NIKO QUINN: A COERCED WITNESS - PowerPoint Presentation

NIKO QUINN: A COERCED WITNESS First cousin of Doniel Quinn and also a cousin of Donald Ewing.Told police some men in the neighborhood had beaten up Doniel.Made no ID at first, then met with detective alone in a car behind a high school; he pressured her into making an ID.At the courthouse, she realized Lamonte could not be the shooter – he was too tall and his ears stuck out too much. She told the prosecutor twice that Lamonte was not the man who had killed her cousin. The prosecutor threatened to have Niko arrested, held for contempt and have her children taken away. Niko testified against Lamonte and identified him as the shooter. As soon as she left the witness stand, Niko told others she had been forced to lie. She signed affidavits in 1996 and 2014 stating that Lamonte was not the shooter.

DID DETECTIVES DO ANYTHING ELSE? Never executed a single search warrant; never searched any location.Never looked for the weapon, ammunition, clothing, or getaway vehicle.Never seized or tested Lamonte’s clothing for trace evidence.Never attempted to lift prints from shotgun shells.Never identified any accomplice.Never investigated victims’ backgrounds even though father of one said son’s recent associates were like deadly “cobra snakes”.Never investigated obvious drug-related leads.Never interviewed Stacy Quinn, the only witness who said she knew the shooter.Never looked for the other “Lamonte” named by Ruby Mitchell.Never found any evidence Lamonte McIntyre had any connection to the two victims.

THE TRIAL AND THE AFTERMATH The only evidence at trial was the testimony of Ruby Mitchell and Niko Quinn. Prosecutor improperly asserted in opening statement that “confidential” and “reliable” sources had pointed to Lamonte as the killer. No such sources existed.Prosecutor improperly argued in closing that Lamonte had a “vendetta” against the victims and was out to “settle a score”.There was no evidence of motive or that Lamonte even knew the victims.Lamonte is convicted of both murders; sentenced to consecutive life terms.Motion for new trial denied; both appeals denied.Lamonte filed pro se motion under KSA 60-1507 asserting his innocence; it was dismissed after a 15 minute hearing.

EVIDENCE OF INNOCENCE Centurion Ministries, an innocence organization in Princeton, N.J., started work on the case in 2009.Midwest Innocence Project joined the case later.The entire effort to obtain Lamonte’s release took 8 years.Families of both victims have believed in Lamonte’s innocence from the beginning.The victims were shot because some drugs had “come up missing” at a nearby drug house where Doniel was the “doorman.”The drug gang sent a young “shooter” with their group to kill Doniel while the getaway driver waited on the next street. Donald Ewing was not the target.Later, the leader of the drug gang signed an affidavit stating the group had held a meeting, and dispatched a young man, “Monster,” to do the killing. “The guy who got convicted for these murders had nothing to do with it. None of us had ever heard of him.”

MORE EVIDENCE OF INNOCENCE Multiple witnesses name “Monster” as shooter.“Monster” fit original description in height and build. Injury noted in Doniel’s autopsy matched report of him being beat up earlier by drug gang over missing drugs. Evidence emerges of detective’s pervasive sexual misconduct, including with witnesses.Detective had sexual relationship with Stacy Quinn, who was never interviewed; report claimed she was “not available.”Detective used sexual innuendo to intimidate Ruby Mitchell. Analysis, measurement of scene debunks Ruby Mitchell account. Investigation shows McIntyre family targeted; 3 of 5 photos in array were of McIntyre family members. Review of case by retired detective identifies numerous failures, lapses, irregularities and deviations from accepted police practices.

SERIOUS ISSUES ARISE FROM PROSECUTOR'S PAST ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH JUDGE

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