A nineteen year-old, white boy whose name is Conor McBride and a 19-year-old white girl whose name is Ann Grosmaire. In a picture it looks as if they’re sitting inside some type of vehicle. Cheek to cheek, with bright smiles on their faces, they appear to be very happy! Family and friends confirmed that the couple, who were students at Tallahassee Community College, first became sweethearts while in their sophomore year in high school. They were in a relationship for three years.
In a picture from the social media site Facebook. It shows both a picture and a word posting. The picture shows a seventeen year-old black boy whose name is DeShon Thomas. It looks as though DeShon Thomas is standing in a bathroom. He appears to be a robber or a gang member. He is wearing a black hat on his head and has a red bandana over his face—covering both his nose and mouth. He’s holding up one hand with his fingers positioned as a lowercase b. Next to his picture is a word posting to be read by his Facebook Friends. It’s coded in typical teenage code, for instance, the number 9 replaces the letter g. The word posting is short—nothing threatening. DeShon Thomas’ mother, Carissa Chambers, confirmed that the red bandana belongs to her and that the picture was taken in the bathroom of their home. DeShon Thomas’ mother and other family members confirmed that DeShon is not a gang member. DeShon Thomas’ associates could not confirm DeShon Thomas as being a gang member. Everyone who knows DeShon Thomas stated that he was a student at Tallahassee Community College and worked at Taco Bell.
It’s been reported that on March 28, 2010, nineteen year-old Ann Grosmaire stared down the barrel of a shotgun and begged for her life. Falling to her knees, she put her frail hand up to protect her face from a bullet that was sure to come out with so much force that it would blow her face completely off. Like a helpless little mouse caught in the paws of a hungry big cat, there was no way Ann Grosmaire could get away from the “Demon” holding the other end of the shotgun. He was angry. He was cold. He was evil. He’d physically abused her before—he is the other bright smiling face in the picture —he was her boyfriend, Conor McBride. Before Conor McBride decided to exchange his title from “the abusive boyfriend of Ann Grosmaire” to “Ann Grosmaire’s executioner”, the two had been arguing for hours through text messages, over the phone, and in person. As Conor McBride prepared to pull the trigger, to shoot Ann Grosmaire in the face and splatter her blood and brain all over his parents’ living room, Ann Grosmaire’s last words were, “No, don’t!” Sadly, Conor McBride, the young man who Ann Grosmaire once loved, the young man who Ann Grosmaire’s parents—Andy and Kate Grosmaire say they love—showed Ann no mercy. No mercy—Boom! In the face! When all she probably wanted from him leading up to that moment, was to feel loved.
After executing Ann Grosmaire, Conor McBride decided to go for a drive to calm down—to get his “anger” under control. He then decided to turn himself in to police. He drove to the Tallahassee Police Department and tearfully confessed to his “heinous” criminal act. By all accounts, Conor McBride was immediately treated like a “victim” versus a “heartless” murderer. He wasn’t handcuffed and whisked away to an interrogation room or thrown into the slammer. No. Instead, this tear jerked “Boogeyman” was taken into the comfort of the watch commander’s office. Conor McBride gave law enforcement officers the key to his parent’s home where he’d left Ann Grosmaire to die (Conor McBride’s parents were out of town). When law enforcement officers from the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrived, Ann Grosmaire’s heart was still beating. She was then rushed to the hospital. Doctors put her on life-support and told her parents that she only had brainstem activity. A person doesn’t have to be a doctor to know that her brain was no longer in her head.
Four days later, Ann Grosmaire was taken off of life-support. On April 2, 2010, Andy and Kate Grosmaire became the parents of a murder victim. They lost their teenage daughter in a horrible act of domestic violence. The boy, who claimed to love their baby daughter, blew her brain out of her head. Without knowing the full extent of what led Conor McBride to commit such a heinous act on their daughter, Andy and Kate Grosmaire became advocates for wanting to see Conor McBride’s life spared from a life sentence in Florida’s Prison System. Andy Grosmaire heard about Restorative Justice and then discussed it with Conor McBride’s dad, Michael McBride over lunch. From there, Conor McBride’s mom, Julie McBride, contacted a Restorative Justice expert. After Conor McBride’s parents hired the Restorative Justice expert, Conor McBride’s parents and Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings (Conor’s attorney), began to plan a way to fit Restorative Justice, a “diversion program” used in much less serious offenses–mostly non-violent criminal acts, into a murder case to lighten Conor’s prison sentence.
Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings and Conor McBride’s parents definitely drove Conor’s case. Conor McBride’s parents know that Conor often had episodes of irrational anger. Still, Conor McBride’s parents and Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings arranged for a conference with State Prosecutor Jack Campbell. Jack Campbell had previously met with Ann Grosmaire’s parents. Jack Campbell had “heard” about them not wanting Conor McBride to be sentenced to life in prison. State Prosecutor Jack Campbell hinted to Ann Grosmaire’s parents that he had the “power” to sentence Conor McBride to as little as 5 years in prison for manslaughter—regardless as to what he’d confessed to and what the evidence showed. The meeting Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings arranged took place in a room at the Leon County Jail.
At the meeting, which was held over a year after the murder, Ann Grosmaire’s parents, a Catholic Priest, a Restorative Justice supporter, a Restorative Justice expert, Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell all “worked” together to “help” Conor. In doing so, jailhouse policies regarding inmates took a backseat to the admitted monster, Conor McBride. Conor McBride was allowed to hug his parents and Ann Grosmaire’s parents. Little did Ann Grosmaire’s parents know that they’d just embraced the devil who cold-bloodedly murdered their Angel and not the young man that they’d thought accidentally shot their daughter. Allowing an inmate to “touch” others is where Jack Campbell, being the son of Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, trumped Jack Campbell being a State Prosecutor. Also, this is where Sheriff Larry Campbell being the father of Jack Campbell trumped Sheriff Larry Campbell being the Sheriff Tallahassee citizens elected to serve and protect their community—fair and unbiased.
Jack Campbell would not have been happy had the meeting not gone his way. Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings may have arranged the meeting, but it was State Prosecutor Jack Campbell’s show. And it was going to be ran the way he and Greg Cummings wanted it to be run.
Take a moment and think about how many parents, especially Tallahassee citizens, who would love to hug their child for just one second, after their child has been charged and arrested for any crime—not just murder. Think about how many parents would love to use Restorative Justice to give their child another chance at life. Conor McBride wasn’t a young man who accidentally shot his girlfriend skeet shooting. This boy admitted to being the devil that came to steal, kill and destroy!
Ignoring the physical evidence and Conner McBride’s own confession, Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell has made it possible for Conor McBride to plan future activities with his parents. Ignoring the physical evidence and Conor McBride’s own confession, Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell has made it possible for Conor McBride to be able to give his parents unlimited hugs. Andy and Kate Grosmaire will never ever have unlimited hugs from their daughter Ann. Ann Grosmaire cannot give her parents—one more hug.
Seventeen year-old DeShon Thomas’ mother has not hugged her son in over 2 years. Had DeShon Thomas’ criminal case been left in the hands of Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings, she may have never hugged her son again! Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings may have been a great driver for Julie and Michael McBride’s murderous son, but after hustling DeShon Thomas’ mother to hire him to represent her son, he was DWI—driving while ignorant! Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings promised several things to Ms. Chambers and her son before signing a Contract for Service—and then reneged on every last one of them. Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings works out of his home (75 miles outside of Tallahassee), he has no paralegal—which means every case that he handles is solely on him. If he gets “hit by bus” or “his planes goes down,” it would not be good for his clients. However, DeShon Thomas’ mother says that he put on such a good song and dance, that she didn’t want to hold that against him. So she took all of her financial savings and trusted him to represent her son on several charges with the more serious charges being Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder.
On the morning of January 27, 2011, seventeen year-old DeShon Thomas’ pregnant 20-year-old ex-girlfriend, Laqecia Herring and her 17-year-old brother, Sterling Conner Jr.’s bodies were found by their mother, 16-year-old brother and their mother’s girlfriend in their northwest Tallahassee townhome. The victims were in their living room and had been shot in the head two times each. Sterling Conner Jr.’s body had been wrapped in two blankets. There was one bullet hole through the blanket near his head. Laqecia Herring’s body was found sitting in a chair. Sadly, Laqecia Herring’s year-old daughter was standing on her lap—she was unharmed (a bittersweet moment for Laqecia Herring’s family).
