Chris Smith
My name is Chris Brusant Smith #313290, an inmate at Wallens Ridge State Prison, Box 759, Big Stone Gap, VA 24219. I was falsely accused of crimes I didn't commit and as a result of the same, I am currently serving a sentence of 118 years. The only thing I am guilty of is being in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
The investigators involved, in their haste to close a case, never took the time to investigate the crime to determine if anyone else could have committed the crime when the evidence indicated that 3 to 5 other individuals could have been the culprits
The witnesses' stories changed each time they were questioned. The one witness they presented, who supposedly picked me out of a photo line up, stated at the trial that he never saw me at the scene. When asked who gave him the idea that I was the culprit, he stated he did not know.
My co-defendant admitted that he was testifying against me in order to save himself as suggested by the prosecutor and his attorney. This was in spite of the fact he admitted on several occasions he had lied concerning this case. When originally questioned by the investigators, he completely fabricated an entirely different story. Keep in mind, at the time of this questioning, I was not a suspect in this case.
The DNA evidence, in reference to the firearm used in this case, that was presented at the trial, showed a 1 in 660 hundred chance that it didn't belong to me. This is very low considering the magnitude of the case. When dealing with DNA, the numbers are always much higher. Usually 1 in millions.
My only crime was being black, poor and from the wrong neighborhood in Lyunchburg, Virginia.
Following are some additional facts that will give you some insight into this injustice:
1) An unknown amount of black males were at the scene of a murder, myself included, and 3 of the same plotted against me, "The Weakest Link" after all of them were charged with the same. Despite their violent criminal histories, the prosecutor allowed them to testify that I was the trigger man for promise of reduced charges/sentences.
2) All the witnesses that were at the scene, with the exception of the involved, gave a description of the trigger man that did not fit my description. Even the mother of the unfortunate victim, who witnessed the murder scene, gave a completely different description of the trigger man.
3) A female who lived at the location where the murder occurred came up to my family after the trial and stated she knew I did not commit the murder, but the prosecutors threatened to charge her with accessory to murder and take her three children if she told the story as she knew it to be true. She was literally shaking in her boots with fear.
4) The prosecution charged two people with Capital Murder based on the prints that were found at the scene and on the murder weapon - Shawn Hay and Chris Smith - Mr. Hay took a plea bargain to testify against me as he stated to friends that he felt my family was better able to take care of me during my incarceration and that I had no children to be concerned about, whereas he had children. In spite of the face that Mr. Hay has an extensive violent criminal history his testimony was permitted. I never testified based on advice from my attorney.
5) Unfortunately, my family was unable to raise the $18,000.00 for an attorney to represent me. Therefore, I ended up with a court appointed attorney who had never been involved in a criminal trial and had no idea how to present this case. Even the judge was annoyed by his lack of knowledge.
6) The transcripts of this trial clearly show the evidence was not sufficient to convict me of this murder, which everyone you could interview that is familiar with this case would tell, I did not commit.
7) now I am an innocent person who had been sentenced to 118 years in prison for a crime that even the DNA results and witnesses that were with the unfortunate victim at the time of this crime, fail to pinpoint me as the murderer. In addition, there were several sets of prints on the murder weapon.
I desperately need someone who has expertise in the following areas:
a) VA State Court of Appeals
b) Misrepresentation
c) "Expert" witness rebuttals
d) Investigative team willing to adequately investigate this case.
e) Most of all, we need an attorney, law student or law organization to accept this case into a pro-bono program.
I am convinced that after hearing the facts in this case and reading the transcripts, you will see the great injustice that was done to the "weakest link", myself.
If a group and/or organization seeks additional information about this case, myself and other family members are ready to assist anyone who is serious about seeing justice property served in this case.
We would certainly appreciate any response. If you and your organization cannot assist us, please forward this information to anyone you are aware of that might be willing to help. You could also forward the name and contact information for such persons and/or organizations to me and I could contact them directly, if necessary.
My mother has all the pertinent information in reference to this case, including copies of all the transcripts related to this case and the plea bargain signed by my co-defendant. She can be reached via email at freechrisnow@yahoo.com
The Smith family would just like to thank you in advance for your consideration, assistance and prayers.