Jury shopping $50,000 to convict - Taniqua Simmons' Story

Taniqua Simmons' Story

Name: Taniqua Simmons
Address: 69 Wasmuth
City: Buffalo
State: NY
Zipcode: 14211
Phone: 716-444-2188

I am writing you a letter in the hopes that someone will hear our story. A story which deals with Erie County District Attorneys Office investing over $50,000 to convict my finace' for possesion of less than a gram of cocaine. The city, county, and state are all in the red, yet the county was willing to invest over $50,000 to try a case three times.

The very fact that the case was tried three times speaks of the merit of the evidence. The actual conviction of my fiance' does not speak of his guilt but rather of the laws of probability.

This case was a legal lynching and I think that the public needs to know how much of a waste this case was for the tax payer. Especially in light that county employees will be laid off, and what was spent on this case could have employeed a county employee as opposed to one being laid off.

My fiancee is now facing more time than the the men who robbed and shot my fiance'. How difficult is it to get a conviction when you try a case three times and you have jurors who reside in area's where the only diversity is in the jails that these communities are built around.

There was a juror who went to the judge because jurors had made their minds up and were discussing the case prior to the defense presenting their case, and the judge did nothing. I think that this trial was a travesty of justice, because ultimately it is our children who will bear the burden of this state imposed seperation.

The case lacked evidence which is demonstrated by the fact that there were two hung jury's, and no one dare mention the fact that the one person who can clear my finacee is a Sherriff's Department Informant who testified to a judge that a light skinned individual, mid late twenty's with a mustache, who was about 5' 8" is the individual who sold him drugs.

There was no investigation conducted to confirm or denie the allegations of this criminal informant. So, it is possible that anyone can accuse you of anything and the police will be at the door with guns drawn, without an ounce of proof or any investigation.

My fiance is 6 ft tall, dark skinned, and he is only 23. The District Attorney and Sherriff's Department would not even let the informant testify, wouldn't let the informant see if he could pick my fiance' out of photo array or line up.

Yet they were willing to invest $50,000 and send an innocent man to jail. Even if for one's own conscience, wouldn't you want to be sure that you are prosecuting someone who was actually guilty of what you alledge?

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	Name: Taniqua Simmons Address: 69 Wasmuth City: Buffalo State: NY Zipcode: 14211 Phone: 716-444-2188 I am writing you a letter in the hopes that someone will hear our story. A story which deals with Erie County District Attorneys Office investing over $50,000 to convict my finace' for possesion of less than a gram of cocaine. The city, county, and state are all in the red, yet the county was willing to invest over $50,000 to try a case three times. The very fact that the case was tried three times speaks of the merit of the evidence. The actual conviction of my fiance' does not speak of his guilt but rather of the laws of probability. This case was a legal lynching and I think that the public needs to know how much of a waste this case was for the tax payer. Especially in light that county employees will be laid off, and what was spent on this case could have employeed a county employee as opposed to one being laid off. My fiancee is now facing more time than the the men who robbed and shot my fiance'. How difficult is it to get a conviction when you try a case three times and you have jurors who reside in area's where the only diversity is in the jails that these communities are built around. There was a juror who went to the judge because jurors had made their minds up and were discussing the case prior to the defense presenting their case, and the judge did nothing. I think that this trial was a travesty of justice, because ultimately it is our children who will bear the burden of this state imposed seperation. The case lacked evidence which is demonstrated by the fact that there were two hung jury's, and no one dare mention the fact that the one person who can clear my finacee is a Sherriff's Department Informant who testified to a judge that a light skinned individual, mid late twenty's with a mustache, who was about 5' 8" is the individual who sold him drugs. There was no investigation conducted to confirm or denie the allegations of this criminal informant. So, it is possible that anyone can accuse you of anything and the police will be at the door with guns drawn, without an ounce of proof or any investigation. My fiance is 6 ft tall, dark skinned, and he is only 23. The District Attorney and Sherriff's Department would not even let the informant testify, wouldn't let the informant see if he could pick my fiance' out of photo array or line up. Yet they were willing to invest $50,000 and send an innocent man to jail. Even if for one's own conscience, wouldn't you want to be sure that you are prosecuting someone who was actually guilty of what you alledge?

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