Florida death row prisoner John Robert Ballard was acquitted today by a unanimous decision of the Florida Supreme Court, which ordered his conviction overturned due to a lack of evidence connecting him to the crime. After serving more than 3 years on death row for a crime he did not commit, Ballard is expected to be released as the Florida State AG's office this afternoon filed notice that they will NOT seek a re-hearing in the case.
The State of Florida will give Mr. Ballard a paltry $100 in cash when they free him after more than 3 years of incarceration. In order to assist Mr. Ballard and others like him, an "Exonerated Prisoner Relief Fund" has been established for Florida's exonerated inmates. Details are available at http://www.fadp.org/relief_fund.html or by calling 800-973-6548.
The State of Florida will give Mr. Ballard a paltry $100 in cash when they free him after more than 3 years of incarceration. In order to assist Mr. Ballard and others like him, an "Exonerated Prisoner Relief Fund" has been established for Florida's exonerated inmates. Details are available at http://www.fadp.org/relief_fund.html or by calling 800-973-6548.
1 comment:
"After serving more than 3 years on death row for a crime he did not commit"
How do you know this? Have you read the opinion? Even the Florida Supreme Court did not go that far. They noted that the man's fingerprints were in the bedroom of one of the victims and that the same victim had one of Ballard's hairs in her hand (along with six other unidentified hairs).
The Florida Supreme Court simply held that this was not sufficient evidence given the other undisputed evidence that Ballard was a frequent visitor to the home. The Court ACKNOWLEDGED that the evidence was sufficient to support a suspicion that Ballard committed the crime. It just wasn't enough to get to the "beyond a reasonable doubt" threshhold.
As you pro-murderer types are wont to do, you have read FAR too much into this opinion. Mr. Ballard could very well have committed the crime. If he did, he got away with it. And for some bizare reason, you think its cause for a celebration?
If the evidence was as the Florida Supreme Court said, even I -- an ardent supporter of the death penalty -- agree that the decision was correct. Far from proving that another "innocent" person has been placed on death row, all this case shows is that the system WORKS. We can all sleep better tonight knowing that the law has been fairly applied and that the government has been held to its burden of proof.
Post a Comment