Sum it Up! #55 covers a lot of ground. Here we go: Wrongful Convictions 1: Lamonte McIntyre After being wrongly imprisoned for a double-murder for the past 23 years, Lamonte McIntyre walked out of Wyandotte County Courthouse a free man! Lamonte McIntyre was wrongly convicted in 1994 of a double murder he never committed. His conviction […]
Police Misconduct
Lapointe’s wrongful conviction
Lapointe’s wrongful conviction brings back Martin’s cold case because if we take Lapointe out of the equation we are left with no answers. Who killed Bernice Martin? The decision The decision to grant a new trial is here (RICHARD LAPOINTE v. COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTION). A few quotes: “On appeal, the petitioner claims that the court improperly rejected his […]
The long-awaited review report of the Crewe Murders
The long-awaited review report of the Crewe Murders can be found here but it may not hold the answers to all the issues that we discussed here on my blog. If you open the first link you will see the website with a short clip on the review. Below is the report in parts or […]
Evidence in 1970 Crewe murders missing
Evidence in the 1970 double murders of Jeannette and Harvey Crewe is missing. Are you even surprised to read this? Or, did you expect this to happen? Regular readers of my blog know that I follow this case. Jeannette & Harvey Crewe were murdered in 1970, New Zealand. They left behind one child, Rochelle. While […]
Case of the Month: Bernice Martin
Case of the Month: Bernice Martin. On March 8, 1987, fire fighters found Mrs. Bernice Martin inside the Mayfair Gardens Elderly Housing Complex, Manchester, Connecticut. She had been brutally beaten and passed away that same night in the hospital. The fire department found her front door locked but the glass sliding door in the back open. The […]
The Crewe Murders: review or re-investigation?
The Crewe Murders: review or re-investigation? The New Zealand Herald reports about the latest efforts made to solve the 1970 Crewe Murders however, what they report worries me. “Arthur Allan Thomas has been re-interviewed by police investigating the 1970 murders of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe, one of New Zealand’s best-known unsolved crimes. Mr Thomas spent nine years […]
CT Supreme Court hears Lapointe case Sept 17, 2013
CT Supreme Court hears Lapointe case Sept 17, 2013. This fantastic news came from the Bellingham Herald. Almost a year ago, I posted that Richard Lapointe was going to get a new trial. In a stunning decision, the state Appellate Court Monday ordered a new trial for Richard Lapointe, a mentally disabled dishwasher convicted of […]
“All the Commissioner’s Men” by Chris Birt
“All the Commissioner’s Men” by Chris Birt is a book about the cold cases of Jeannette and Harvey Crewe. Their case is the reason for the wrongful conviction of Arthur Allen Thomas. Their only child Rochelle Crewe is calling for an independent review of her parents’ murder cases. The central word in this case seems to […]
New Trial for Richard Lapointe!
The Connecticut Appellate Court ordered a new trial for Richard Lapointe. From the Hartford Courant: “In a stunning decision, the state Appellate Court Monday ordered a new trial for Richard Lapointe, a mentally disabled dishwasher convicted of a murder a quarter century ago, concluding that state prosecutors wrongly withheld a police report that tends to support […]
Top cop asks public’s help in Crewe Murders
The New Zealand Herald brings fantastic news. Senior Detective Superintendent Andy Lovelock, who is reviewing the Crewe murders, wants the public’s help. He asks anyone with information to contact him. He wants to help find answers for their only child, Rochelle Crewe. I quote: “I am extremely keen to hear from anyone who may have information […]
Chris Birt on the Crewe Murders
In the magazine “North & South,” Chris Birt makes a strong case for an in-depth review of Len and Norma Thomas Demler’s involvement in the case. Note that Norma is not related to Arthur Allan Thomas. Strong ties have existed between the Demler and Thomas family for some time. The siblings in the family married each […]
R.I.P Vivien Harrison
Vivien Harrison, the ex-wife of Arthur Allen Thomas and staunch supporter of his innocence, died of cancer. “Harrison filed for divorce after Thomas’ guilty verdict remained in place after the second trial. She changed her name from Vivienne Thomas to Vivien Harrison. She remained a staunch supporter of his innocence, maintaining he was home with her at […]
No independent inquiry in Crewe Murders
Justice Minister Simon Power has turned down calls for an independent inquiry into the 40-year-old murder mystery of the Crewe Family. “In response, Mr Power said he understood the interest in seeking closure, but his hands were tied. Neither I nor my ministerial colleagues can direct the police to reopen the case. Due to the constitutional separation […]
Did a cop murder the Crewes?
Author Ian Wishart has named Detective Sergeant Len Johnston as suspect in the murders of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe. Johnston was a detective who played a pivotal role in the police investigation into their deaths. Johnston passed away in 1978. The accusation has created an uproar amongst those who knew Johnston personally and professionally. It has also sparked a bitter attack […]
Which Brian Parsons murdered Ivy Batten?
Which Brian Parsons is responsible for the death of Mrs. Ivy Batten? It is a story of mistaken identity, of mishandling evidence, prosecutorial misconduct, and the fight to get someone to listen to you. Lucky for Brian David Parsons, reporters Neil Young and Aislinn Simpson were listening. These reporters have re-investigated this controversial case. Brian David […]
Who really killed Mrs. Bernice Martin?
On March 8, 1987, fire fighters were called to the Mayfair Gardens Elderly Housing Complex, Manchester, Connecticut. They found Mrs. Bernice Martin, 88 years old, barely breathing, and badly beaten. She died later that evening in the hospital. To many the case is closed. Convicted for her murder is her granddaughter’s former husband, Richard A. […]