In August of 2000 a Young Mans life was taken in an unfortunate event that only 4 people know how it really went down. His kidnapping and subsequent death is one that I take very seriously. But today I am here to address the other life that was lost due to the recklessness of Jesse James Hollywood and his friend Jesse Rugge. Ryan Hoyt was 20 years old he suffered from untreated mental illness and a very abusive childhood. He was not like his fellow Callabassas friends. He did not have money in fact his own father had recently moved to Las Vegas while Ryan still ived in his home and didnt even tell him he was leaving. He was homeless and felt like Jesse was his family even though he treated him terribly. To Ryan being treated terribly was all he knew from people who should love him. On August 10th of 2000 Jesse sent Ryan to Santa Barbara where a 15 year old kid he had kidnapped was being held hostage. Ryan did not know this. He thought he was delivering a brick of marijuana when he arrived at the Lemon Tree Inn He was walking into a trap that would end a boys life and his as well. When Ryan was charged with capital murder his family hired Cheri Owen a first year Attorney who had never represented a murder case at all. Cheri was an informant for law enforcement and under investigation by the attorney general herself for several charges. She used the money that Ryans family paid her to investigate his case to pay her own attorney and for other cases she was working on. She failed to provide him with any kind of defense and was forced to resign from the board a few short months after Ryan was found guilty. The Judge in Ryans case came out of retirement to hear a plea for a new trial from his new attorney and refused to consider it. The main Character in this story and the ultimate reason for the demise of the Victim Jesse James Hollywood had fled the country. One Codefendent William Skidmore took a plea and another Jesse Rugge was sentenced to 7 years to life and released after 13 years. Ryan was sacrificed so that they could go free just like they planned. They were extremely lucky that the worst lawyer in California stepped up to "defend" him. During the 17 years that Ryan has spent on Death Row he has not once been written up for any reason. He refuses to become a racist skinhead as California prison politics encourages. He has continuously worked on his mental health and programming to the best of his abilities and encouraged those around him to do the same. He deserves a new trial with a lawyer that has his best interest at heart. Please take a moment to sign this petition to encourage the courts to right the wrongs that have been done to this man.