Clemency for Patty Prewitt
Newly Revealed Evidence Indicates a Gross Failure of the Criminal Justice System That Can Only Be Remedied Through Executive Clemency
Recent Discoveries
• 544 page manuscript written by Prosecutor confirms rush to judgment about Patty Prewitt’s guilt on the part of a young, ambitious lead investigator
• Sheriff’s Office records reveal exculpatory evidence never disclosed to Defense
• New review confirms that testimony offered by forensic pathologist was beyond his expertise
• Discovery of subsequent cases involving lead investigator and pathologist call into question credibility of these key witnesses for the Prosecution
Police Failed to Investigate and Disclose Vital Leads to Defense
• Report of suspicious car near Prewitt home at time of murder
• Distinctive tire prints found near pond where murder weapon recovered
• Burnt matches and muddy shoe prints found in attic
Lead Investigator Systemically Ignored Evidence Pointing to Intruder
• No follow up to children’s report of noise and light coming from basement
• No hair, fingerprints, or shoe prints taken from murder scene
• Failure to conduct medical evaluation of Patty despite report of attempted rape
• Failure to collect trace evidence from Patty Prewitt’s fingernails, toenails, pajamas
• Failure to interview others about suspicious vehicle reported by one neighbor
• Failure to determine the whereabouts of an individual late for work at the time of the murder who, according to the Prosecutor, had the “motive, means, and opportunity” to commit the crime
At Trial, Gender Bias and Misleading Forensic Testimony
• Lead investigator’s testimony featured a series of sexually suggestive remarks ostensibly made by Patty during an unrecorded 16-hour interrogation
• Prosecution’s case relied upon attacks on Patty’s character and fitness as a mother based on relationships that took place 5+ years before murder, a time when the Prewitts were separated
• Pathologist, brought on only weeks before trial gave testimony beyond his training about the nature of Patty’s wounds, the lack of hair at the crime scene, and the possibility of the shooting taking place in darkness
Patty’s Behavior—then and now—is Inconsistent with Guilt
• After attack, Patty chose to seek help from her neighbor who was a former police officer
• She was fully available without a lawyer for more than 20 hours of questioning in the three days after the murder, even after being told she was a suspect
• Patty told investigators that the family owned two guns and where they typically kept them; one of these guns was subsequently linked to the crime
• Though she had ample opportunity to do so, Patty did not hide or recover her boots, which investigators later used to link her to the murder weapon
• Patty refused a plea deal that would have made her eligible for parole in seven years
• Patty has an exemplary record over the past 30+ years of her incarceration and has mentored and mothered generations of women in prison
• Patty’s advocates include prison administrators, legislators, religious leaders, a former President, individuals from across the state, and her children
