Life without a Second Chance.

https://youtube.com/@lifewithoutasecondchance?si=v5HnZED6nRGV6WBn

My Story

After returning from running errands, I heard a whimpering dog outside. At first, it didn’t seem abnormal. After spending ten minutes putting the car cover back on my vehicle. I still heard the cries and whimpers of a dog. Following the sound, I found a cold and abandoned dog tied to a grill with no owner in sight. With temperatures below 30 degrees. I couldn't just stand by, concerned that an innocent animal had been left abandoned to freeze.

Our apartment was just a short drive from the local animal shelter on Page Avenue, where the dog could receive proper care and be reunited with its owner. I was determined to seek help at the nearby animal shelter to whom I had called along with the St. Charles Animal Control Unit.

I sought out my partner from our shared apartment so that she could hold the dog while I drove. Returning outside to the common ground mere moments later with my partner.

A large gentleman charged toward us, he aggressively accused us of pilfering his dog and threatened to kill us. Before my partner or I could utter a word in our defense, the imposing man who was twice my size closed into less than a foot of our persons, his closed fists ready to engage in a physical altercation.

The situation instantly escalated beyond helping an innocent animal, Now in the face of genuine danger, of the other man's homicidal idealization. I made the tough split-second decision to draw my legally carried firearm, not with the intent to harm, but to diffuse the tension and safeguard my partner and myself.

I kept my firearm at my hip without resorting to force. With the tension diffused, we verified the dog's ownership, returning it to its owner, and I secured my firearm, feeling that the incident had concluded.

Upon return to our apartment, hardly two minutes passed; when the large man returned outside, this time threatening my vehicle. Having already faced threats from him once, I harbored no illusions that he would cease after damaging my vehicle. Stepping outside, I found myself accosted by officers who promptly commanded me to surrender, a command I obeyed without hesitation.

During the arrest, I was forcefully shoved against a brick wall, then lifted from the ground and dragged by my shoulders with my feet unable to reach the ground, resulting in an injury in my right leg. An injury I still suffer from to this day.

The officers showed no interest in an investigation; my explanation or motives. Their attention was entirely fixed on apprehending the man wielding the firearm, unaware that I was a Good Samaritan.

Following the incident, I ended up entangled in the legal system, enduring over 48 hours in county intake without any insight into the charges laid against me. This was followed by a month-long stint behind bars before finally being granted bond.

During my time in custody, I lacked the means to secure legal representation and didn't receive any medical attention for my injury. 

My family's decision to enlist the services of the Rosenblum Schwartz Fry & Johnson firm resulted in significant failure in my case. Our chosen lawyer neglected to fulfill even the fundamental requirements of legal counsel. They never took the time to interview me regarding my side of the case, nor did they make any effort to pursue discovery or arrange depositions. 

My lawyer's failures are twofold: Unethical conduct and ineffective counsel. I had an extraordinarily difficult time communicating with my lawyer. I only spoke with them three times: First, to sign acceptance of the case. Second, to be denied an interview. Third, they coerced me into signing the plea deal. My countless attempts to reach out through calls and emails were met with silence, leaving my story unheard, my injury uninvestigated, my inquiries and uncertainties ignored, and my life disregarded. 

For half a year, I battled not just the case itself but also my attorney's reluctance to handle it effectively. Ultimately, I faced a grim decision: accept a plea deal or face up to 12 - 45 years in prison. This ordeal marked my first and only encounter with the law. Yet, my case was rushed and mishandled through the legal system, denying me proper due process. For the past three years, I've relentlessly pursued justice, exhausting every legal avenue available to me. Additionally, our attorney neglected to inform us about the appeal deadline or the process for filing a Writ of Habeas Corpus.

I've submitted official complaints to the Board of Ethics, the Missouri Attorney General, and the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the Missouri Supreme Court, but they have all been disregarded. 

I believe my experience raises important questions about personal safety, wrongful convictions, and the legal system's treatment of individuals facing unexpected confrontations, ramifications of self-defense, and the delicate balance between defending oneself and being accused of criminal behavior.

During the time spent incarcerated, amidst the dictates of the judge, the shortcomings of my legal counsel, and the total failure of the legal proceedings. It has taken a colossal toll. It's stripped me of my livelihood, my residence, my education, my well-being, my aspirations, and any prospects for the future.

I was ordered never to return home and had to abandon my pursuit of higher education. Since my conviction, finding better employment has been impossible. We were compelled to buy a house after being evicted, as renting was not an option due to pending charges. This has plunged me into mountainous debt, leaving me reliant solely on my father's support. 

It has left me broken physically, mentally, and financially. All because of an act of altruism as a good Samaritan has left my life in ruin.

Given the profound impact it had on my life. I will grapple with PTSD and depression indefinitely. The wrongful conviction will forever stain my life. The wounds of police misconduct have crippled me. The burden of a $600,000 debt will be a lifelong struggle. My life has been traded unfairly and unjustly for that of a hardened criminal.

While my time behind bars has concluded, it's the enduring confinement of my potential that persists. I aspire to fulfill my calling as an educator and contribute to society. Mere existence isn't enough for me; I yearn to make a meaningful impact. Teaching and guiding the next generation is my passion, yet it remains out of reach due to my unjust conviction, chaining my future prospects.

For two years, I've been searching for an appeal lawyer or advocate without success. Now, I'm aiming to get my case heard via the Writ of Certiorari with the Missouri Supreme Court or by seeking a gubernatorial pardon from Governor Kehoe. The statute of limitations runs out at the start of August. I’m asking for you to take a moment of your time it will cost you a moment of your life, but it will free me and exonerate me for the rest of my life. I am reaching out to you with the hope that you might consider supporting or spotlighting my story, shedding light on the detrimental outcomes faced by those who strive to do good, and how our system penalizes those driven by altruism. I’m seeking to have a lawyer or advocate present my case to the Court of Appeals or the Missouri Supreme Court.

I ask you. How much can one man pay for being a good Samaritan?