Coerce Identification Leads to Wrongful Conviction: Kevin Keith Case

The Crime

On the evening of February 13, 1994 at approximately 9PM , a masked gunman entered an Apartment at the Bucyrus Estates Apartment Complex in Bucyrus , Ohio . Upon entering the apartment the masked gunman had brief conversation with one of the occupants before opening fire and killing Marchell Chatman, Marchae Chatman, Linda Chatman and critically wounding Quenton & Quenita Reeves as well as Richard Warren whom was living with Marchell Chatman weeks prior to the shootings. Warren was also a known drug dealer in the area.

According to Richard Warren after being shot he played dead and once the gun man left Warren ran out of the apartment across a snow covered field towards Ike's Restaurant, yelling for help. Four or five more shots were fired, one striking him in the buttocks and knocking him to the ground. Warren was able to get up and make it to the restaurant where he was aided by a waitress. When asked by the waitress who had shot him Warren stated he didn't know who the man was because he had ski mask on.

Another Bucyrus Estates resident Nancy Smathers heard several popping sounds at 9PM as she looked out her front door, Smather's claimed to see Black Man run to the parking lot and get into car, as the car sped away it slid on icy driveway and into snow bank leaving partial license plate identification. When she was asked by police if she could recognize the man again if she saw him; Nancy Smather's said NO.

Politics Influence Arrest

The community reacted to the intense news coverage with the demands the gunman be caught and brought to justice. It wasn't two days after the murders that former, then President Bill Clinton spoke in Columbus , Ohio and made reference to the murders in a speech to support his "Tough Smart" Crime fight bill, local law enforcement were eager to make arrest.

On February 15, 1994 two days after the murders Kevin Keith was watching television at his home in Crestline, Ohio several miles from the crime scene when S.W.A.T team kicked in his door, guns drawn and pointed directly at Kevin confirming the target(Kevin) was in their sight. Kevin startled immediately lies on floor where the S.W.A.T team members begin assaulting him. Kevin yells from his beating & assures them that there are no drugs in his home as he was under the impression that the police were searching for drugs. Kevin Keith was unaware at the time, but would soon realize that a drug case would be the least of his worries.

Upon arriving at Bucyrus County jail and seeing the growing crowd of spectators and media personnel, cameras along with dozen of police officials Kevin realized that this was bigger than a drug case. Within an hour Kevin went from being at home watching TV with girlfriend to standing before judge setting his bond at 1 Million dollars and reading off the charges for three counts of Murder & there counts of attempted Murder. Kevin would profess his innocence, but such protest was ignored.

Kevin Keith's Alibi

Kevin's Aunt Gracie Keith, who is also the aunt of one of the victim's child, arrived at the county jail shortly after Kevin's arrest. She gave brief statement to the media stating that Kevin was with her at 9PM at her home in Crestline , Ohio several miles from the crime scene the night of the Murders. Gracie Keith would eventually testify in court and provide Kevin with alibi.

The Case against Kevin Keith Is Filled with Inconsistencies

Despite Richard Warren & Nancy Smather's prior statements that they couldn't identify the gunman the police diligently & relentlessly convinced them to identify Kevin Keith as the gunman.

The Bucyrus Chief of Police Joe Beran feed the media fabricated evidence claiming that fibers, finger prints found at the crime scene match that of Kevin's. And that all three of the surviving victims identified Kevin Keith as the gunman. However; during the course of the trail Sheryl Mahon, Latent Finger Print Examiner for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification testified that "none of the finger prints taken from the scene or suspected get-away car matched Kevin's". Mahan testified that "there was no blood on any of Kevin Keith's clothes including clothing taken from his home".

Michelle Yezzo, Forensic Scientist testified that "Foot impressions left at the scene by the suspect didn't match any of the foot wear owned by Kevin". As well Yezzo testified that "fibers collected from the crime scene didn't match at Kevin's home or clothing; nor did fibers taken from suspected get away car".

Two out of the three surviving victims Quentina & Quenton Reeves didn't identify Kevin as the gunman. Quentina claimed Bruce did the shootings. She was shown the photo line up, as to Kevin's photo she said he wasn't the guy she knows as Bruce who had shooter and the others. (In other words, Quentina specifically stated Kevin Keith wasn't the shooter... Exhibit A/News Article)

Usual Suspects

Investigators made plaster impression of the identification in the snow bank made by the suspects get away car to reveal partial license plate "043". The identification matched several cars in the Bucyrus area including car seized from Melonie Davison shortly after she visited Kevin in jail. It also matched a license plate registered to Rodney Melton, a Pharmacy burglary suspect & convicted murderer. Rodney Melton's brother Bruce Melton was also a suspect in a state wide pharmacy burglary ring at the time. Kevin's trail attorney suggested that this is the "Bruce"; Quentina Reeves said shot her and the others. Bruce being a friend of the girl's father, Demetrius Reeves.

