Nearly a decade later after his wrongful incarceration, #DevontaeSanford is experiencing freedom for the first time. The now 23 a year old was coerced into the confession of a quadruple murder by police. His then lawyer (now suspended) encouraged the teenager to plead guilty and as a result the then 14 year old was sentenced to 37-90 years in prison.
Less than a month after the Sanford’s sentencing in 2008, a known Michigan hit man, Vincent Smothers confessed to 12 murders including the four Sanford was coerced into confessing, but was only convicted of eight because Sanford had already confessed to the aforementioned four. After hearing the that Sanford confessed, Smothers recalled saying “Wow, that’s really messed up”.
The investigation prompted by the Michigan Innocence Clinic, the Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth at Northwestern University, and Dykema Gossett, the law firm to clear Sanford’s name was thorough and took over a year. For starters, Sanford lost sight in one of his eyes at nine when someone had thrown an egg at him. The teen also received additional educational support at school which all contradicted the profile of someone who would murder four people. He wasn’t tied to any gangs and didn’t have a violent record that would indicate him in such a crime as this. For all intents and purposes, Sanford was the average kid and it was his willfulness to help that landed him in the hot seat. Officer Michael Russell was searching the area when the canines picked up a scent that landed him across Runyon Street on a vacant lot when Sanford came by and from there it was downhill for Sanford.
The next big discovery was that Sanford’s confession changed three times before it was finally recorded, each time events being added to align with what the investigators prompted which is common in interrogations. Police willfully or accidentally allow pertinent information to slip and after hours of interrogations, suspects repeat the information. Detectives can lie and say they have compelling evidence that link suspects which induces suspects to confess to things they didn’t do in hopes of receiving lighter punishments or “going home”.
It was noted that Sanford waived his Miranda rights which is also a subject of discussion in that he was under age and that an adult or his mother should have been present. A 14 year can’t be held legally to a contract without a parent’s consent therefore one shouldn’t be able to waive his rights or life away without parental supervision or lawyer present.
Another significant piece of information was that the diagram of the murder scene was drawn by an officer and not Sanford. Also there wasn’t any DNA connecting Sanford to the crime.
The district attorney believed they had “reason, good reason to charge”, but a thorough analysis proves this was just another example of the corrupted judicial system that needs to be overhauled.
“You’re sending us to a place where there’s no programs, violence, you know, mental healthtreatment is terrible..What do you expect after 30 years [of incarceration]? What type of man you think you getting … once you release him?” Sanford questioned. “I was angry when I was in but I’m home now so I’m not angry anymore.”
-Niko Rose
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