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Death Row Survivor Juan Melendez to Speak at State Convention of the Texas Democratic Party at Caucus Meeting of "Democrats Against the Death Penalty"

By "Persian Cowboy"

Juan Melendez, who spent 17 years, 8 months and 1 day on Florida's death row for a crime he did not commit, will speak at the caucus meeting of "Democrats Against the Death Penalty" at the Texas Democratic Party State Convention in Corpus Christi on Friday, June 25, 2010 in Room 225D-E at the American Bank Center. The anti-death penalty caucus was first formed at the 2004 TDP State Convention. The Texas Democratic Party has endorsed a moratorium on executions in its party platform at each state convention since 2004.Melendez was exonerated and released from death row on January 3, 2002 after a transcript of a taped confession by the real killer came to light sixteen years after he had been sentenced to death.  At that time, the Supreme Court of Florida had upheld Melendez's case three times on appeal even though there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime and his conviction rested solely on the testimony of two questionable witnesses: a police informant and a co-defendant who was threatened with the electric chair but who ultimately received a sentence of two years probation after testifying against Melendez...continue to full post

Full post as published by Texas Death Penalty Blog on June 23, 2010 (boomark / email).