence.

Those who know me from other cases know I don't often think someone is factually innocent, but in this case, yes absolutely 100%.

I am with you 100% Madeleine!