Blood and truth: the lingering case of Tommy Zeigler and how Florida fights DNA testing. The Tampa Bay is publishing a new six-series about the case of William Thomas Zeigler. As my readers know, I have been involved in this case since the 90s. There are so many posts about this case on my blog that […]
Capital Punishment
The Zeigler November 2016 appeal
On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held for William Thomas Zeigler to request touch DNA testing in his case. Judge Whitehead denied that request for touch DNA on July 18, 2016. On November 23, 2016, an appeal was filed in the Supreme Court of Florida. In this post I have joined the state’s arguments […]
Remembering Marion Miley (1914 – 1941)
Golf champion Marion Miley (27) and her mother Elsie Miley were killed during a robbery at the Lexington Country Club (Kentucky) on Sunday, September 28, 1941. Marion had helped set up a club dance. Around 2am, she heard her mother Elsie scream. Running down the stairs armed with a golf club, she faced three masked […]
Good news for William Thomas Zeigler
Good news for William Thomas Zeigler because Judge Whitehead has granted a hearing to discuss the question of whether the Zeigler defense will be permitted to do the DNA testing that they have requested. To recap: in December 1975, a quadruple murder took place in the Zeigler Furniture Store in Wintergarden, Florida. The victims were […]
The Faithful Executioner by J.F. Harrington
The Faithful Executioner by J.F. Harrington describes the lives and careers of Heinrich and Frantz Schmidt as executioners. The book is filled with details and prints and is a joy to read if you love history. We go back to Germany in the sixteenth century. Heinrich Schmidt made a good living as woodsman and fowler in the town […]
Case of the Month: the Zeigler wrongful conviction
Case of the Month: the Zeigler wrongful conviction has been part of my life since 1993 when I started working for Amnesty International in Switzerland. I am appalled that the injustice endures. In December 1975, a quadruple murder took place in the Zeigler Furniture Store in Wintergarden, Florida. The victims were Charles Mays, Virginia and Perry […]
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari denied for Zeigler
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari denied for Zeigler on May 19, 2014. The only notation is that “Chief Justice [Roberts] took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.” Dennis H. Tracey, III and John Houston Pope filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. In […]
Recap #crimechat April 4, 2013
Recap #crimechat April 4, 2013: Today we spoke about wrongful convictions with Nancy Petro. A short introduction to wrongful convictions started this crimechat. How do we find out about Wrongful Convictions in general? A: We discover that the victim is alive & well. Examples: India 2003, the Reena Devi case. Reena disappeared, her mother ID-ed her […]