Tri-County Sentry
Friday
MAY 2, 2014
Page 7A
National News Brooklyn Man Exonerated After South Carolina Republicans Skip Event 24 Years in Prison Honoring Judge
By Dana Gethers Brooklyn native Jonathan Fleming, 51, has been exonerated after being falsely convicted of murder in August 1989 and spending over 24 years in prison. Fleming was imprisoned for supposedly shooting and killing Darryl Rush in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, despite declaring he was in Florida at the time of the crime. New evidence, including receipts from a Florida hotel stamped just four hours before the murder took place, have cleared him of the charges. Anthony Mayol, Fleming’s lawyer, brought the evidence to the new administration under recently appointed Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson. “Today’s actions follow a careful and thorough review of this case, and based on key alibi facts that place Fleming in Florida at the time of the murder, I have decided to dismiss all charges against him in the interest of justice,” said Thompson. The DA’s office gives credit for the discovery to the Conviction Review Unit (CRU), whose thorough investigation allowed
Valerie Brown meets her ex-husband Jonathan Fleming as he arrives at Brooklyn's supreme court. (Photo Credit: Bebeto Matthews) Thompson to make this determination. Thompson recently announced that the CRU would be headed by Harvard Law professor Ronald S. Sullivan Jr. The unit has been tasked with conducting thorough investigations of cases under review by the DA’s office. Fleming’s case was reportedly finalized on April 8 before a Brooklyn judge only months before he was eligible for parole for his 25-years-to-life sentence. Fleming’s release comes
only months after the DA agreed to the release of Anthony Yarbough and Shariff Wilson, also from Brooklyn, after 21 years behind bars. A CRU investigation into their cases revealed that they were not responsible for the triple homicide they were determined to have committed at ages 15 and 18. “There have been individuals released every month since the DA has been in office,” said Sheila Stainback, a spokeswoman for Thompson.
Jury Finds Physician Not-Guilty of Causing Brain Damage to Woman
Springfield, MA — At 45 years of age on May 1, 2006, patient Judy Peters attended an appointment with Dr. Carlos Valdes at a major hospital in Springfield, MA to have a needle core biopsy procedure performed. Dr. Valdes told Ms. Peters this type of procedure would take about 15 minutes. However, Ms. Peters remained on the procedure table for one hour and 35 minutes, during which Dr. Valdes said she hemorrhaged the entire time. Valdes admitted to administering Epinephrine at least five times during the one and a half hour time interval. A registered nurse was called over the hospital’s intercom to come into the procedure room in order to take Ms. Peters’ vitals. At 10:10 A.M the nurse recorded that the patient’s pulse dropped to 2 beats per minute and at 10:20 it had gone up to 6 beats per minute though a hand writing expert uncovered that those numbers had been tampered with. The patient’s blood pressure was recorded to have dropped to 80/50 mm/hg however, Ms. Peters heard the nurse say 60/50. The patient soon fell unconscious on the procedure table and was moved to a different room in which she remained unconscious for one hour. She was not provided oxygen, IV fluids, or a blood transfusion. She was not taken to the Emergency Room (despite the fact that the ER was on the same floor as Dr. Valdes’ office) nor was she taken to the Intensive Care Unit. When she woke up from her unconscious state, Dr. Valdes instructed
After three very difficult weeks, Ms. was not okay and contacted her primary care doctor’s office and they instructed her to go to JURY, See page 11B
Judy Peters Ms. Peters to return home and drink orange juice and she will be fine in three weeks. It took Ms. Peters ten hours to drive herself home, when it usually takes one hour. She was forced to continually stop at various locations along the way to sleep. She does not remember the majority of the trip home. Ms. Peters called Dr. Valdes the following day to ask about the results of her biopsy, and after he did not return her phone calls she asked her son to drive her to his office to get the results. When Ms. Peters arrived she removed her winter gloves (in the beginning of May) to show Dr. Valdes how cold and blue her hands were. She also showed him her blue lips and discolored face. He told her that he did not get enough samples so he could not tell Ms. Peters if she had cancer or not. But again Dr. Valdes instructed Ms. Peters to return home and drink orange juice and she will be fine in three weeks. Ms. Peters did as Dr. Valdes instructed believing that if she followed the instructions of the specialized physician she would be okay.
By Amanda Terkel South Carolina's two Republican U.S. senators, as well as the congressman representing the area, all skipped a recent event in Charleston honoring a judge who helped dismantle segregation in the state. At the event on April 11, officials unveiled a statue honoring U.S. District Judge Julius Waties Waring, who passed away in 1968. He is best known for his eloquent dissent in a 1951 school desegregation case, in which he wrote, "Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." The U.S. Supreme Court later adopted Waring's line when it ruled against segregation in Brown v. Board of
Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) skipped an event honoring former U.S. District Judge J. Waties Waring. (Photo Credit: Gerry Melendez) Education. of dignitaries, including AtAccording to The Post torney General Eric Holdand Courier, the unveiling at- er. But both Sens. Lindsey tracted a significant number JUDGE, See page 11B
NAACP Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Michigan Ban on Affirmative Action
Washington, DC – The NAACP released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Michigan’s ban on affirmative action. In a recent 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court and ruled that Michigan’s Proposal 2 -- a 2006 ballot initiative that led to a state constitutional ban on race-conscious college admissions policies in Michigan – is indeed constitutional. The ruling specifically prohibits students from lobbying universities to consider race as one of many factors in admissions. From Lorraine C. Miller, NAACP Interim President and CEO: “The Supreme Court’s decision embraces dis-
Lorraine C. Miller, NAACP Interim President and CEO
Hilary Shelton, Director, NAACP Washington Bureau
crimination and rejects diversity. It’s in our nation’s best interest to ensure talented students from all backgrounds get a close look and a fair shot at overcoming obstacles to educational opportunity.
The NAACP is committed to fighting Michigan’s constitutional amendment at the ballot box and helping other states advance diversity in higher education.” NAACP, See page 11B