Scott Sisters’ Wrongful Conviction: Double-Life for an $11 Robbery

AM I NOT HUMAN?

Thanks to the grassroots people at ThugLifeArmy for republishing the letter of Jamie Scott below. She and her sister Gladys were sentenced to double-life in prison for a 50-cent robbery in Mississippi, a case full of Southern intrigue.

O Mississippi, do you think we have forgotten Emmitt Till, Medgar Evers, Vernon Dahmer, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney?

O Mississippi, you cannot make legal out of lynching? What kind of mind could conceive perpetual evil? Maybe it runs in the blood.

Forest, Mississippi, county seat of Scott County, home of Tyson Chicken. Should it surprise anyone that chickens are tortured to death, pissed on, and then sold to KFC... at least, according to http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/tortured_by_tyson (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

Torture, murder, and false imprisonment are so Mississippian.


The Wrongful Conviction By Jamie Scott

Fourteen years ago in a small town, Forest, MS, two young Black women, who are sisters, were given a double life sentence. This sentence was for a crime, in which they did not commit. The alleged crime was Armed Robbery of two Black men. No one was killed or harmed during this alleged robbery.

Three young Black men confessed to the robbery. They also implicated that Gladys and me, Jamie Scott, were involved and participated in this crime. On December 24, 1993, Scott county Sheriff’s Department arrested Gladys and me for armed robbery. This was the beginning of a real life nightmare for everyone in our family: our parents, our children, and especially us.

Our trial began on October 4, 1994. Gladys, nineteen, and I, Jamie, were twenty-two years old. The three young men called the “Patrick Men” because they were related. Through coercions, threats and promises they chose to turn states evidence against Gladys and me. These men were promised a lenient sentence, in return for their testimonies.

During our trial, the tale began to unravel. One of the Patrick men testified he didn’t write the statement used as evidence against Gladys and me. He testified that the police coerced and threatened him with a long sentence at Parchman State Prison, if he didn’t sign the written statement. The Scott county Police used fear, threats, and intimidation against the Patrick Men to sign a statement against us.

This man testified regarding the coerced statement on the witness stand; however, the jury found Gladys and me guilty. We received a double life sentence.

Prior to our trial, the two victims who had been robbed went to our parents with a bribe. They requested a large sum of money in exchange for there disappearance and unavailability to testify against us. However, our attorney advised our parents to cease all communications with the victims.

We contend our innocence. Our parents believe in our innocence and the Patrick Men know we are innocent.

In 1998, one of the Patrick Men wrote a sworn affidavit clearing Gladys and me. But, the courts never heard the affidavit. Our attorney, Chokwe Lumumba, filed our Post-Conviction, regretfully, too late. The most devastating and unfair thing about this is the police and investigators know we are innocent.

What began as an implication and outright miscarriage of justice, has catapulted to destroyed an entire family. These accusations and subsequent convictions have totally destroyed mine and Gladys’ life. Causing a chain reaction which has led, Gladys, a nineteen year old, mother of a seven year old daughter and pregnant with another child, myself, Jamie, a twenty-two year old mother of three children; seven, three and one years of age, during the time of our arrest, conviction and sentencing for a crime we did not commit. Before being eligible for parole, we will have to serve a total of twenty years. We have exhausted all of our appeals in our fight for freedom. We now realize we are unable to receive justice within the Mississippi Judicial System. Our hopes and dreams of freedom lie with the American people. Who can become our voice and assist us with our plight for freedom. By voicing their opinions, speaking our against this atrocious miscarriage of justice, and a court system that has denied us our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
We are compelled to plead and ask for a public outcry. Attention needs to be given to public officials and a county that refuses to let justice be served.

Our situation is complex, multidimensional, and heart-wrenching. We will never cease speaking out against the disservice done to us. However, we have discovered our voice carries very little weight, especially now, we are convicted as violent offenders serving a double life sentence.

Horror, frustration and humiliation of being subjected to life in prison for a crime, we did not commit, has made both of us feel hopeless and helpless at certain times; but we will continue to fight for our lives. This is a story that could happen to anyone.

My mother, Evelyn Rasco, decided to leave the state of Mississippi due to this “miscarriage of justice” inflicted upon Gladys and me. There is a great deal more to our story than what we are revealing presently. Events which have happened to us during fight for freedom.

Hopefully, someone will find this story worthy enough to be exposed and to show what has happened in a small town in Mississippi, during this time in America. Someone may decide to come forward and speak out against what has happened to my sister and me. We pray this will happen.

This is not a movie, it is a real-life situation, this happened to real people. An untruth has taken away our lives. A life that included our parents and children (now grandchildren). Unless someone decides to take a stand against the county, it’s officials and not allow intimidation and fear to discourage them from helping us with our fight for freedom; our children will be adults before we are free citizens.
The injustices that have occurred are pattern within this county and their police departments. This type of injustice and exploitation has been done to many African-Americans who have lived in this county for many years. They have been very successful in destroying many lives. This should not be happening in America today. This is a time we show Americans what really occurs in most small towns in the state of Mississippi. We are convinced that once this chain of events is exposed and unraveled, the events that occurred, the lives that have been destroyed, the pain and suffering the citizens of Scott County have endured; everyone will be utterly amazed, astonished and compelled to assist us in our plight for freedom. We pray, the people would insist upon an investigation into their misconduct and miscarriage of justice.

The officials in this community should be exposed and reprimanded for all they have done and continue to do to others and us. Once this has occurred, and revealed; perhaps, it will bring an end to this horrific story we have endured and experienced for the past fourteen years.

We need someone willing to take a stand for our families, to be our voice and us. Also, to assist, guide and lead our mother, because she is fearful. Our mother and children need us. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

May God Bless You,
Jamie Scott

Link To Petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Free-Jamie-Gladys/index.html

Petitioned:
United Nations (UN), Amnesty International, The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR Justice), The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), The Supreme Court of the United States, and other International Government Institutions.

Petitioner:
Federal Association for the Advancement of Visible Minorities (FAAVM Canada)
P.O BOX 32070 - 3651 Shelbourne St.
Victoria, British Columbia
V8P 5S2 Canada
Web Address: www.faavm-canada.org
Email: faavm@yahoo.ca
Thewrongfulconviction@gmail.com

Contacts:
Nancy R. Lockhart, M.J.
Raphael Louis-President/CEO(Canada)+1(250)208-6947

Whereas In the State of Mississippi (USA) - On December 24, 1993, Scott County Sheriff's Department arrested two sisters, Jamie and Gladys Scott for armed robbery, and In October of 1994, Jamie and Gladys Scott were each sentenced to double life terms in prison. Neither sister had prior convictions, nor arrests, nor criminal history. Three young black male confessed to the robbery, implicated and linked Jamie and Gladys into the crime; and these men also received a light sentence of 10 months in exchange of a plea bargain. Allegedly; between $9-$11, were stolen; subsequently no one was injured or murdered.

We are urging everyone to support this Petition and assist our efforts in obtaining Freedom for these innocent Ladies.

(See http://wrongfulconvictions.ning.com/)