Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Another Case of Injustice in Ohio

I just received an email that brought my attention to a 1988 murder case from Geauga County which captured my attention years ago. The crime scene was familiar territory. I grew up there. It was a part of my old stomping grounds.

Back in 2003 Scene Magazine published an article about the case that made me pause. The justice system was out of whack. Small town politicians were playing politics with people's lives. Evidence was hidden, lies were told, vanity trumped justice, and as a result two innocent men, Bob Gondor and Randy Resh, have spent 16 years of their lives in prison for a crime they had absolutely nothing to do with.

Wednesday January 25th the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio has agreed to hear oral arguments for the case.

We are told repeatedly to "believe in the system". We are told "The system works."
Who is telling us this? The folks who are running "the system".

Please go to the website. Read about this travesty of justice. Offer your support.
Then take a few minutes, and read about the other cases of innocent people who have been wrongfully convicted. It is scary. It is disturbing. It is happening. It is wrong.
The justice system doesn't work all the time, sometimes it breaks down, and when that happens it can't be ignored, it needs to be fixed.

I realize this is not consistent with the usual education topics I write about, but I decided, today this will be an exeception.

Can bloggers make a difference in the lives of these two men?
I have no idea.
All I can do is put the information out here and see where it goes.

I know we have an amazing network in North East Ohio. Bloggers here support each other, read each other, link to each other, and are widely read. We are just beginning to understand how to work our network. We are learning to how wield the power of information and instant communication. We are learning how the ripple of one stone cast into the pool can be amplified and ultimately effect change.
Can we help change the fate of these two innocent men? I guess we will see.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

MaryBeth,

I just found this blog and was truly touched to see you pick up on Bob and Randy's case.

There is so much to do for them and other innocents in Ohio.

We are hoping that the Ohio Supreme Court will FINALLY correct this injustice. It will still be a long road ahead, but we are willing to fight and press on.

Would love to hear from you regarding any thoughts, comments, suggestions about their case or anything else milling around in your mind.

Thanks!
Patty
Friend, supporter and advocate for Bob and Randy

(my email address is located on their website)