Dear Graduates:
Congratulations! Congratulations to all of the graduates for your hard work and utilizing your faith and survival skills on and off campus. Surely, the transition from the kid who graduated from high school to the young adult who is now graduating from college/university has been quite an experience. But you survived! You survived shady friends, cunning enemies, class instructors that probably didn’t think that you’d pass their classes, and most importantly you did not fall victim to the extreme corruption that runs rapid within Second Judicial State Attorney Willie Meggs’ office, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office (under former Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell (deceased)) and currently under Leon County Sheriff Mike Wood (Gov. Rick Scott appointee). Hopefully, you did not inadvertently witness any criminal act or any suspicious activity that left you too afraid to report to law enforcement.
It is shameful, but understandable, for anyone, especially young people, to fear voluntarily contacting law enforcement in an attempt to help bring justice to a possibly unjust incident. As new graduates (young adults entering into a variety of careers), you have the ability to force changes in leadership roles and communities. If you witnessed a criminal act or any suspicious activity and did not report it, please do not carry that burden with you for the rest of your life. Encourage the people all around you, especially those in Leon County and the other counties within the Second Judicial Circuit, to elect new officials—Walt McNeil for Leon County Sheriff—is a wonderful starting point. State Attorney Willie Meggs’, who has been in office for thirty or more years, is not seeking re-election. As you all may know by now—re-elected (incumbents) does not mean “a job well done.” In most cases, such as with Governor Rick Scott and his appointee, Leon County Sheriff Mike Wood, the incumbents’ victory just means that they had more money than their opponents. People will pay a lot of money via campaign contributions to prevent their “evil acts” from being exposed.
State Attorney Willie Meggs and his employee, Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, along with the late Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, utilized a fake cop to interrogate and arrest minors, as well as filing documents with the Leon County Courthouse calling the fake cop a Leon County Sheriff’s Detective. In an effort to keep the corruption going (keep the evil acts from being exposed), Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, the son of the late Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, is currently running to replace Willie Meggs. It is imperative that Leon County (Tallahassee) and the other counties within the Second Judicial Circuit rid themselves of those who have been groomed in corruption. As a graduate, who may stay or leave Tallahassee, please know that there are some crimes that do not have statute of limitations, so it is possible that a trustworthy candidate can replace Willie Meggs—definitely not Jack Campbell. A trustworthy person serving as the Second Judicial State Attorney just may allow you or someone that you know—to unburden themselves of any criminal act or any suspicious activity—no matter how small you may think that it is—that you or they may have witnessed—without getting pulled into the corruption that has plagued Tallahassee for decades. After Tallahassee has successfully elected trustworthy leaders, then those leaders should be informed and those burdens may be lifted from you and others.
As it has happened–under State Attorney Willie Meggs–Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell, who was prosecuting a double murder case, where Jack Campbell asked WCTV news reporter, Julie Montanaro, to conceal the identities of male adult career criminals that were testifying to help make his case. Unfortunately, the young petite college woman, who was a witness for the defense, was exploited! She did not know the defendant (17-year-old DeShon Thomas). She was just a neighbor who inadvertently witnessed suspicious activity at the residence and may have been the last person to see the 17-year-old male alive—other than his murderer. Her testimony placed someone that was not DeShon Thomas—at the victims’ residence. That someone was never sought out. Instead, the fake cop named Don Odham, a local multi-million dollar real estate investor, whose wife, Sue Odham, a local banker at BB&T, set out to destroy the life of 17-year-old, DeShon Thomas, a freshman at Tallahassee Community College.
As it is– the witnesses that were protected by Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell have all continued on with their crime sprees—claiming more victims. And despite DeShon’s mother having paid nearly $30,000 to Defense Attorney Gregory Cummings, crucial evidence that could have exonerated DeShon, was withheld from DeShon and public records law were violated. Although the near $30,000 depleted DeShon’s single mother’s purse, the near $30,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the salaries of Meggs, Campbell and Circuit Judge James C. Hankinson, along with many others.
After the death of Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, Governor Rick Scott appointed Robert Swearingen as interim Leon County Sheriff, before appointing Mike Wood as Leon County Sheriff. Mike Wood has a criminal background and worked closely with Larry Campbell for nearly 30 years. All of Mike Woods’ training had come from within the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Currently, Sheriff Mike Woods collects nearly a $500,000 a year. In an attempt to support Sheriff Larry Campbell’s corrupt son, Jack Campbell, and prolong the corruption within the judicial system, Mike Wood is currently running for Leon County Sheriff.
As evidence to show that criminals have the support by Governor Rick Scott, Governor Rick Scott appointed Mike Wood, a criminal, as Leon County Sheriff, over others who have worked many years at the Leon County Sheriff’s Office who do not have a criminal record. Mike Wood was not the most qualified. Mike Wood was Larry Campbell’s choice before he died of cancer. Also, Governor Rick Scott praised Mike Wood, a known criminal, but a few years earlier, Liberty County Sheriff Nick Finch was arrested by FDLE and removed from his position. After Sheriff Finch was released from the Liberty County Jail (the jail in which Mr. Finch oversees), Mr. Finch’s attorneys made his case of innocence in a courtroom against State Attorney Willie Meggs–Assistant State Attorney Jack Campbell. Mr. Finch was acquitted. Governor Rick Scott reinstated Sheriff Nick Finch.
As graduates—young adults—don’t be afraid to fight for what you know to be right. It is your responsibility to leave all of those places that you once walked but felt uncomfortable—to make “a better place” for those coming behind you. It is your responsibility to not allow innocence to be stolen from innocent people. You survived, but there are those who did not. If you plan to allow your children to attend your alma mater—they may not survive if changes are not made. As you move forward in your life, know that you can make a difference in the lives of others.
Thank you and good luck to you!
Sincerely,
Mothers Against Unethical Laws (MAUL) 