State v. James Richardson

Investigators ignored exculpatory witnesses, withheld surveillance footage and key forensic evidence, and failed to preserve critical evidence, sabotaging the chance to identify the real shooter and instead directing the investigation toward an innocent man. 

The prosecution presented manipulated digital images and knowingly introduced false testimony to secure a conviction, while concealing evidence that contradicted their narrative and supported James’ innocence. 

The state’s case leaned on speculative, unscientific claims—such as implausible shooting angles—and unvetted testimony from a last-minute witness who later admitted he hadn’t seen the shooter and was unsure why he testified at all. 

From the jury’s racially charged deliberations to the court's dismissal of concerns from the sole Black male juror, racial bias tainted the trial proceedings and undermined the fairness of the judicial process. 

The only Black male juror did not believe James was guilty, and faced racial intimidation and aggression when he refused to convict. The juror begged to be removed from the jury, but the judge refused. The juror ultimately gave in despite his own personal convictions and voted to convict—but immediately  submitted an affidavit detailing the coercion and racial animus in hopes of bringing the truth to light. 

Not a single eyewitness identified James Richardson as the shooter in three separate lineups. Descriptions of the shooter’s appearance and clothing varied widely, but did not match James. Despite the dangers of unreliable eyewitness and cross-racial identifications, the trial judge refused to allow a defense expert to testify about misidentifications.

Key video evidence was digitally altered to falsely depict James as the sole occupant of the white BMW, while original photos later revealed multiple individuals—none resembling James—matching other witness descriptions and suspect lineups. 

Police relied on a self-interested statement from a known informant and homicide suspect who implicated James to escape drug charges and remove himself as a person of interest, shifting the investigation away from credible leads.