Tallahassee, FL—After an untimely loss of a loved one to due to a criminal act, the victims’ family and citizens expect all of those who play a role in bringing about justice to do so effectively.
For decades Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey created an “Evil Culture” within the offices in which they directed. In addition, they worked together to ensure that some of their closest employees were conditioned to carry out sinister acts upon innocent people. These sinister acts instilled fear in people and caused innocent people to be imprisoned.
At every level of these offices there are set guidelines/policies/laws that define how to proceed with evidence and the crucial roles for seeking justice. However, for decades, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey have ignored the set guidelines/policies/laws as defined, and set out on their own on how to seek justice—even ignoring creditable sources.
In early 2011, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell was called to investigate a double homicide where a 17-years-old boy and his 20-year-old sister, who was pregnant, were found murdered in their townhome. A team of full-time certified veteran detectives and deputies worked diligently to find significant evidence to charge 17-year-old, DeShon Thomas, with the murders. Although there was no evidence or witness statement that pointed to Mr. Thomas as being the murderer, law enforcement was acting on their own theory. When detectives were not able to find witnesses or significant evidence to charge Mr. Thomas, Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell moved forward and had Mr. Thomas charged with the murders and then replaced the lead detective on the double murder case with his wealthy friend, Don Odham. Not only is Don Odham referred to as a “Disgrace with a badge” by other law enforcement officers, Don Odham was never an employee at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Don Odham was nothing more than a wealthy businessman who had nothing else to do but make donations and hang around Sheriff Larry Campbell in order to get privileges that only his money could afford him. Don Odham was not a certified law enforcement officer. Assistant State Attorney/Prosecutor Jack Campbell tried to paint Don Odham as a volunteer, a “Reserve Deputy.” Even if Don Odham was a “Reserve Deputy” with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, a volunteer status does not allow Don Odham to perform the duties of a lead detective on a double homicide case or a crime scene detective. Mr Thomas has always maintained his innocence.
Prior to Mr. Thomas’ trial, a detective was forced to notarize documents in relation to Mr. Thomas’ case, undersigning that Don Odham was a Leon County Sheriff’s Detective. This was a blatant “Lie”. During Mr. Thomas’ trial, there were a few law enforcement officers who committed perjury in order to cover up for Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell and Don Odham. Mr. Thomas, an innocent teenager, was convicted solely based on Sheriff Larry Campbell’s acts and “Evil Culture.”
Second Judicial State Attorney Willie Meggs has a history of turning his back on Tallahassee citizens. It was only through fear and intimidation as to why Willie Meggs continued to be re-elected. State Attorney Willie Meggs routinely assigned Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell’s son, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell as lead prosecutor on several criminal cases under the investigative jurisdiction of Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell. This father/son team instilled deep fear and intimidation not to just suspects and their families, but also to defense attorneys—both court appointed and private paid attorneys. Accepting documents from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office that contain false information and filing the documents in the court system and then having Chief Assistant Georgia Cappleman take the same false information before a grand jury in order to get an indictment against an innocent defendant shows State Attorney Willie Meggs’ “Evil Culture.”
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey and Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell worked together as agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement during their earlier careers in law enforcement. The longtime working relationship became a close friendship. As Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner, the positions call for the commissioner to be Florida’s top cop. FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey had the duty to set aside his friendship with Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell and act accordingly. Instead, after a complaint had been filed with FDLE in regards to Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell allowing a volunteer to act outside of the scope of that set forth by policy, FDLE Commission Gerald Bailey refused to act.
Recently it was reported that a DNA analyst with FDLE concealed evidence in the quadruple murder of a mother, her 6-year-old twin daughters and her two-year-old son. The evidence, which had been sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime lab for testing, would have opened up the investigation to go beyond law enforcements theory of who they believed to have committed the murders. The one and only defendant in the quadruple murders is also the father of the two-year-old boy. The defendant, who is facing the death penalty, has maintained his innocence, as he has been sitting in the Leon County Jail for nearly four years awaiting trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime lab receives several samples of evidence from FDLE for testing on a regular basis. It is a common practice for State Attorney Willie Meggs to ignore FDLE and FBI crime labs test results when the test results does not support their prosecution strategy.
Employees who work closely with Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Willie Meggs and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey are able to casually—almost nonchalantly—commit perjury, knowingly file court documents containing false information and discuss concealing evidence—because that was the way in which they were taught—maintaining their “Evil Culture.”
Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 