Tallahassee, FL—Over the years, the more growing and most difficult question has become what is not beneath those within Tallahassee’s Judicial System?
In 2008, State Attorney Willie Meggs seemed to blame 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman for her own murder. Ms. Hoffman had recently graduated from Florida State University and had been arrested for possession of marijuana. In an effort to prevent her parents from learning of her arrest and any further prosecution, she offered to become a drug informant. Police put Ms. Hoffman in a much more dangerous situation than her not wanting to disappointment her parents. In the process of attempting to sell a gun and some drugs to a drug dealer, Ms. Hoffman was murdered under the nose of several police officers. Despite several acts of incompetence by police officers, State Attorney Willie Meggs did not hold any of the police officers accountable.
In 2009, Dr. Mark Hash and Dr. Stephen Duncan’s clinic was raided by FDLE agents. Both Dr. Hash and Dr. Stephen Duncan, along with other employees were arrested. Dr. Hash was charged with several felonies, including prescription fraud. In May 2011 a month before Dr. Hash was to go on trial, State Attorney Willie Meggs dropped all charges. The Florida Department of Health stated that there was an administrative complaint still pending against Dr. Hash. It has since been reported that the day after Dr. Hash learned of all charges being dropped against him, Dr. Hash stated that earlier in the investigation, the brake lines to one of his cars had been cut and that he was concerned about his family’s safety. Also, after the charges had been dropped against Dr. Hash, it has been reported that several assistant state attorneys were clients at Dr. Hash’s clinic. Currently, Dr. Hash has a pending lawsuit against the FDLE for false arrest.
In April 2011, Leon County Sheriff Sergeant David Graham was named “Deputy of the Year”. In February 2012, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrested Sergeant David Graham, charging him with Grand Theft of a Firearm and Grand Theft of $9000, stating that Sergeant Graham had stolen from a 91-year-old citizen that he’d befriended while investigating a previous crime incident. Upon being arrested, Sergeant Graham was terminated from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. On March 29, 2012, an arrest warrant was issued for Mr. Graham’s wife, Vicki Luggi-Graham and additional warrants for Mr. Graham. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office stated that the additional charges were due to the 91-year-old victim changing his statement stating that nearly $70,000 in cash had been stolen, as well as gold and silver coins. Shortly before Sergeant Graham was charged, arrested and terminated—a few anonymous letters had been sent to a Tallahassee blogger informing them about racism and other unethical practices involving Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell and his command staff. It was said that Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell was upset and desperate to learn as to who was sending the anonymous letters. It’s been said that Mr. Graham was the author of those letters. On August 16, 2013, Mr. David Graham was found Not Guilty!
In January 2011, the Leon County Sheriff Office began an investigation into a double homicide of 21-year-old Laqecia Herring and her 17-year-old brother, Sterling Conner Jr. The victims’ mother and siblings had spent the night away from home, only to return to find their loved ones deceased. Ms. Herring was pregnant. Ms. Herring also was the mother of a toddler daughter. Although Ms. Herring’s daughter was home at the time, she was unharmed. Leon County Sheriff’s Office conducted Gun Shot Residue kits on the victims’ family members before focusing on 17-year-old DeShon Thomas. However, eleven days into the investigation, detectives were not able to present sufficient probable cause to charge DeShon with the murders in any form or fashion, but there were plenty of evidence and witness statements that led detectives to other promising suspects. It was a heated exchange of words and an unlawful encounter between DeShon, his mother and Detective Don Odham at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office that made Detective Odham disgruntle and with cause to retaliate against DeShon and his mother. Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, the son of Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, teamed up with Detective Don Odham and assisted with preparing a Summary of Offense for Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder and Probable Cause to have DeShon charged and arrested for the murders. Detective Don Odham, State Attorney Willie Meggs, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, and his son, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell filed false court documents—LYING about events stated in the probable cause. In addition to those lies, Don Odham, State Attorney Willie Meggs, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell and his son Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell– LIED about Don Odham’s capacity with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. In court documents and Leon County Sheriff’s reports, Don Odham is stated to be a Leon County Sheriff’s Detective, including Lead Detective on the double homicide case. When in fact, Don Odham–a close, wealthy friend of the Campbell family, was only a Leon