Dear Human Family,

How are you today? My full name is Lawrence Edward Jackson, Jr, and I'm 45 years of age. I was born in Washington, DC but raised throughout Prince George's County, Maryland. At present, I'm being housed as a prisoner here at the North Branch Correctional Institution [N. B. C. I] located in Cumberland, Maryland under Inst. No 320. 330. I've been incarcerated for the last past twenty (20) years of my life for a robbery / murder conviction passed down by a jury of twelve (12) and was ultimately sentenced to life plus 140 years. The only way I can prove my claim of actual innocence and wrongful conviction is through DNA testing on physical evidence which are two (2) black ski masks known as State's Exhibits 171 and 173 respectively.

According to the State of Maryland, these ski masks was already tested by the Prince George's County Police Department DNA Laboratory in 2002. And it was determined that my DNA, in the form of saliva, was obtained from the mouth area of both ski masks. However, the "scientific identification evidence " that was tested by the Prince George's County Police Department DNA Laboratory in 2002 and the conclusions drawn from that testing did not include statistical analysis of population frequencies and did not conform to existing laboratory protocols. As such, there exists a reasonable degree of scientific certainty that the state's expert’s opinion was overstated and other wise incorrect. So, today, I'm seeking my constitutional right for an independent DNA testing to prove or disprove my claim of actual innocence and wrongful conviction.

FACTS

1.       On April 26, 2002, two (2) masked gunmen had entered the 7 Market Grocery Store to commit a robbery. During the ensuing robbery, 1 of 3 victims were fatally wounded. The two (2) masked gunmen then fled the scene in a green-four door vehicle [Acura], Moments later, that vehicle was found abandoned by the local responding officers. Inside, were two (2) black hooded ski masks and other evidence belonging back to that store.

2.       Ikemefuna Chukwurah and Dettrict Douglas, Jr was both arrested for the offense. They both admitted their involvement and identified and / or implicated me as a participant.

3.       I was ultimately questioned by the Prince George's County detectives. I admitted knowing both, Chukwurah and Douglas but denied any involvement in the matter. Moreover, voluntarily submitted a sample of my DNA [saliva] without having been served a warrant to do so. I was ultimately charged and indicted in the circuit court Prince George's County, Case No, CT021260X. I entered a not guilty plea and took the matter to trial.

4.       During pretrial, it come to light that the DNA testing conducted by the State was not certified by the DNA laboratory as being validated by standards established by either The Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods [TWGDAM] or The DNA Advisory Board of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Moreover, there was never a statistical analysis conducted during the course of the alleged Polymerase Chain Reaction [PCR.] and Short Tandem Repeat [STR] testing and thus, no statistical calculations generated to prove the likelihood that the DNA obtained, belonged to me. These facts were brought to the assigned Judge

FULL PETITION HERE