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

[Kimster]

I was just watching a documentary about this case on the TV this past weekend. It broke my heart that he was still in prison!

This is wonderful news! :yesss:

 

[Tiger09]

I feel for this kid and I hope he can rebuild his life. I'd sue the state.

 

[LinasK]

So when will he be released? Anybody know? I feel for him, I saw the Dateline program and he really comes across as innocent and honest. I can't believe he was convicted and did 10 years on the word of a sketchy eyewitness and a false confession from a liar and DNA that didn't match!!!

 

[STEADFAST]

I am so happy to hear this! I've seen more than one show about this case and have always thought Ryan Ferguson was railroaded.

 

[Madeleine74]

What's really weird (and tragic all at the same time) is the guy who implicated both himself and Ryan -- the guy has a dream (or maybe several dreams) and he thinks maybe he was somehow involved in this murder. He implicated himself first and foremost. And then he points the finger at Ryan in addition to himself when police were intensely interrogating him. And, he didn't even get the facts of the murder correct! This guy was a classic mental case who claims involvement in a crime he had nothing to do with! He wanted to be held responsible and go to prison, despite there not being any physical evidence that actually ties him to the murder.

There were so many failures. He didn't just lie or just point a finger -- he convinced himself he must have been involved because he couldn't remember details about that night. Whackadoodledoo nutjob. And yet the police thought him credible (enough) to build the case or perhaps wanted so badly to close the case they didn't stop and wonder why this kid was implicating himself and then why he got facts of the case incorrect.

 

[Cappuccino]

The police didn't need to wonder why he was implicating himself while knowing nothing about the case. The police knew full well why, and took full advantage of it. This was a deliberate railroad job, not a case of honest cops who got tunnel vision about the wrong suspect.

 

[Madeleine74]

I can't say that the police knew full well why Erickson was doing what he did -- they didn't delve into his mental state. As I recall, Erickson told someone that he was involved in the crime and that person then called the tip into police. And the rest is tragic history. Tunnel vision I buy; I really don't believe that cops want to put someone innocent in prison, I really don't. Yes, it happens, we know it does. They convince themselves they have the right person and then of course that person must be punished.

When you have someone who confesses to a murder and does so without coercion (remember Erickson implicated himself first and that was to someone at a party and he brought the topic up), it's easy (and frankly lazy) to take it at face value and race ahead.

I've never heard of a homicide detective in the last couple of decades who specifically wanted to get someone who was absolutely innocent of a crime, knew in advance they were innocent of the crime, but they wanted to put them away forever just because... and I don't see that in this case -- the blinders were absolutely on and they simply did not remove them even when the evidence didn't match the suspects.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I am glad to hear this today. I just don't see anything that links him to the crime other than that other guys weird dreams...

Now I have to wonder about Erickson.

I have to look more into his story but this case is another travesty.

 

[Cappuccino]

Having watched the video of Erikson's police interrogation, I don't buy at all that they had blinders on. They knew full well they were dealing with a false confession from someone who had no clue about the crime. They clearly didn't care as long as it helped them close a high profile murder case which they had no idea how to solve.

 

[TigerBalm]

Video of Ryan's parents press conference, his attorney Kathleen Zellner reads a statement from Ryan and answers questions as well.
Ryan Ferguson's Parents Press Conference

I'm so glad that Ryan's parents didn't give up and kept fighting for him to receive justice.

 

[iluvmua]

So what happens to Chuck? Who's going to fight for him?

 

[Cappuccino]

So what happens to Chuck? Who's going to fight for him?

Chuck's a bit more difficult to fight for given that he made multiple false confessions. And pleaded guilty.

He's eligible for parole next year anyway, so hopefully he'll be free too soon enough.

 

[Allusonz]

Finally!! I wondered if I would ever see this day. The unanimous opinion is a must read for anyone that has followed Ryan's case. It can be found at this link and used very strong language throughout.

http://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=67260

 

[Allusonz]

As for Charles Erickson, what many may of missed was the panel discussion at UMKC which included Erin Moriarity, Kathleen Zellner, the Innocence Project, Ryan's original attorney to name a few.

What many probably do not realize is that there was an individual that did confess to this murder and the discussion regarding this can be found at about 1:14:00.

Although close to 2 hours in length, the fact that the investigators as well as the prosecution ignored this should help Chuck Erickson. This can be found at this link.

http://mediasite.law.umkc.edu/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=aa07f080a00040569739a774099f024b1d

 

[Allusonz]

Just to add to the above post, not only did they have knowledge of a confession, they were actually in the process of trying to get a plea deal for this individual. This was never disclosed. No reports were ever written about this.

Kevin Crane has alot to answer for along with his investigators.

 

[Madeleine74]

Yes, Charles Erickson confessed to this crime and he didn't commit it (either)! He was drunk/high/stoned the night of the murder, but he was driven home by Ryan Ferguson and dropped off. They left the bar when it closed, which was before the murder occurred.

Erickson later had a dream or 2 and he eventually convinced himself he must have been involved in the murder since he couldn't remember what he did that night after leaving the bar. Thus began nearly a decade of insanity where one person was convinced he committed a murder he doesn't remember and he implicated the guy who had given him a ride.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

So what happens to Chuck? Who's going to fight for him?

That is a good question. I hope people will start taking up his plight also.

 

[Allusonz]

I can't say that the police knew full well why Erickson was doing what he did -- they didn't delve into his mental state. As I recall, Erickson told someone that he was involved in the crime and that person then called the tip into police. And the rest is tragic history. Tunnel vision I buy; I really don't believe that cops want to put someone innocent in prison, I really don't. Yes, it happens, we know it does. They convince themselves they have the right person and then of course that person must be punished.

When you have someone who confesses to a murder and does so without coercion (remember Erickson implicated himself first and that was to someone at a party and he brought the topic up), it's easy (and frankly lazy) to take it at face value and race ahead.

I've never heard of a homicide detective in the last couple of decades who specifically wanted to get someone who was absolutely innocent of a crime, knew in advance they were innocent of the crime, but they wanted to put them away forever just because... and I don't see that in this case -- the blinders were absolutely on and they simply did not remove them even when the evidence didn't match the suspects.

I was not referring to the false confession of Charles Erickson.

If one was to listen to the link I provided, there was an African American male that stated he was responsible for the murder. Again, the information can be found at this link.

As well at this link, they not only discuss what was being done for Ryan Ferguson but as well they discussed various steps being taken on behalf of Charles Erickson.

One simply has to listen to the panel discussion.

http://mediasite.law.umkc.edu/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=aa07f080a00040569739a774099f024b1d

 

[Jewels53]

Special prosecutor named in Ryan Ferguson case at Knight's request

An assistant state attorney general has been appointed special prosecutor in the Ryan Ferguson case and will determine whether Ferguson will be retried after an appeals court overturned his robbery and murder convictions Tuesday.

Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight yesterday filed a motion requesting a special prosecutor. Steven Ohmer, a St. Louis City circuit judge, approved Knight's request and appointed Susan Boresi, Missouri assistant attorney general.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news...cle_1cffe302-48cb-11e3-bd7b-001a4bcf6878.html

 

[whoanellie]

Special prosecutor named in Ryan Ferguson case at Knight's request



http://www.columbiatribune.com/news...cle_1cffe302-48cb-11e3-bd7b-001a4bcf6878.html

Thanks. Let's hope he does the right thing.