County Reserve Deputy—a volunteer. “Detective” Don Odham had no support of other real full-time detectives that had been working tirelessly on the case. Only a wealthy personal friend to the sheriff’s can spit on all of the hard work of a team of experienced full-time Leon County Sheriff’s Detectives, the Leon County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Technicians in an effort to claim for himself the credit for having solved the double homicide case. Thus, thinking that by charging a Black 17-year-old male would be a slam dunk case. While there was no physical, material or circumstantial evidence—and no motive for DeShon to murder the victims, there was plenty of self-destruction by judicial officials. DeShon Thomas, who had obtained his GED and was a full-time Tallahassee Community College student, also had been working at Taco Bell for nearly a year at the time of his arrest. DeShon’s mother hired Tallahassee Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings. After sixteen months, Mr. Cummings refused to provide/discuss with DeShon information that could’ve exonerated him—such as the victims autopsy reports. Mr. Cummings, who had received nearly $30,000 from DeShon’s mother, was fired off of DeShon’s case, however, The Florida Bar failed to hold Mr. Cummings responsible for withholding information from his client. At the time Mr. Cummings announced to the media that he was no longer representing DeShon, State Attorney Willie Meggs announced that DeShon was being charged with Solicitation to Commit Murder with target being that of the one and only witness against DeShon. A witness whom “Detective” Don Odham claimed to have voluntarily contacted him and gave incriminating statements that gave weight to charging DeShon with the murders–an account that the Lead Detective on the double murder case at the time disputes. It was reported that State Attorney Willie Meggs said DeShon had hired a fellow inmate to carry out a hit on the key witness. In a WCTV news article titled, ‘Murder Suspect Accused of Trying to Arrange Hit Man’, State Attorney Willie Meggs is quoted as to say, “It could have happened at anytime because the person that was supposed to be doing it was in fact…had made bond and was out.” What State Attorney Willie Meggs did not say was that Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, who was prosecuting the case, had used his knowledge of the Leon County Jails Standard of Operating Procedures, to have Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Ronald O’Brien smuggle contraband into the jail in an effort to get letters to DeShon. Deputy O’Brien did not work in the jail and had no knowledge of what he was doing—he just did as he was told. Had DeShon solicited an inmate to murder a key witness, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office is staffed with a team of staff members trained in their Gang Unit to handle those types of incidents. But, those trained members are spit on by those closest to Sheriff Larry Campbell, in this case his son, and are conducting things themselves. State Attorney Willie Meggs did not say to the media that in fact, State Prosecutor Jack Campbell and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin solicited the inmate to entrap DeShon. DeShon NEVER asked the inmate to murder anyone! Also, State Attorney Willie Meggs did not say to the media that the inmate, who had just been captured by the Fugitive Task Force in Tifton, Georgia on two outstanding warrants for Armed Bank Robbery in Tallahassee, was out of the Leon County Jail on a $15,000 bond and was being financially supported by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The truth is State Prosecutor Jack Campbell arranged the “Hit Man” and State Attorney Investigator Jason Newlin and Leon County Sheriff’s Deputy Ronald O’Brien coddled the “Hit Man” for a short time after his release. Four months after the “Hit Man” had been released from the Leon County Jail, he committed a number of crimes in a neighboring county—including Armed Home Invasion Robbery with Kidnapping. Yes, these are the type of people that are knowingly being released into the community by judicial officials. When there is a father and son investigating and prosecuting criminal cases—one would be FOOLISH to think that they are going to proceed ethically.In an email sent DeShon’s mother from Mr. Cummings after he’d been fired, Mr. Cummings states that State Prosecutor Jack Campbell was not forthcoming with allowing him to do due diligence for DeShon. Clearly, Mr. Cummings was being bullied by Circuit Judge James C. Hankinson and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell. Who can an attorney turn to for assistance when the judge and the prosecutor are acting unethically? Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell and his son State Prosecutor Jack Campbell have proven time and time again that they are bullies in and out of the courtroom. WCTV news reporter Julie Montanaro has been on hand to support the bullying of the father and son—smearing the names of those accused—making them seem guilty before their day in court. During DeShon’s trial, Julie Montanaro protected the identity of State Prosecutor Jack Campbell’s two witnesses against DeShon, including the previous bank robber. However, Julie Montanaro published the name and nearly all of the testimony of a young college student who was a defense witness. They young lady was a neighbor of the victims. She did not know DeShon at all.