Whereas Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell had open ears to Ann Grosmaire and Conor McBride’s parents, that was hardly the case with murder victims— Laqecia Herring and Sterling Conner Jr.’s mother, Tracy Bush. As well as, suspect–DeShon Thomas’ mother. The highest quality hearing aid on today’s market wouldn’t have made Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell hear half of the words that came out Ms. Bush and Ms. Chambers’ mouths.
DeShon Thomas and Laqecia Herring first met in 2006 when DeShon Thomas was thirteen and attending middle school. Because DeShon Thomas had only attended middle school for only four months, he and Laqecia Herring (who was 16-years-old in middle school) lost touch. It is believed that Laqecia Herring may have attended another nearby middle school where the majority of their students are inner-city and the school has a lower grade rating. Most of DeShon Thomas’ friends lived in the inner-city where their parents highly depended on government subsidized programs. DeShon Thomas’ mother worked—DeShon Thomas was a well cared for child and it showed. He was looked up to by several of his friends (in some cases—his friends parents). Because DeShon Thomas was looked up to by his friends and their parents, DeShon Thomas pushed the envelope at home. DeShon knew that he could go live at his friend homes. However, this did not make DeShon Thomas’ mother budge with the rules set forth at home. DeShon Thomas was allowed to wear a red bandana over his face at home (which he rarely did), but he never wore a red bandana on his head or over his face in the community. DeShon Thomas was not a gang member.
In early 2008, DeShon Thomas was fourteen years-old. That year DeShon Thomas kept finding himself on the opposite side of the law. For some kids it takes only one time to get in trouble to learn their lesson. For some kids it takes numerous times to get trouble to learn their lesson. For DeShon Thomas, it took him three times to learn his lesson. All three times he “hit the ball out of the park.” Two of the three times local law enforcement officers were careless with their loaded guns. Fortunately, DeShon Thomas and none of the other boys (including the son of an ex-law enforcement officer) none of the boys set out to hurt anyone. In both cases, all of the guns were recovered. The third offense put the icing on the cake. By the end of 2008, DeShon Thomas entered a no contest plea to grand theft of firearm and was sentenced to six months in a minimum secure juvenile facility.
On July 11, 2010, DeShon Thomas turned 17-years-old. The next month, he became a student at Tallahassee Community College (he’d received his General Education Diploma a few months earlier). Laqecia Herring, who was enrolled in the Teen Parent Program at Lively Technical Institute, which was right next door to TCC, was studying for her General Education Diploma. DeShon Thomas looked older than his 17 years. He loved the attention that was given to him by older girls. From time to time, DeShon Thomas mother tried to discourage him from dating older girls and girls with babies. But DeShon Thomas’ mother, who was a teen mom herself, found it easier to just keep a watchful eye on the girls that he was dating. One older girl had already named DeShon Thomas as the father of her son—a paternity DNA test proved that he was not. DeShon Thomas’ mother admits that DeShon was very caring of the girls that he dated. When he moved in with Laqecia Herring and Sterling Conner Jr., although his stay was brief, he’d spent money that he’d saved up to get a car on Laqecia Herring, her daughter, her brother, Sterling Conner Jr. and his friends. DeShon Thomas also stated that he’d given Laqecia Herring money to have the carpets cleaned at the residence. Laqecia Herring and DeShon Thomas dated for about 6 to 8 weeks. After their break-up in October 2010, DeShon Thomas returned home. Laqecia Herring learned that DeShon Thomas was cheating on her.
