George Allen Will Remain Free—After being Wrongly convicted and imprisoned for three decades.                              

On Dec. 27, a Missouri appeals court, thankfully, refused to overturn a judge’s order that released George Allen. The St. Louis man had been imprisoned for nearly 30 years on a murder charge. “’We’re thrilled, we’re absolutely thrilled,’ said Barry Scheck, co-director of the Innocence Project and one of the lawyers representing” Allen, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported the following day.

“Allen, 56, was released in November after Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green voided Allen’s convictions for murder, rape, sodomy and first-degree burglary in the killing of Mary Bell, 31. Green faulted city police for failing to turn over evidence to prosecutors and a ‘deeply flawed’ interrogation that led to a ‘dubious’ confession.

“’The undisclosed evidence, considered together, points unavoidably to the conclusion that the police — and Detective (Herb) Riley in particular — ignored and hid evidence pointing to someone else as the perpetrator in their zealous pursuit of Allen’s conviction,’ Green wrote.

“St. Louis prosecutors announced Nov. 7 that they would not retry Allen, saying that among other things, two key witnesses who might have explained the issues with Allen’s confession and the police interrogation have since died.” Attorney General Chris Koster, gratefully, has finally agreed not to push for a new trial.

To read the full article, log onto
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/appeals-court-rejects-challenge-to-st-louis-man-s-prison/article_40a8027f-002c-5245-8a6e-0efecdde0581.html

To read the November news release from the Innocence Project about his release, log ontohttp://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/St_Louis_Man_Who_Narrowly_Escaped_the_Death_Penalty_Released_After_Serving_More_Than_30_Years_In_Spite_of_Meritless_Appeal_by_AG.php?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=November%20Newsletter&org=460&lvl=100&ite=421&lea=851758&ctr=0&par=1 

Fellowship of Reconciliation-Mid-MO chapter

Press Release: St. Louis County Branch NAACP

For Immediate Release

 January  2013

Former Missouri Governor and County Executive to pay tribute to Civil Rights Hero

On Sunday Feb 24, 2013 at 3:00 pm the St. Louis County NAACP will host it’s annual Rosa Parks State Observance Day celebration. The celebration is being sponsored by Ameren Missouri and will be held at Murchison Tabernacle CME Church, 7629 Natural Bridge Rd. Normandy Mo, 63121.

St. Louis County executive Charlie A. Dooley and Former Missouri Governor Bob Holden are scheduled to serve as guest speakers. In 2004 Missouri State Representative and Branch President Esther Hill Haywood sponsored H.B 1256 Establishing Feb 4 as Rosa Parks day in Missouri Annually. The event is free and open to the public. KMOV Channel Four Anchor Andre Hepkins will serve as Emcee.

Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery Alabama in 1955 sparked the beginning of the American Civil Rights Movement. Parks was the secretary and Youth advisor for the Montgomery Branch of the NAACP.

For information please call the NAACP office at 314-389-1552

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

Lewis Diuguid in Jefferson City Jan 21 at NAACP meeting

The NAACP Branch 4064 of Jefferson City, Mo. will have a special guest speaker Lewis W. Diuguid. Our next meeting on Jan. 21 at 6pm at Lincoln University Page Library lower level in room 116. Lewis W. Diuguid is an Editorial Board member and columnist for the Kansas City Star and letters editor. He has written columns for The Star since 1987. from 1995 to 2009 he co-chaired the diversity initiative at The Star, and starting in 1993 he has facilitated diversity workshops for Star co. staffers,colleges and community organizations.

Diuguid joined the staff of The kansas City star- times in May 1977 after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia of Journalism. He has worked as a reporter, photographer,copy editor,automotive editor, assistant bureau chief, assistant city editor, associate editor and vice president of community resources.

Diuguid is the author of the 2004 award- winning book, A teacher's cry; Expose the Truth about Education today. The book offers ways to improve public schools, particularly in urban areas. A Teacher's Cry is rooted in his studies with the class of 1999 from the student freshman year until graduation at Washington High School in Kansas, Kan. He wrote about 100 columns for The Star chronicling what it's like to be a teenager and teacher today.

In 2007, Diuguid's second book was published. The subject is diversity, which for more than 20 years has been a key focus of his columns in The Kansas City star. The title is Discovering the Real America: Toward a more perfect Union.

If you have not seen "the Meeting" try to see this one

Wesport Center for the Arts Presents: The Meeting

In collaboration with the Westport Center for the Arts, the Black Archives of Mid-America will celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with a reading of the play "The Meeting." Kansas City actors Walter Coppage and Tosin Morohunfola adopt the roles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in an imagined meeting of the two civil rights leaders. Set shortly before Malcolm X’s assassination, the two men discuss and debate their respective approaches in the civil rights movement.

01/26/2013	Time:	2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Location:	Black Archives of Mid-America 1722 East 17th Terrace Kansas City MO 64108

http://www.kcsoul.com/urban-events-calendar/detail.php?eid=4825

Michael Erice Dyson in KC Jan 30th - FREE

http://www.umkc.edu/diversity/events/dyson/index.cfm

Michael Eric Dyson
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
UMKC Student Union, Multipurpose Room
5100 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
6:00 p.m. 

This event is free and open to the public - ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

FREE PARKING: Cherry Street Parking Garage, 50th & Cherry Street, Area 32N on levels five and six only

This was a big year for Reggie, his family and his legion of supporters. His evidentiary hearing was in September and now we await Judge Manners' recommendation on the case.

George Allen was exonerated after serving almost 30 years for a murder he did not commit. The St. Louis man was freed last month despite the dogged efforts of Attorney General Chris Koster to challenge an appellate judge's order. We wish George and his family nothing but the best in his new life ahead.

Missouri had no executions this year. The executions of nineteen men on death row are still on hold pending a ruling on the state's change in lethal injections to use propofol.

On behalf of Reggie and the Campaign, we wish you a peaceful and healthy New Year. We thank you for all of your love and support.

 

Jamala Rogers, Coordinator

JUSTICE for Reggie Campaign

P. O. Box 5277  St. Louis, MO  63115

(314) 367-5959

www.justiceforreggie.com

NEWS RELEASE: Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration offers help to veterans entering private sector

NEWS RELEASE: Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration offers help to veterans entering private sector