21 Years for Crimes She Did Not Commit
“Tyra Patterson has been incarcerated for 21 years for crimes she did not commit. I was one of the jurors who voted to convict her of a robbery that ended in the shooting death of Michelle Lai in 1994. But new evidence surfaced that shows me the verdict was wrong. Tyra is innocent and Ohio Governor Kasich should take action to release her from prison immediately.
I had serious doubts about Tyra’s guilt at the time I voted to convict her. I could tell she wasn’t really a part of the group that committed the crimes — she had just found herself at the wrong place at the wrong time. But we didn’t have the proof to back up my instinct.
It turned out the evidence existed — it just wasn’t presented at trial. For example, as a juror I did not know that Tyra called 911 after the shooting to get help or that one of the victims had testified at an earlier trial that a co-defendant — not Tyra — had committed the robbery that Tyra had confessed to. Knowing that now makes me believe that the “confession” Tyra made was false.
Her lawyers never told us about the concept of false confessions. I wish they had”.
After 2 years and 237,249 people signing this petition, the Ohio Parole Board has granted Tyra parole on or after December 24, 2017.
Ohio Governor John Kasich has failed to grant her clemency.
This is another example of what a screwed-up mess our “Justice” system and Government is.
You can click the photo below to view the original petition
Sign the Petition
Tyra Patterson has been incarcerated for 21 years for crimes she did not commit. I was one of the jurors who voted to convict her of a robbery that ended in the shooting death of Michelle Lai in 1994. But new evidence surfaced that shows me the verdict was wrong.