In early November, DeShon Thomas’ mother received an email from Laqecia Herring informing her that she was pregnant from DeShon Thomas and that she had no plans to go through with her pregnancy. Also in the email, she asks DeShon Thomas’ mother to give her a call—to which she does. (When DeShon Thomas’ mother asks him about Laqecia Herring being pregnant, he states that he wasn’t for sure if he was the father. Deshon Thomas’ mother tells him about Laqecia Herring plans to terminate the pregnancy and because of her financial situation he has to pay for it.) After several emotional phone calls between Laqecia Herring and DeShon Thomas’ mother; and a consultation at an abortion clinic that cost $140—to which Laqecia Herring, DeShon Thomas and Laqecia Herring’s mother’s girlfriend sat in on, Laqecia Herring was still prepared to terminate the pregnancy. A few days later (the day of the actual procedure), Laqecia Herring changed her mind. The reason that she’d given to DeShon Thomas’ mother for not going through with the procedure was that she (Laqecia Herring) didn’t feel like it was fair for DeShon Thomas’ mother to pay for it (DeShon Thomas, himself, had opted not to pay for it saying that he didn’t have the money. Unbeknowest to Deshon Thomas, his mother had offered to pay for it by putting it on her credit card versus giving Laqecia Herring cash. DeShon Thomas’ mother knew that DeShon Thomas didn’t want Laqecia Herring to have an abortion and she (DeShon Thomas’ mother) felt like Laqecia Herring didn’t want to have an abortion. With Laqecia Herring turning down DeShon Thomas’ mother to pay for the procedure, it was clear that Laqecia Herring was just angry and wanted to DeShon Thomas to pay financially for their break-up not her pregnancy.)
In spite of DeShon Thomas and Laqecia Herring entering into relationships with different people, they were friends and kept in touch. Laqecia Herring was back in a relationship with her on again off again 21-year-old boyfriend of two years—he even thought that he was the father of her unborn baby (that fact wouldn’t come out until 3 days after the murders). There was no animosity between DeShon Thomas and Laqecia Herring. In text messages exchanged between Laqecia Herring and DeShon Thomas the night she was murdered, DeShon Thomas, who was at work, was asking her about threatening posts that he’d seen on Facebook about one of her best friends hurting her. DeShon Thomas says that he was especially concerned for her (Laqecia Herring’s) safety because she was pregnant with his baby. The female who had posted the threatening posts against Laqecia Herring’s life was just one of many people named by the victims’ mother and brother as possibly murdering their loved ones.
On the morning of January 27, 2011, at the crime scene, the only reason why DeShon Thomas’ name was mentioned was because the victims’ mother informed Leon County Sheriff’s detectives that Laqecia Herring was about five months pregnant. When detectives asked the victims’ mother who fathered Laqecia Herring’s unborn baby, she told them—DeShon Thomas. More than likely, detectives looked DeShon Thomas up in their computer database and saw where he had a juvenile record. It was those two year old charges that immediately sent detectives on a “witch hunt.” At the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the victims’ mother and brother gave detectives a laundry list of people to investigate—DeShon Thomas was not one of them.
Nineteen year-old Conor McBride walked into the Tallahassee Police Department and confessed to a horrific crime, he was taken to the watch commander’s office. DeShon Thomas and his mother walked into the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to give a statement, they were subjected to racist jokes and comments by Reserve Deputy Don Odham, and eventually locked in an interrogation room without being charged of a crime and being denied access to an attorney.
Over the next 11 days, detectives would focus most of their energy on DeShon Thomas. On the other hand, the victims’ mother and brother would repeatedly make trips and phone calls to detectives informing them of crucial information that could possibly lead them to their loved ones murderer. The information that was provided by the victims’ mother and brother was information that was either not available at the time of their first interview or was withheld from detectives by the victims’ brother. The victims’ mother told detectives that Sterling Conner Jr. and his brother did not get along.
After the 1st lead detective and others investigating the murder case couldn’t make a case against DeShon Thomas, the 2nd lead detective, Reserve Deputy Don Odham, who’d already shown DeShon Thomas and DeShon Thomas’ mother his racist side, stooped so low as to LIE in order to get DeShon Thomas charged with Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder. On hand to support and sign off on the Summary of Offense and Probable Cause for Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder was State Prosecutor Jack Campbell.
