A Miscarriage of Justice: The 8th and H Case

Coup Save America

The more you know about the U.S. criminal justice system, the more you realize how many innocent people are being incarcerated.

Sean’s Monologue: The Power of Presidential Pardons

For this special episode of Coup Save America, we are joined by Shannon Lynch, the producer and host of The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case, a podcast dedicated to telling the story of six men who were falsely accused of murder and who are now seeking presidential pardons after serving long prison terms for a crime they did not commit.

On October 1st, 1984, Catherine Fuller was murdered in an alley near the intersections of 8th and H streets northeast in Washington, DC. Shannon begins by telling us the background of this brutal case and how a miscarriage of justice resulted in the arrest of eleven young black people who were falsely accused of committing a vicious gang rape. Shannon and Sean discuss the possible reasons why police and prosecutors might latch onto an incorrect theory of the crime and pursue it so doggedly despite evidence that pointed to more logical explanations of what happened that afternoon. Shannon lists the many reasons why law enforcements’ narrative of the event makes little sense, and she explains the problems posed by tunnel vision and confirmation bias.

Most people are surprised to learn that the police are allowed – and even encouraged – to lie to citizens during interrogations. Shannon sheds light on the many tactics used to obtain confessions and how these practices can destroy the accuracy of the acquired information. She talks about the evidence that was withheld during the 8th and H Case and how difficult it is to prove that prosecutors have committed a Brady violation. Why did the Supreme Court wrongly decide that the nine men ultimately charged with Catherine Fuller’s murder had received a fair trial?

Shannon goes on to explain why having eleven defendants in one case meant that the accused young people did not receive adequate representation. Why were two of the accused acquitted while the other nine were found guilty?

What is the process of applying for a presidential pardon? Shannon describes the complexities and required details that result in these petitions being upwards of 400 pages long. She walks us through what happens after your application is submitted, talks about the power of sole discretion that the president wields, and tells us why it’s so difficult for a person charged in Washington DC to receive a pardon for their crime. Listen to learn why the falsely accused men chose to remain in prison when they could have been released years earlier.

Why seek a presidential pardon? What are the potential benefits? Shannon tells us what makes her feel so hopeful that Biden will grant clemency to the six petitioners from the 8th and H Case.

We hear about the longstanding involvement of The Innocence Project in this case, then Shannon tells us what inspired an audio engineer to step out of her comfort zone and host her own podcast about the 8th and H murder. She talks about how her impressions of our country’s criminal justice system have changed and what she has learned from her experience. Shannon plans to continue The Alley with episodes featuring the current lives of the falsely accused survivors so the whole world can be as impressed as she is by their attitudes, resilience, kindness, and their many contributions to their communities and society as a whole.

We conclude our show with a call-to-action, hoping our listeners will be inspired to spread the word and to sign the petition that might help six men receive the presidential pardons they so badly deserve.

To learn more about the 8th and H case and to sign the pardon petition, visit:

https://8thandhjustice.org

To hear the full story and connect with Shannon Lynch, visit:

https://www.newamerica.org/the-alley/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonleighlynch/