by Regina Brett
July 12, 2006

Don't believe me. Believe the judges.

According to appeals court decisions, at least three men could be on death row because former star prosecutor Carmen Marino hid evidence.

Three others had murder convictions set aside, one because of what an appeals court called Marino's "highly improper and highly prejudicial" conduct. The others, because he hid key evidence or lied about secret deals with jailed witnesses.

On March 12, 1983, Sander Leach was shot and killed in the van from which he was selling vegetables on Cleveland's east side.  Arthur Tyler has steadfastly denied shooting Mr. Leach.

 Leroy Head, on the other hand, has repeatedly admitted shooting Mr. Leach.
Within minutes, he told two friends that he shot the fruit and vegetable man during a robbery, saying the old man forced his hand by trying to pull a gun.
Head told his mother he did it, too. She urged him to come clean.
So he told police he did it as well. And he signed a confession.
But it was not Head who was condemned to die.

The link for the petition is:

There is evidence of innocence in this case: http://tyronenoling.com/

U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent denied an appeal by Ohio death row
inmate Tyrone Noling Friday and issued an order saying Noling - convicted
of gunning down an elderly couple - can't take his case to a higher
federal court.

On March 12, 1983, Sander Leach was shot and killed in the van from which he was selling vegetables on Cleveland’s east side.  Arthur Tyler has steadfastly denied shooting Mr. Leach.  Leroy Head, on the other hand, has repeatedly admitted shooting Mr. Leach.

As in other 1980s cases, questions remain but execution looms
 Bob Paynter  and Mike Tobin
 Plain Dealer Reporters
ONLINE:    To follow this series go to  www.cleveland.com/deathpenalty

On a winter's evening 23 years ago, at the corner of East 66th Street and Zoeter Avenue in Cleveland, somebody pumped two .38-caliber bullets into the chest of 74-year-old Sanders Leach, killing the produce vendor instantly.
Leroy Head, then 18, confessed almost immediately.