On February 7, 2011, DeShon Thomas’ face was plastered all of the local news media as being the murderer of the sister and brother who had been found murdered in their townhouse. The following morning was DeShon Thomas’ first court appearance before a judge to be officially charged with the murders. DeShon Thomas’ mother arrived to court early. She’d already spoken with DeShon Thomas and the 21-year-old co-worker and roommate to whom DeShon Thomas had been temporarily living with as DeShon Thomas’ mother had put her house up for sale; three weeks earlier she’d moved the majority of her family’s belongings to Central Florida. While waiting for court to start, DeShon Thomas’ mother was joined by a young man who she believed at the time was an employee at a bondsman’s office. The young man provided DeShon Thomas’ mother with a copy of a legal document titled ‘Summary of Offense and Probable Cause for Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder’. This document was a summary stating why Leon County Sheriff’s Detectives charged DeShon Thomas with the murders. After reading the summary, DeShon Thomas’ mother immediately knew that the three main pieces of evidence that would need to be brought to light to exonerate her son were: DeShon Thomas’ cell phone records, victims’ time of death (autopsy report), and a sworn statement from the 21-year-old co-worker and roommate to whom DeShon Thomas had been living with.
There were lots of obvious lies in the summary that DeShon Thomas’ mother knew for a fact was lies. Then there were things that just didn’t make sense. In the summary it was stated that the 21-year-old co-worker and roommate stated that he’d drove DeShon Thomas to the victims residence at 4 o’clock in the morning of January 27, 2011 and from afar, basically witnessed DeShon Thomas murder the victims; and then the 21-year-old drove DeShon to dispose of the murder weapon at a nearby dumpster which was within walking distance of the victims’ residence. DeShon Thomas’ mother was not surprised when she read that it was DeShon Thomas’ co-worker and roommate that had been used to give detectives incriminating statements that detectives needed to charge her son. Detectives had been constantly harassing him and others in order to get someone to give an incriminating statement about DeShon Thomas. Also, on January 28, 2011, while DeShon Thomas and his mother were locked in a room at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, detectives had served a search warrant on DeShon Thomas’ co-worker and roommate’s one-bedroom apartment. During the search, detectives located drug paraphernalia on the living room table and 5 stems of marijuana sprouting out of 5 pots of soil and a heat lamp in his bedroom closet. DeShon Thomas’ co-worker and roommate and DeShon Thomas were charged with Cultivation of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. DeShon Thomas’ co-worker and roommate did not have a criminal record. Because the apartment belonged to DeShon Thomas’ co-worker and roommate, and the marijuana stems were found in his closet, a Juvenile Court judge did not find probable cause to charge DeShon Thomas. Detectives would lie in order to get the judge to find probable cause in that case. The case would be sent to Adult Court.
Instead of firing Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings for reneging on his promises, Ms. Chambers discussed her son’s case with any and everyone who would listen. By doing this, she got good advice (both legal and personal) and gained a lot of knowledge about the judicial process. DeShon Thomas’ mother was told about a significant report given to criminal defense attorneys called the Discovery Report. DeShon Thomas’ mother was told the Discovery Report is a report that consists of several pieces of vital information such as witness statements, detective reports, search warrants, reports from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, legal documents—a lot of vital information. After hearing about the Discovery Report, and how it was public record, DeShon Thomas’ mother aggressively hounded Greg Cummings about getting her a copy. She left numerous messages on his voicemail. Finally, in early September 2011, Greg Cummings gave DeShon Thomas’ mother a CD containing the Discovery Report on it. The Discovery Report was 493 pages.
While reading the pages of the Discovery Report, DeShon Thomas’ mother began to feel ill. Her stomach felt sicker than any morning sickness that she’d experienced during her two pregnancies. Acting on impulse, she immediately called Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings for clarification as to why her son was in jail. There was nothing in the Discovery Report that she could find that justified her son’s incarceration. When Greg Cummings didn’t answer his phone, DeShon Thomas’ mother sent him an email expressing her frustration about the numerous lies in the report. She also questioned Greg Cummings as to where information that should’ve been in the Discovery Report like interviews that was said to have been taken in one place but was not found in the section where it should’ve been. Also, there was nothing that stated the victims’ time of death—not even an estimated time of death. Another thing that DeShon Thomas’ mother found to be disturbing was the fact that detectives had obtained a court order for DeShon Thomas’ cell phone records and had him being tracked by his cell phone carrier a few hours after the victims’ bodies were found. Detectives also had DeShon Thomas’ cell phone records Sealed almost soon after reviewing them—the same day. This indicated to DeShon Thomas’ mother that detectives didn’t find the incriminating evidence that they were looking for in his cell phone records—if so, they would’ve immediately arrested DeShon Thomas.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman, Assistant State Attorney Eric Trombley, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, Former Reserve Deputy Detective Don Odham and several detectives with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office blatantly LIED on DeShon Thomas—a child. Fortunately, their lies cannot manifest pass DeShon Thomas’ being in the Leon County Jail where he has been for over 2 years now.
