Missouri Woman's 43-Year Murder Conviction Overturned: Cop Implicated
Submitted by MAGA
Posted 100 days ago
Missouri woman's 43-year-old murder conviction overturned, judge believes cop did it.
A Missouri woman who has spent more than four decades in prison for a murder she did not commit may soon be released, thanks to a judge who has overturned her conviction and believes a now-deceased police officer was the likely perpetrator.
Sandra Hemme, 64, was convicted of capital murder in 1980 for the killing of Patricia Jeschke, a librarian in St. Joseph, Missouri.
However, Judge Ryan W. Horsman has now ruled that Hemme, who suffers from mental illness, was the victim of a "manifest injustice" and that her conviction should be overturned.
The judge found that there was no motive for Hemme to kill Jeschke, and that there were no witnesses or forensic evidence linking her to the crime.
The only evidence against Hemme was her confession, which was obtained while she was heavily medicated and strapped to a chair in a psychiatric hospital.
The judge ruled that Hemme's confession was "inconsistent, disproven" and made "while she was in psychiatric crisis and physical pain."
Meanwhile, the judge found that there was "substantial and objective" evidence against Michael Holman, a St. Joseph police officer who was never properly investigated for the crime.
Holman had in his possession Jeschke's distinctive wishbone earrings, as well as her credit card, and hairs at the crime scene were consistent with his own.
The judge noted that Holman had a history of criminal behavior, including home burglaries, crimes of dishonesty, and stalking offenses.
Holman, who died in 2015, was never charged with Jeschke's murder.
The judge said that Holman's fellow officers "failed to seriously investigate Holman as a suspect."
Hemme's case is not the first time that a Missouri woman has been wrongfully convicted of a crime.
In 2021, Kevin Strickland was exonerated after spending 43 years in prison for a triple homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.
The former attorney general opposed Strickland's exoneration efforts, as well as that of Lamar Johnson, who spent 28 years behind bars before his conviction was overturned.
Hemme remains in custody at Chillicothe Correctional Center, but the judge has ordered that she be released within 30 days of his order unless prosecutors go to trial within that timeframe.
Missouri's Attorney General Andrew Bailey did not respond to requests for comment on whether prosecutors plan to retry the case.
This case highlights the importance of ensuring that all suspects are thoroughly investigated and that confessions are obtained fairly and without coercion.
It also underscores the need for greater oversight of law enforcement and the criminal justice system to prevent wrongful convictions and ensure that justice is served.
Sources:
theepochtimes.com
townhall.com
people.com
A Missouri woman who has spent more than four decades in prison for a murder she did not commit may soon be released, thanks to a judge who has overturned her conviction and believes a now-deceased police officer was the likely perpetrator.
Sandra Hemme, 64, was convicted of capital murder in 1980 for the killing of Patricia Jeschke, a librarian in St. Joseph, Missouri.
However, Judge Ryan W. Horsman has now ruled that Hemme, who suffers from mental illness, was the victim of a "manifest injustice" and that her conviction should be overturned.
The judge found that there was no motive for Hemme to kill Jeschke, and that there were no witnesses or forensic evidence linking her to the crime.
The only evidence against Hemme was her confession, which was obtained while she was heavily medicated and strapped to a chair in a psychiatric hospital.
The judge ruled that Hemme's confession was "inconsistent, disproven" and made "while she was in psychiatric crisis and physical pain."
Meanwhile, the judge found that there was "substantial and objective" evidence against Michael Holman, a St. Joseph police officer who was never properly investigated for the crime.
Holman had in his possession Jeschke's distinctive wishbone earrings, as well as her credit card, and hairs at the crime scene were consistent with his own.
The judge noted that Holman had a history of criminal behavior, including home burglaries, crimes of dishonesty, and stalking offenses.
Holman, who died in 2015, was never charged with Jeschke's murder.
The judge said that Holman's fellow officers "failed to seriously investigate Holman as a suspect."
Hemme's case is not the first time that a Missouri woman has been wrongfully convicted of a crime.
In 2021, Kevin Strickland was exonerated after spending 43 years in prison for a triple homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.
The former attorney general opposed Strickland's exoneration efforts, as well as that of Lamar Johnson, who spent 28 years behind bars before his conviction was overturned.
Hemme remains in custody at Chillicothe Correctional Center, but the judge has ordered that she be released within 30 days of his order unless prosecutors go to trial within that timeframe.
Missouri's Attorney General Andrew Bailey did not respond to requests for comment on whether prosecutors plan to retry the case.
This case highlights the importance of ensuring that all suspects are thoroughly investigated and that confessions are obtained fairly and without coercion.
It also underscores the need for greater oversight of law enforcement and the criminal justice system to prevent wrongful convictions and ensure that justice is served.
Sources:
theepochtimes.com
townhall.com
people.com
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