Tallahassee, FL—On February 2, 2011, the mother of DeShon Thomas thought it was ridiculous when Leon County Judge Robert Wheeler granted State Prosecutor Crews’ order to have DeShon placed on GPS monitoring just because the Leon County Sheriff’s Office “believed” that DeShon maybe a suspect in a double homicide case. At the time of DeShon going before Leon County Judge Robert Wheeler in adult court, DeShon was 17-years-old and had been charged by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office with cultivation of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. It was during the execution of a search warrant for firearms by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office on 21-year-old Trentin Ross’ one-bedroom apartment as to when detective located five pots of soil with marijuana stems sprouting from them in the bedroom closet of Trentin Ross. In a temporary living arrangement, Trentin Ross had been allowing DeShon to sleep on his couch. Both Trentin Ross and DeShon worked at a Taco Bell near Trentin Ross’ apartment. In the Summary of Offense for Cultivation of Marijuana and Probable Cause Affidavit, it was stated that Trentin Ross did not know how the plants got in his bedroom closet—but he (Ross) watered the plants, turned the lights on over the plants and cared for the plants. DeShon appeared in juvenile court three times before Circuit Judge Gievers found probable cause to be sufficient. At said time—State Prosecutor Eric Trombley direct filed to have DeShon charged as an adult. (DeShon’s went in front of Judge Robert Wheeler via video for his first appearance. DeShon was never officially placed on GPS because DeShon was charged with Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder before he could bond out of the Leon County Jail.) DeShon would sit in the Leon County Jail for nearly three years without any incriminating sworn depositions or evidence against him. State Attorney Willie Meggs and State Prosecutor Jack Campbell refused to allow the District Two Medical Examiner’s Office to make the victims autopsy reports public record. Prior to DeShon being charged with the murders, Judge Ronald Flury signed a court order to have DeShon’s AT&T cell phone records proved to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office—and then (on the same night) Judge Ronald Flury signed a court order to have DeShon’s AT&T cell phone records Sealed at the request of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Despite DeShon having four different court appointed attorneys and one private paid attorney—none of these items of evidence were made available to DeShon or challenged on his behalf during trial. DeShon was convicted. DeShon is INNOCENT!!!!!
It’s been nearly a half decade since Henry Segura was charged with the quadruple homicide of the mother of his toddler son along with his toddler son and her twin daughters. While the State of Florida contends that Mr. Segura brutally murdered the family because he did not want to pay child support (one of the same motives as with 17-year-old DeShon Thomas), there is no physical evidence connecting Mr. Segura to the murders. It was reported that the mother put up a fight before being shot numerous times.
There have been several judges to have presided over Mr. Segura’s case proceedings. In April 2015, the Judicial Qualifications Commission announced that they were charging Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford for three counts of misconduct. An attorney for Circuit Judge Jackie filed documents to have the charges dismissed. After the Judicial Qualifications Commission refused to dismiss the charges, the Judicial Qualifications Commission recommended Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford retire due to an illness.
In June 2015, a DNA analyst with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement had the attention of many defense attorneys across the state of Florida and beyond, when she announced that she’d been sitting on a laboratory report that had been provided to her by the Federal Bureau of Investigation two years or so ago in regards to Mr. Segura’s case. The laboratory report excluded Mr. Segura. Defense Attorney Chuck Hobbs, who has taken on Mr. Segura case on a Pro Bono basis, motioned the court to have Mr. Segura’s case dismissed. Mr. Hobbs motion was denied by Circuit Judge Terry Lewis.
Most recently, Mr. Hobbs teamed up with defense attorneys Pumphrey & Prince. Those in Tallahassee’s Black community strongly believe that Chuck Hobbs, who is a Black man—teaming up with Pumphrey & Prince (two White men) is mainly because Black attorneys lack respect and fairness within the judicial system.
Since Chuck Hobbs has been working on Mr. Segura’s case, The Florida Bar suspended him for violating their Rule of Professional Conduct. But when DeShon Thomas, a Black male juvenile defendant filed a complaint against Gregory J. Cummings, a White criminal defense attorney, thus far—The Florida Bar has failed to finalize DeShon’s complaint (over 3 years ago).
Numerous Black men have been convicted in Leon County through the use of either a Fake Cop, falsification of information, violation of public records, witness intimidation—and the list goes on and on—CORRUPTION at its “FINEST.”
According to sources, Mr. Segura’s trial date has been set for February 2016. The tactic of Black men spending nearly a decade in the Leon County Jail without any physical evidence against them seems to be the normal standard for Tallahassee judicial officials. In other words, Black men are being court order to wear GPS monitors and/or spending nearly a decade in the Leon County Jail not for committing criminal acts—but for being suspected of committing criminal acts.
If DeShon Thomas had not been 17-years-old at the time of being charged with Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Juvenile Delinquent– with all of the ACT OF CORRUPITON that occurred during DeShon’s case proceedings–DeShon would be another INNOCENT inmate on Death Row.
Both Circuit Judge James C. Hankinson and Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford presided over DeShon’s case proceedings. Circuit Judge James C. Hankinson and Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford violated DeShon’s U.S. Constitutional Rights. These two judges also presided over Death Penalty cases.
Mr. Segura’s case is being watched very closely. Florida must repeal the Death Penalty.
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Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 