Dennis Michael Salerno was convicted of Open Murder ( premeditated murder ) in Ingham County, Michigan case number 02-217FC. The case is wholly circumstantial, there is no direct evidence of Dennis being a murderer, a public records request recently gained charts and information calling the already questionable soil evidence further into question. I fully believe the available evidence does not support the conviction for first degree murder.
An issue I want to mention at the beginning, at the time of trial: No-one knew why Larry McClanahan hired a private detective to find Dennis or why he called Salerno families in different states to find him, and no-one could say why Larry did any of the other things he did attempting to find Dennis or why McClanahan wanted to harm Dennis. Around the same time that McClanahan was looking for Dennis, Larry McClanahan and his wife Pam put a hit on Derrick Christopher Howard, while Howard was in an Ohio prison. Howard, was stabbed and filed a civil action against the Ohio prison system; facts within the decision give us a reason. This court decision was not available at time of trial.
Derrick Howard stayed at the McClanahan residence during a different time than when Dennis was there. Howard was part of an FBI investigation into the McClanahan family and Howard told prison staff he felt McClanahan's would harm him. Dennis was not part of any investigation into the McClanahan family but when we view actions of the McClanahans during the time they sought and put a hit on Howard with the lengths they went to for finding Dennis it seems an easier understanding than the theories surrounding the murder Dennis was charged with.
Everything taken together does not prove murder; Dennis looks bad but he is not a murderer.
Dennis had some problems earlier in life and had been in trouble for, in comparison, minor felonies: passing bad checks, and forgery. He's a non-violent offender. Looking at criminal history and what path was taken from that point is helpful. While serving a forgery sentence Dennis began taking college classes and when released he enrolled in college. At the time of his arrest at a laundrymat across from the Michigan State University campus, Dennis had earned a total of 84.4 credits toward a Bachelor's Degree. He wanted a better life and was trying. He wasn't perfect but he was trying.
The State used a county jail inmate to testify who claimed there were three identical conversations with Dennis, in a two man housing area, and that jail-house witness offered testimony against Dennis in exchange for release from the witnesses' 14 month prison sentence for Fraud. That had been the jail-house witness's 6th felony conviction and he had been offering to testify against others in hopes of being released.
Much of the state's theory disappears when we embrace that Dennis didn't have many friends or family, except for his Grandmother who was there for him, and he had married Michelle while in college. After finding out from a private detective that Dennis had been in prison for forgery and bad checks his mother-in-law not only disliked him but sought to break up the marriage and even had one of Michelle's past boyfriends visit one of the college apartments Dennis and Michelle lived in. Dennis' in-laws were not supportive.
Dennis' support network was his Grandmother and Michelle. Regardless of what Dennis may or may not have been into, his grandmother would not ever have turned away from him. This is historically obvious.
College is about learning, first, and maybe, second, making connections or friendships for networking later. Dennis had transferred to a few colleges so his support system had no depth because he wasn't at any one college long enough to make lasting friends.. When in court this was immediately apparent as not one single person was present for him. Not one. Again, the idea of the murder being caused because of threats of rumors to be spread to his friends and familly fails. He had no friends or family.
The state claimed he took a bus from Toledo, Ohio to East Lansing, Michigan but the facts surrounding the bus ticket are it was bought in detroit Michigan and was used to travel by bus from Detroit to East Lansing. When we look at the time the ticket was bought versus the time the bus left Toledo Ohio we see it is impossible for Dennis to have been on the bus in Toledo. He did not take a bus from Toledo. The state tried to confuse the matter simply becuase the route that particular bus took had a stop in Toledo, Ohio prior to stopping in Detroit, Michigan. Dennis bought the bus ticket in Detroit and rode from Detroit to East Lansing.
Each point of the case can be discussed, including the alleged preparation for divorce, rumors, speculation, yet divorce papers had been drawn more than once before and rumors or speculation are words used without support and taint the person they are about. Dennis was not a Saint, certainly not, but he should not be forced to die in prison. Anying you will do to help is greatly appreciated.