My Name is DJ Cocoa Chanelle Formerly of BET Networks and WQHT HOT 97.  Presently I am an on-air personality/DJ weekday mornings and Saturday’s for Audacy’s 94.7 THE BLOCK.  I created this petition to ask for your support in helping an innocent man get his freedom.

Tysheem Crocker was arrested at the age of 19 back in 1998. He was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to LIFE in prison plus 30 years for a murder that he did not commit In York County Pennsylvania. 

24 years ago... Tysheem was offered a 2-year plea deal, but has always maintained that he is innocent, and refused to accept any plea deals offered to him by the Prosecutor.   

After reviewing his case files...  It's very clear that Tysheem's conviction was based on corruption, witness coercion, and fabricated testimony by his childhood friend and co-defendant, Danny Steele, who was the star witness for the prosecution at Tysheem's trial.

The Prosecution's star witness later recanted his story under oath, stating that he was pressured by the District Attorney to lie about Tysheem's involvement in the murder.  Documents (including a letter dated back to 1998) obtained by investigators corroborate this version of the story. 

The Mother of the victim, in this case, is willing to testify that 24 years ago, the Prosecutor told her that Tysheem Crocker did not kill her son and that he (the Prosecutor) knew his star-witness Danny Steele was the killer. When the victim's mother expressed discomfort with the District Attorney cooperating with her son's killer, the District Attorney promised her that her son's killer, Danny Steele, would not receive favor (i.e. plea bargain). 

However, getting a conviction on Danny Steele would prove to be too difficult, and since Tysheem turned down a two-year plea bargain deal and refused to testify falsely... The tables turned and Danny Steele was offered the two-year plea deal in exchange for testimony that was fabricated to make Tysheem look guilty. 

This case happened in the 1990s during the "Tough On Crime" era.  There was pressure on the York County District Attorney to convict someone (anyone) of this crime.  

According to the facts of this case... Here are 10 reasons why Tysheem should be exonerated:

1. The Mother of the victim is willing to testify that the Prosecutor told her 24 years ago that Tysheem Crocker did not kill her son and that he knew Tysheem's co-defendant Danny Steele did it. 
2. There are witnesses who saw Tysheem 2 blocks away when the crime took place. 
3. Newly-discovered evidence proves that the Prosecutor failed to call important witnesses to testify.
4. The star witness, in this case, was identified by others (including the prosecutor) as the killer but was offered an incentive (2-year plea deal) to give false testimony to help the prosecution get a solid conviction on Tysheem
5. The star witness, in this case, was not credible. He recanted his story and admitted to being pressured by the prosecutor to lie about Tysheem's involvement in the murder.
6. The hotel clerk on duty during the time that Tysheem was alleged to have checked in to plot this murder has stated on the record, that he did not check into the hotel and was not seen anywhere on the premises the entire time that she was at work.  She is a critical witness, who has been willing to testify since 1998 and was never contacted to give her testimony. 
7. The Innocence Project had Tysheem's case thoroughly investigated and came to the conclusion that Tysheem was wrongfully convicted. 
8. There is evidence of coercion and corruption 
9. The facts, in this case, prove that Tysheem is innocent of this crime.
10. There is too much reasonable doubt, in this case, to continue on with a life sentence. 

TYSHEEM'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHILE IN PRISON

• He overcame illiteracy and learned to read
• Achieved his high school equivalency diploma
• Received multiple certifications
• Became a self-published author of multiple books
• Became the CEO of his own Publishing Company
• Created legal docs for inmates who could not afford to hire an Attorney

I first learned of Tysheem through someone who asked me if I would consider writing a support letter on Tysheem’s behalf. My brother was killed by gun violence in the 90s, and before I would agree to give my support, I requested that Tysheem send me documents and related case files so I could see the facts for myself.

After reviewing all the files, It became very clear to me that not only is Tysheem an innocent man sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit, he was wrongfully convicted (on purpose) and a victim of the type of judicial corruption that statistics show continuously impact a disproportionate amount of African Americans. 

What if this were your Son, Brother, Uncle, Father or Nephew, Friend?  

I ask that you please join Tysheem’s family, friends, supporters, and myself in taking action to stop this injustice. Let's stand together and send a message to the politicians in power that we will no longer allow innocent people like Tysheem Crocker to suffer due to judicial corruption. Please help this wrongfully convicted man get his freedom back by taking one or all of the 7 actions listed below. 

