Compelling Arguments

By: Charlotte Williams

The Giovanni Reid Support Team believes that if the ladies and gentlemen who served on the jury that convicted Reid and Bennett fifteen and a half years ago had known that,

· although Hill was in the vicinity at the time of the shooting, that she did not witness it; and had the jury known that,
· an undeniably light-skinned Reid and walnut-brown-complected Bennett and the lone gunman were all outside of Hill’s viewing range when the shot was fired; and had the jury known that,
· Williams’ research found that Hill had a history of homelessness, which gives rise to a parallel between her and the woman with the bags at the phone booth who was thought to have been a mentally ill “bag lady;”and had the jury known that,
· Hill allegedly told Williams that her recent past around the time of the Reid/Bennett trial had included homelessness, drug dealing and drug use in addition to gang banging with a gang known as the Moroccos; and had the jury known that,
· Dr. Baker, who testified, never told police during his interrogation that he saw any woman at the crime scene, let alone a black woman dressed in a white nurse’s uniform as he testified to; and had the jury known that,
· Richman proclaims that he was an eyewitness to the crime and declares that “there was no woman” crossing the street during the attack; and had the jury known that,
· Richman stated emphatically that he had witnessed only one male attacking his friend and that Reid and Bennett had been several feet away (midway in the block) with their backs to the assailant and Bob; and had the jury known that,
· Hill was not a nurse at the time of the trial as she testified to under oath; and had the jury known that,
· Hill allegedly told Williams that not only does she still remembers it, but that she still has the same jacket that she wore on that fateful morning; and had the jury known that, (One of the interns, Dr. Finnalle, described a black woman wearing a “windbreaker-like” type jacket who told him that she saw what happened.)
· Richman says he has no recollection of having ever answered particular questions on his police report; and had the jury known that,
· Richman claims he never would have furnished police with his mother’s contact information (as is written in his police report) back in 1991 because they were estranged; and had the jury known that,
· Richman claims the signature on the police report bearing his name does not resemble his signature from back then nor now; and had the jury known that,
· Bennett claims that the information on his police report is bogus; and had the jury known that,
· Bennett alleges that he was not read his Miranda rights until after his interrogation; and had the jury known that,
· Bennett alleges that he did not furnish the police with the information that appears in his police report; and had the jury known that,
· Carlton Bennett’s parents allege police confiscated the clothes he was wearing on the morning of the shooting and yet they were not entered as exhibits;

had the jury known all of this, then we, The Giovanni Reid Support Team, believe that they would have realized that both Reid and Bennett’s cries of innocence were of merit and would have done them right by rendering a unanimous verdict of “not guilty” beyond a reasonable doubt.

Moreover, we believe that a fair-minded jury would have considered the parallel between the commonwealth’s purported eyewitness Lorraine King Hill and the bag lady at the phone booth, as well as Richman’s testimony that there was no woman crossing the street at the time of the murder.

The Giovanni Reid Support Team feels that a thorough investigation into what happened to Bennett’s clothing should be conducted, not only because they are evidence, but moreover, if found that the police did confiscate them as his family claims, then we would want to know if they had a crime analysis performed on them, and if so, what if any evidence was found. More importantly for now, we want possession of them so that Reid’s own expert can examine them.

In addition, The Giovanni Reid Support Team also wants to know what happened to Bob’s clothing, since the medical examiner (dated 8/13/91) indicated in his report that he arrived at the morgue nude. Williams’ research revealed that Bob’s clothes also were not logged in as crime-scene evidence. We want to know, where are they and what happened to them? Of course we would want Reid’s expert to examine them as well.

The factual evidence uncovered in this case corroborates what Reid and Bennett have proclaimed all along- their innocence. And Richman’s account impeaches the testimony of the prosecution’s key eyewitness, Lorraine Hill. The evidence goes beyond impeachment of Hill’s testimony.

Since Richman’s scant police report gave no indication that he had witnessed the malicious mugging and murder of his friend Mr. Robert Janke, a.k.a. Bob, nor that he had held exculpatory evidence in his hands, then there would have been no judicious reason for either Reid or Bennett to have wanted him tracked down to testify as a defense witness during the 1991 trial; however, today is a different story. There is plenty of reason for them to want him in the courtroom today!

And not to be overlooked, the serious allegation of the appearance of the possibility of obstruction of justice (witness intimidation) should not be taken lightly. Some of the police reports need to be investigated. (A year before Richman ever contacted The Giovanni Reid Support Team, this writer had already questioned some of the information found in his report that just didn’t make any sense.)

The question as to whether or not Richman’s civil rights were possibly violated “Under Color of Law” should be vigorously investigated. Why? Because it is a matter of justice and the public’s perception of what justice is – is at stake.

In addition, the parallel between the bag lady, the so-called nurse, the woman wearing the windbreaker-like jacket and the commonwealth’s 1991 so-called eyewitness Lorraine Hill, should also be vigorously investigated for the same reason – a matter of justice! Were they all one-and-the-same person?

In view of the fact that detectives Cahill and Lynch traveled from Philadelphia to Tennessee on the day before Richman was to leave for Philadelphia when they could have visited him six months prior to that particular day, just doesn’t sit well with The Giovanni Reid Support Team; and,

in view of the fact that Richman was so upset with detectives Cahill and Lynch that he called his local police on the Philadelphia policemen; and,

in view of the fact that Cahill and Lynch’s visit so upset Richman that he is now a reluctant witness; and,

in view of the fact that Richman alleges that one of the detectives told him that Reid had admitted guilt, when in fact Reid’s police report indicates otherwise; and,

in view of the fact that whatever took place in the pawn shop involving the detectives seemingly led Richman to do a turn-a-bout and not meet with Reid’s attorney, keep doctors’ appointments nor appear at two different evidentiary hearings; and,

in view of the fact that Lt. Davis described Richman’s demeanor as discombobulated while relating to him allegations of how Cahill and Lynch had been “harassing” and “threatening” him; and,

in view of the fact that after missing the March 14, 2007 hearing, Richman had assured both Williams and this writer in a May 2007 telephone conversation that he would not miss his May 21st doctor’s appointment but did so anyway, most likely out of a perceived fear for his, and his family’s safety; in view of all of the above circumstances,

The Giovanni Reid Support Team therefore feels that the fair thing for the court to do would be to grant Giovanni Reid and Carlton Bennett a new trial, in the interest of justice.