Demetrius Reeves & both Rodney and Bruce Melton were under a 99 count indictment and arrested on those charges shortly after Kevin's arrest. They would all plead guilty in connection with the Pharmacy Burglary ring.

Police Captain Michael Corwin was aware of all three men drug activities as well knew of Rodney Melton's previous murder conviction and was suspect in another unsolved homicide.

Captain Corwin admitted that he never showed Quetina Reeves or any of the other surviving victims a photo of Bruce or Rodney Melton. There were numerous attempts made by family members of Rodney & Bruce to consult with someone about their belief that both brothers were involved in the murders. And that the Melton's own family members were fearful of them. (Exhibit B/Court Transcript).

Approximately 2 ½ hours after the murders occurred, Kevin traveled to Bucyrus, Ohio to pick up his girlfriend up from the General Electric plant where she worked. It was then that Kevin learned about the murders from her. His girlfriend learned of the murders from several General Electric employees who had visited the crime scene before coming to work.

Farnella Graham, a resident who lived across the street from the General Electric plant, found a single 9mm casing on her front sidewalk that would match casing found at the crime scene.

Larry Harden, Senior Special Agent for the B.C.I office who had previously worked with the Bucyrus police on several occasions, testified that "his initial report show that there were 18 shell casings found, but there were only 16 found"

Demetrious Reeves, the father of Quentina Reeves a surviving victim, also worked at the General Electric plant & when asked about the shell casing he pleaded the 5^th amendment. None of the other plant employees who left the crime scene & came directly to work were questioned about the probability that one of them could have transferred the shell casing. The gun used in the murders has NEVER BEEN FOUND. Approximately 2 weeks before Kevin's trail, there was another shooting which involved the Chatman family, Herbert Chatman's home in Bucyrus , Ohio had been shot up while he & other family members were asleep.

The shooting occurred on 4/17/94, the police said that bullets from that shooting had been sent to the B.C.I in London, Ohio & those bullets did appear to be 9 millimeter, as were the ones in the February killings. (See Exhibit C)

Detectives would later admit that the bullets from the send shooting were sent to the B.C.I Lab on 4/28/94 . WHY? If the bullets appeared to be 9 millimeter, as were the ones used in the February murders, why would the police wait 11 days after the shooting occurred before sending the bullets to the lab for comparison? (See Exhibit D)

Where were the bullets being held for those 11 days that initially appeared to be 9 millimeter, as were the ones used in the earlier murders? Eventually the bullets from the second Chatman shooting (4/17/94) that the detectives claimed initially appeared to be 9 millimeter were "Supposedly" the same bullets submitted to the lab came back as being .38/.357 caliber.

One would have to question were the bullets collected on 4/17/94 from the second Chatman shooting were the same one's submitted to the B.C.I Lab for analysis 11 days after the shooting occurred?

The prosecution's claimed that Kevin Keith's motive to commit the murders was a result of a Chatman family member informing of drug activities.

2 ½ weeks after Kevin was convicted, the informant's Uncle Herbert Chatman kidnapped a female drug informant from Bucyrus, Ohio and was eventually indicted on 9 counts including intimidation of Police Informant (See Exhibit E)

The murders took place at an apartment complex. There were several witnesses who initially told new reporters and police that the gunman had a ski mask on his face. But police Chief Joe Geran, who didn't witness the shooting, in his diligence to make arrest and get a conviction, said that the police didn't feel a mask was used.

This is just one of many illustrations of how the Bucyrus police chose to dictate what witnesses had witnessed.

When witnesses did come forward disagreeing with the police that Kevin wasn't the shooter they were eventually badgered & convinced to keep silent. (See Exhibit F)

Kevin Keith Jury Contaminated

Kevin had an attorney who wasn't certified to try a capitol cases, a biased & inept Judge and contaminated jury. Kevin Keith's attorney failed to excuse a juror who reported receiving a threatening phone call, another juror caught lying about discussing the case outside of the courtroom. A third juror who reported receiving collect phone calls from prison and fourth juror being seen driven to bank by deputy during sequestered deliberations without judges knowledge; and lastly a juror who admitted that they had "Baby Sat" for the arresting and leading detectives in the case.

The police department & prosecutor's portrayal of Kevin Keith as being a big time level drug dealer wasn't the case. On the other hand Rodney & Bruce Melton along with Demetrius Reeves were apart of one of the Nation's biggest pharmacy burglary rings and under a 99 count indictment.

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