8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP TYSHEEM

1. Add your name to this petition.

More than 2,000 people previously signed a petition in support of Tysheem, however, in light of new evidence, and witness statements, we need more signatures. If the District Attorney sees the overwhelming support for Tysheem it can make a big difference.

2. Contact Elected Officials

When elected officials hear from the public, they pay attention, especially when they receive phone calls. Help us get as many phone calls in support of Tysheem as possible.  

Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry

Mailing Address:
PA Office of Attorney General / Press Office
16th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Phone:
717-787-5211
Fax:
717-787-8242
Email:
press@attorneygeneral.gov

Conviction Integrity Unit – Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser Phone: 717-787-3391 
Email:  info@attorneygeneral.gov

Pennsylvania Governor: Tom Wolf (717) 787-2500

District Attorney: Dave Sunday  (717) 771-9600   

 

3.  Email  The Lieutenant Governor's Office

Liz Evans Scolforo / Pardons Director elizevans@pa.gov

Lisa Roemer LRoemer@pa.gov

Christina Kauffman chrkauffma@pa.gov

 

4.  Email the Governor of Pennsylvania 

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf CLICK HERE

 

5.  Email the York County District Attorney's Office

You can contact the District Attorney via EMAIL in the following ways:

District Attorney Dave Sunday office CLICK HERE

District Attorney Dave Sunday dwsunday@york-county.org

Email the First Assistant District Attorney Tim Barker at CLICK HERE

 

6.  Share this petition on your social media 

Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Youtube, or any other platforms can be helpful. Sharing this petition will help tremendously. Please TAG, HASHTAG, and @ everyone listed below.

Copy & paste these hashtags to your post about Tysheem 

• #FreeTysheemCrocker  #WrongfullyConvicted #DaveSunday #YorkCountyDistrictAttorney #MeekMill #LizScolforo #YorkDispatch #GovernorTomWolf #TysheemCrocker

TAG THESE PEOPLE ON TWITTER: (copy & paste these accounts)

 @GovernorTomWolf​  @DaveSunday_​   @YORKCOUNTY_DA​   @YorkCountyPa​  @YorkDispatch​  @ydrcom​  @PAAttorneyGen ​@GovernorsOffice​  @GovernorTomWolf​  @LizScolforo​  @HuffPost​  @MeekMill​ @Robert_Scheer 

TAG THESE PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK: (copy & paste these accounts)

@LGFetterman​  @governorwolf​  @YorkCountyDistrictAttorney​  @YorkDailyRecord​  @DaveSundayforDistrictAttorney​  @GovernorTomWolf​  @YorkDispatch​  @HuffPost​  @MeekMill​ @RbrtScheer​   @liz.evansscolforo

TAG THESE PEOPLE ON INSTAGRAM: (copy & paste these accounts)

@johnfetterman​ @governortomwolf​ @theyorkdispatch​ @yorkcountypa​ @ydrcom​ @meekmill​ @Huffpost

7. Contact the local media in York County where Tysheem is wrongfully incarcerated and the National Media. 

• Liz Evans Scolforo: 
  Email: levans@yorkdispatch.com
• Email: elizevans@pa.gov
• York Dispatch: 
  Email:  news@yorkdispatch.com
   Phone: 717-854-1575

York Daily Record:

• Randy Parker / Executive Editor: rparker@gannett.com
• Susan Martin / Regional Editor: smartin@ydr.com 
• Dylan Segelbaum / Courthouse Reporter:  dsegelbaum@ydr.com
  Phone: 717-771-2000

USA TODAY:  (National Media)

• Michael McCarter / Managing Editor:  mmccarter@gannett.com
• Chris Davis / Executive Editor: chdavis@gannett.com
• Maria Jimenez Moya: mjimenezmoya@usatoday.com

CONTRIBUTOR

• Robert Scheer:  scheerpost.com@gmail.com

8.  Spread the word to your family and friends via email, text, or verbally via phone with these talking points. 

• The original District Attorney in Tysheem Crocker’s case openly admitted that he knew Tysheem did not kill anyone.
• The Mother of the victim in Tysheem’s case has stated on record that the District Attorney told her that. Tysheem did not kill her son.
• The Innocence Project has reviewed this case and believes that Tysheem is Innocent. 
• The witness on which Tysheem conviction was based… later recanted his story and admitted that he was pressured by the District Attorney to lie. 
• The District Attorney failed to interview important witnesses in this case
   Several witnesses are willing to testify that Tysheem is innocent. 
• There is new evidence in this case that proves Tysheem was wrongfully convicted.
• There is too much doubt, in this case, to carry on with this reversible injustice.