A few months after DeShon Thomas’ arrest, Reserve Deputy Detective Don Odham was fired from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office for possibly being a party to criminal activity in another state. Also, a few months after DeShon Thomas’ arrest, one of the possible suspects to whom the victims’ mother and younger brother highly suspected as being the murderer of their loved ones, was charged and arrested for assaulting someone with a gun (to DeShon Thomas’ mother’ knowledge, the gun used in the murders has not been found). This highly suspected 17-year-old male, fits the description of an eyewitness to whom told detectives that she saw the male victim allow into the residence late the previous evening before the victims were found. Despite this 17-year-old having an extensive juvenile criminal history, state prosecutor’s decided to keep his case in Juvenile Court—where his court file is protected.
After sixteen months, DeShon Thomas’ mother, who’d paid Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings nearly $30,000, suggested to DeShon Thomas, who was now 19-years-old, to fire Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings. She’d been seeing a lot of signs about Greg Cummings that was making her feel extremely uncomfortable. Besides that, Greg Cummings had not done anything to help exonerate DeShon Thomas. He did not interview anyone on DeShon Thomas’ behalf. To date, DeShon Thomas and his mother still do not know the victims’ time of death; DeShon Thomas’ cell phone records are still Sealed, and there is still no sworn statement from anyone—not even the State Prosecutor’s supposed key witness, DeShon Thomas’ 21-year-old former co-worker and roommate. This “key witness” supposedly had been asked three times or more to give a sworn deposition, to which he declined all times. So the question remains by DeShon Thomas’ mother and DeShon Thomas—is there a “key witness”—and did DeShon Thomas’ 21-year-old co-worker and roommate make incriminating statements about DeShon Thomas?
Solicitation to Commit Murder charge. In August 2012, Deshon Thomas was charged with Solicitation to Commit Murder with the intended victim being the State’s supposed “key witness,” the young man who has refused several times to give a sworn deposition, DeShon Thomas’ co-worker and roommate. This charge was not surprising to DeShon Thomas’ mother, family members and those that have been keeping up with his case. This Solicitation to Commit Murder is nothing but a way for State Prosecutor Jack Campbell to try to show the community why their “key witness” has not given a sworn deposition and further dehumanize Deshon Thomas. Greg Cummings told the media that he was disappointed in DeShon Thomas. Greg Cummings never told the media that he’d been FIRED off of the case. Almost simultaneous to Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings filing to withdraw from DeShon Thomas’ case, Leon County Sheriff’s Detectives abruptly ended their Solicitation to Commit Murder investigation (according to the Solicitation to Commit Murder Probable Cause report, detectives started investigating the case in late June—six weeks earlier). DeShon Thomas’ firing Criminal Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings brought an end to Greg Cummings and Jack Campbell’s buddy-buddy system—at least on his case.
Immediately upon firing Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings, DeShon Thomas was placed in Solitary Confinement where he’s not been able to make phone calls home or have any visitors. Unable to afford another criminal defense attorney, DeShon Thomas’ mother suggested that he go with a court appointed attorney. Being as though DeShon Thomas’ mother has seen quite a bit of the Discovery Report, and the fact that DeShon Thomas’ cell phone records are still Sealed, with the State Attorney seeming to not want to release the victims’ autopsy report, and DeShon Thomas’ ex-co-worker and roommate doesn’t seem to want to give a Sworn Deposition—DeShon Thomas’ mother is confident that a court appointed attorney should not have a problem winning DeShon Thomas his freedom.
