Kevin Keith Could be Executed Despite Evidence of Innocence Unless Governor Intervenes

A possibly innocent man will die unless Ohio Governor Ted Strickland heeds the concerns of numerous law enforcement officials and tens of thousands of concerned citizens. Kevin Keith is scheduled for execution September 15th for a crime he likely didn’t commit.

Mr. Keith’s conviction centered on flawed eyewitness identification. The key witness against Mr. Keith first told four people he could not identify the shooter because the shooter was wearing a mask. It wasn’t until the police showed this witness a highly suggestive photo lineup, with Mr. Keith’s face made larger than the others, that the witness picked out Mr. Keith.

Decades of scientific research prove that witness memory is easily susceptible to error, particularly when exposed to improper influence. Like any other evidence at a crime scene, witness memory must be preserved carefully and retrieved methodically, or it can be contaminated.

Eyewitness identification experts and innocence projects around the country have agreed that Mr. Keith’s conviction is gravely flawed and that his case urgently requires review. Yet courts have continued to refuse to allow Mr. Keith to present important new evidence of his innocence.

This new evidence shows that someone else told a police informant that it was he who was paid to commit the crime for which Mr. Keith stands to be executed. Mr. Keith has an alibi supported by four witnesses. No DNA or forensic evidence conclusively connects him to the crime.

Last week, the Ohio Parole Board made a nonbinding, advisory recommendation to Governor Strickland that Mr. Keith should be executed, but the Parole Board’s own findings do not erase the doubt about Mr. Keith’s guilt. Keith’s legal team pointed out in a statement that “it is undisputed that no court or jury has ever considered the entirety of the new evidence that raises serious questions about Mr. Keith’s guilt.”

Governor Strickland, who has supported major criminal justice reforms to prevent wrongful convictions, has said he finds Keith’s conviction “troubling.” I’m sure he does not want to make the wrong call and I don’t blame him.

Kevin Keith should not be executed when serious doubts about his guilt remain. There is no harm in keeping Mr. Keith in prison while the new evidence is reviewed. Thousands of Kevin Keith’s supporters have written to Strickland, urging him to stop the execution. Please take action today before an irreversible mistake is made and an innocent man is executed.

Photo provided by www.kevinkeith.org
By Stefanie Faucher, Associate Director, Death Penalty Focus

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

TERRY R.

7:35AM PDT on Aug 24, 2011

SAVED.

send a green star

Louise D.

1:06PM PDT on Apr 10, 2011

Given the amount of people who think that crimes can be solved CSI fashion, the problem is that jurys are human and there is always human error. Still it does save the police a lot of paperwork if they can just pin something on someone.

Bea W.

7:00PM PST on Mar 5, 2011

With all the new ways to catch a criminal, they may find the clues for the truth.

Jason H.

11:27PM PDT on Sep 9, 2010

This man should not be executed when there is doubt, any degree...

Lisa H.

3:22PM PDT on Sep 6, 2010

Please help this man. For those who sign this petition, please sign the petition to help my son, go to:
www.thepetitionsite.com/85/please-help-kevin-mercer-receive-justice

Cheryl W.

9:55AM PDT on Sep 6, 2010

I absolutely believe in the death penalty but only in cases where guilt is established beyond doubt with DNA evidence. This man should not be executed if there is ANY question regarding his guilt.

Janice P.

2:46PM PDT on Sep 2, 2010

I absolutely do believe in the death penalty , but not under circumstances such as may obtain here. Capital punishment is so very final, that every effort must be made to ascertain whether or not the defendant is truly guilty. All new evidence ought to be considered before it is imposed.

Latifa R.

11:50AM PDT on Sep 2, 2010

Contact Former Senator John Glenn

Wendy L.

5:34PM PDT on Sep 1, 2010

Execution must be stayed.

Safe World F.

10:15AM PDT on Sep 1, 2010

While the USA continues its love affair with the death penalty we will always be faced with these horror stories.
While the USA continues not to allow all it's citizens the right to proper justice we will always be faced with these horror stories.
It's time for the change you promised the world, President Obama