Can't Get Behind Tookie? How About Cory Maye Instead?

http://www.theagitator.com/archives/025962.php#025962

December 07, 2005--Cory Maye

<snip>
Maye today sits on Mississippi's death row, convicted of capital murder for shooting police officer Ron Jones. It's probably worth mentioning that Jones is white, and Maye is black. It's probably also worth mentioning that at the time of his death, Jones' father was police chief of Prentiss, Mississippi, where the shooting took place. It's probably also worth mentioning that the jury who convicted Maye was white.

<snip>
On the night of December 26, the task force donned paramilitary gear, and conducted a drug raid on Smith's house. Unfortunately, they hadn't done their homework. The team didn't realize that the house was a duplex, and that Maye -- who had no relationship with Smith,-- rented out the other side with his girlfirend and 1-year-old daughter. As the raid on Smith commenced, some officers - including Jones -- went around to what they thought was a side door to Smith's residence, looking for a larger stash of drugs. The door was actually a door to Maye's home. Maye was home alone with his young daughter, and asleep, when one member of the SWAT team broke down the outside door. Jones, who wasn't armed, charged in, and made his way to Maye's bedroom.

Because police believed Maye's side of the duplex was still part of Smith's residence, they never announced themselves (Note added on 12/09/05: Police said at trial that they did announce themselves before entering Maye's apartment -- Maye and his attorney say otherwise. I'm inclined to believe Maye, for reasons outlined in this post. However, even if they did, announcing seconds before bursting in just before midnight, isn't much better than not announcing at all. An innocent person on the other end of the raid, particularly if still asleep, has every reason to fear for his life.). Maye, fearing for his life and the safety of his daughter, fired at Jones, hitting him in the abdomen, just below his bulletproof vest. Jones died a short time later.

<snip>

Let's summarize: Cops mistakenly break down the door of a sleeping man, late at night, as part of drug raid. Turns out, the man wasn't named in the warrant, and wasn't a suspect. The man, frightened for himself and his 18-month old daughter, fires at an intruder who jumps into his bedroom after the door's been kicked in. Turns out that the man, who is black, has killed the white son of the town's police chief. He's later convicted and sentenced to death by a white jury. The man has no criminal record, and police rather tellingly changed their story about drugs (rather, traces of drugs) in his possession at the time of the raid.

More at: http://www.theagitator.com/archives/025962.php#025962

:shrug:

Mississippi <> Michigan.

And sounds like a righteous shoot by the homeowner.

Going to research this one a lot more.

Anyone got any links to articles and other facts about this case???

Thanks,

RegexReader
$USA =~ s/Republican/Democrat/ig;

:shrug:

I gotta do so more research on this one.

They will have no better reason than (1) their innate sense of "justice" or (2) a poll indicating that many Americans are equally vengeful (3) or a half-assed re-hash of the prosecutor's tale.

Good luck.

How can that be wrong! :eyes:

However, I would need to research it.

I will be looking into this as well.

Not that I don't trust this guy's blog, but I'd like to see some verification of the specifics of the case.

http://www.ajs.org/jc/death/2004/jc_death_cases.asp



Cory Maye—black, age 21

Sentenced to death in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi

By: A jury

Date of crime: 12/26/01

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Police burst into Maye’s apartment yelling, “Police!” during a drug raid. Maye was in his bedroom. When police officer Ron Jones came through the doorway, Maye shot him in the abdomen just below his bulletproof vest. Jones died. The victim was the son of the police chief of the town of Prentiss. The defense attempted to prove that Maye did not know the persons breaking in were police officers, and that he was trying to protect his infant son, who was in the bedroom with him. In mitigation the defense pointed out Maye’s relative youth at the time of the shooting (21) and his lack of a prior criminal record.

Prosecutor(s): Claiborne “Buddy” McDonald IV, Doug Miller
Defense lawyer(s): Rhonda Cooper

Sources: Sun Herald (Biloxi) 12/28/01, 12/30/01; Clarion-Ledger (Jackson) 2/22/02; Telephone call with prosecutor Miller 9/27/04

None of the short blurbs that I've seen scattered about mention warrant/address issue.

Its amazing that the other cops behind didn't blow Maye away when they saw their comrade go down.

This is an interesting case.

of the error. They all mention he had no prior criminal record though.

It just doesn't make sense that the kid would purposely shoot a cop when he had nothing to hide or fear from the police. This story stinks.


http://publicola.mu.nu/archives/2005/12/08/the_night_that_the_light_went_out_in_mississippi.html

and that he didn't hear anybody yell "police" nor did anybody poundd on the door or anything, the cop just busted his door down simultaneously with other cops busting through his neighbor's door.

offended the jury in her closing arguments, which at least two jurors admit was a main reason they voted for conviction of Mayes. Click original link for more info.

so long as the site supporting this person is not a load of crap (like the save tookie sites), this is one case that could definitely change opinions in this country.

in self-defense. In Florida, okay - in MS, the dp.

to look at the individual facts in each case. In this one, there's been a fair amount of local/regional reporting done, and in my view the facts are a clear argument for clemency.

If he had a completely seperate street address number, he should be let go or at the most, serve no more than a ten year maximum.

... you are comparing the killing of someone breaking into my house with the killing of people in their place of business for the purposes of robbery.

What do these cases have in common?

just might be able to get on board and be anti-dp for a change. It's about a miscarriage of justice, which should offend all Americans.

I'd like to know if it was a physically seperate address from the one where there was a warrant. In other words, was it considered a duplex by the municipality or not? If there is a separate mailing address, then he's got a damned good case for being released and being owed some form of civil sompensation.

If not, they've got a good case against him, although in this case I do not believe the DP would be warranted, or even a life sentence.

If what I know from what I've read here is absolutely true, the man should be set free.

If this is indeed how things went down this guy shouldn't even be in jail. He was defending his home from an unannounced intruder. What is the police version?

And I would like to learn more.

On the surface it certainly appears that this man does not deserve the DP.

over. this guy should be suing the city and state for the stress and being in jail. this is total bullshit, where is the press for this man.