Never did DeShon Thomas or his mother think that a court appointed attorney would come along and do absolutely nothing!
In September 2012, DeShon Thomas was assigned an attorney out of The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel. By January 2013, four months after being assigned DeShon Thomas’ case, nothing had been done. Nineteen year-old DeShon Thomas filed Pro Se (to represent himself) in the Circuit Court of the 2nd Judicial Circuit in and for Leon County. Although DeShon Thomas knew this to be a risky move, he had to do something to try to move his case forward. He’d been reading a lot about the law in law books available to inmates, as well as, law books that his mother had sent to him. DeShon Thomas has an upcoming trial date in April 2013. DeShon Thomas doesn’t want any delays. Last year State Prosecutor Jack Campbell asked the judge for four or more continuances—one of them was because the fired Former Reserve Deputy Detective Don Odham (2nd lead detective), went on a family vacation. It has been stated that Former Reserve Deputy (2nd lead detective) Don Odham is very close to the Campbell family. It has been stated that Former Reserve Deputy Don Odham was unethical, immoral and a disgrace to the badge that he once wore. The crime to which he was a party to shows that he has no care for human life.
Conor McBride’s parents hired a Restorative Justice expert from Oakland, California to come to Tallahassee to implement her diversion program. The meeting took place at the Leon County Jail. The Restorative Justice expert laid out the ground rules. Leon County Jail policy states that there is “no physical contact between inmates and visitors.” The Restorative Justice expert, who is not a Leon County taxpayer, nor a Florida taxpayer, persuaded Sheriff Larry Campbell to “violate” his own policy. Sheriff Larry Campbell deliberately violated his own policy for an inmate who had a history of abusing his teenage girlfriend and then shooting her in the face with a shotgun, blowing her brain out of her head.
It’s been stated that Sheriff Larry Campbell has no respect for women of abuse. The Restorative Justice expert—the woman who “persuaded” Sheriff Larry Campbell to violate the no physical contact between inmates and visitors policy is a woman of abuse. But really—the meeting—that “show”—belonged to Sheriff Larry Campbell’s son, State Prosecutor Jack Campbell. Sheriff Larry Campbell did not display respect for the murder victim, Ann Grosmaire—a young woman of abuse. For his son—Jack Campbell—the show must go on—even when it means violating his own policy (or policies).
Carissa Chambers has spent most of her life paying taxes in Florida. She lived in Tallahassee for about 11 years. Her son, DeShon Thomas, has spent two birthdays in the Leon County Jail—the murders that he’s been wrongfully accused of committing, happened in Sheriff Larry Campbell’s jurisdiction. Two piece of significant evidence that can exonerate her son. One significant piece of evidence that can exonerate DeShon Thomas’ cell phone records, which are Sealed in the court by Leon County Sheriff’s Detectives. The other piece of evidence that can exonerate DeShon Thomas are the autopsy reports (victims’ time of death)—which is being withheld from public record. The District Two Medical Examiner’s Office is still waiting to hear from the State Attorney’s Office so that they can release them to public records.
DeShon Thomas has sent several requests to his former attorney Greg Cummings asking that a copy of all information pertaining to his case be sent to his mother. Four months later, DeShon Thomas requests have gone ignored—the same as Greg Cummings was doing when he was his attorney.
On February 13, 2013, DeShon Thomas’ mother went to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to speak with someone about the restrictions that DeShon Thomas has been subjected to for six months (DeShon Thomas has been in Solitary Confinement for six months—he’s unable to use the phone and he’s unable to have visitors). A sheriff’s deputy told DeShon Thomas’ mother that she needed to go to the jail and speak with Major Coughlin. DeShon Thomas’ mother went to the jail and asked a woman working there if she could speak with Major Coughlin. The woman got on the phone and told someone that DeShon Thomas’ mother was there wanting to speak with Major Coughlin. According to Leon County Jail staff members, Major Coughlin had just left their work area. Over an hour and a half of waiting and having the staff members try and locate Major Coughlin, DeShon Thomas’ mother decided to leave a detailed voicemail message in Major Coughlin’s voicemail box.