Prior to hiring Mr. Cummings, Circuit Judge James C. Hankinson and the Office of Regional Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel Attorney Samuel Olmstead were conspiring together—they were conducting case events without DeShon. DeShon had no idea that he’d had an attorney on his case. After firing Mr. Cummings, DeShon’s case defaulted back to Judge Hankinson to appoint an attorney. Eventually, DeShon’s case was back being handled by the Regional Counsel’s Office. In October 2013, after a number of perjured testimonies, DeShon was convicted on Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder and Solicitation to Commit 1st Degree Murder. While several Florida attorneys and abroad have laughed in disgust about the judicial process in Tallahassee, often using the word “ridiculous”—17-year-old DeShon was now 20-year-old DeShon being convicted for Two Counts of Murder in which both victims autopsy reports were never provided to him or the Public. The State Prosecutor Jack Campbell refused to allow the Medical Examiner’s Office to make them public record. In addition, a fake—non-creditable detective—had committed a crime in another state which was an insight look of his lack of care for humanity. And also, the solicitation to commit murder plot that the State Prosecutor admitted to being the ring leader—which totally contradicts what’s on the Probable Cause Report for the Solicitation to Commit 1st Degree Murder which led to DeShon being charged.
Yes, it’s CHOATIC! It’s SICKENING! It’s a CLEAR view into Tallahassee’s Corrupt Judicial System! A system which allows the medical examiner, Dr. Anthony Clark, to commit perjury—with the support of the State of Florida Health Department. When DeShon’s mother filed a complaint with the State of Florida Health Department with supporting evidence to show that Dr. Clark had committed perjury, the State of Florida Health Department responded by threatening to have her charged for violating Florida Statutes versus addressing the facts of the complaint. FDLE has refused to bring charges against Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell for breach of Public Trust. Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell allowed his son, State Prosecutor Jack Campbell to use the Leon County Jail to conduct an illegal operation which included smuggling contraband into the jail. This operation undermines the citizens of Tallahassee as well as the Leon County Sheriff’s Office staff members who undergo numerous hours of training in order to qualify for grant money and to protect both the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and inmates.
There seems to be nothing beneath Tallahassee Corrupt Judicial System. Having DeShon Thomas in prison clearly screams that Tallahassee judicial officials have no problem with knowing that there is an INNOCENT teenage in prison—and that there’s a cold-blooded murderer in the community.
Only those closest to Florida State University Law Professor Dan Markel know what Mr. Markel had been involved in leading up to his murder. Are they afraid to come forward? Dr. Mark Hash is afraid for his family and what they’re going through. Being afraid is natural, but when Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, his son State Prosecutor Jack Campbell and State Attorney Willie Meggs seems to have the protection of both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Tallahassee and Jacksonville, as well as the Department of Justice in Tallahassee, it could be terrifying! Is it be possible that Professor Dan Markel is a victim of Tallahassee’s Corrupt Judicial System? A month into the investigation of Dan Markel’s murder—and no arrest. WHY?
Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 