The next afternoon, DeShon Thomas’ mother received a phone call—not from Major Coughlin, but from a man named Deputy Lee. Deputy Lee was calling in place of Major Coughlin. The problem with Deputy Lee calling in place of Major Coughlin was—Deputy Lee could only translate DeShon Thomas’ mother’s questions and concerns to Major Coughlin (the same as the voicemail message). Deputy Lee did say that after translating DeShon Thomas’ mother’s questions and concerns that he (Deputy Lee) would call her back. DeShon Thomas’ mother never got a return call.
Where the head goes the body will follow. The same as Sheriff Larry Campbell is known to be disrespectful to women of abuse; several people have stated that Sheriff Larry Campbell is racist-DeShon Thomas and DeShon Thomas’ mother are no strangers to Sheriff Larry Campbell’s subordinates being racist toward a black man, a black woman and a black child.
On February 19, 2013, DeShon Thomas was in court at his Faretta Hearing. At the Faretta Hearing, DeShon Thomas and his mother had not seen each other in six months. Although the moment was short-lived, they stood to look at each other as much as they could without feeling heartbreak. Early on, when DeShon Thomas was first arrested, he and his mother promised each other they’d be strong for one another. As DeShon Thomas’ mother waited anxiously to see the attorney who had done nothing on her son’s case, the 8:30 a.m. court start time—came and went. DeShon Thomas’ court appointed attorney did not show up. The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel sent another attorney to stand in for him. The attorney arrived in the courtroom 15 minutes late. After the judge took his seat, the judge announced that the assigned court appointed attorney had called in sick. Then the attorney standing in for the court appointed attorney stated that the assigned court appointed attorney was quitting effective March 1, 2013. Something DeShon Thomas was completely unaware about the attorney’s planned departure. DeShon Thomas probably would’ve remained unaware about it had he not filed Pro Se and been granted the Faretta Hearing. The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel didn’t know who was replacing the assigned court appointed attorney, but supposedly had already hired someone to replace him.
Since DeShon Thomas’ reason for filing Pro Se was due to the lack of action occurring on his case by the assigned court appointed attorney, the judge gave DeShon Thomas the option to continue on with the hearing or wait to meet with the replacement attorney; telling DeShon Thomas that he could file Pro Se again if he wanted. DeShon Thomas told the judge that he would meet with his new attorney.
On March 7, 2013, on behalf of DeShon Thomas, DeShon Thomas’ mother sent The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel a Petition for Habeas Corpus along with a Habeas Corpus writ to be filed for DeShon Thomas. If the Petition is denied, then Deshon Thomas is asking that his new court appointed attorney file the necessary motions to have all charges against him dropped. DeShon Thomas is Innocent! DeShon Thomas wants his freedom now! There is no evidence against him that should stop the judge from granting DeShon Thomas his freedom as soon as possible.
The 2nd District State Attorney’s Office should not be trying to lock up DeShon Thomas, an innocent kid, for the rest of his life. There is no doubt that had Leon County Sheriff’s Detectives listened to the victims’ mother and brother; and then in turn listen to DeShon Thomas’ mother, then the investigation would’ve gone differently. There is nothing that can justify the lies that have told by Leon County Sheriff Detectives and the 2nd District State Attorney’s Office. The victims’ family members did not name DeShon Thomas as a suspect. Now, State Prosecutor Jack Campbell has a 2nd lead detective who is a liar and a highly questionable “key witness.” The State Attorney’s office has issued a warrant for their own “key witness’” arrest for missing a court date in regards to the Cultivation of Marijuana. Back on February 4, 2011, the same day that their “key witness” supposedly “voluntarily” gave Reserve Deputy Don Odham incriminating statements against DeShon Thomas, there was an Oral Motion given on this “key witness’” case Waiving All Fees and Court Cost.
With the latest news of an arrest warrant being issued for their “key witness,” the message is: “you’re either for us or against us. And if you’re against us—then we’ll come and arrest you.”
Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Cummings, 2nd District State Attorney Willie Meggs, Sheriff Larry Campbell and his son, State Prosecutor Jack Campbell— all came together to “help” Conor McBride, the “Devil they know and saved.” They have profiled a kid, DeShon Thomas—The Kid that they are trying to destroy!
Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 