I am an innocent man; unjustly incarcerated for over two decades.  On October 3, 1995, Eric “Nike” Lee Jones was fatally wounded by gunfire in an attempted home invasion.  With no suspects, no evidence (biological or non-biological), The Roanoke City Police Department was left without any leads.  There were eight people in the home at the time of the botched robbery.  There was only one witness, Tina Trout, who saw the suspect.  Ms. Trout stated in her 911 call and to responding officers that the room was dark and she did not see the gunman’s face and she ran when the shot was fired. 

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The next day Ms. Trout met with investigators at the police station and again stated that she was unable to see the assailants face due to poor lighting, and the fact that the suspect had a hood pulled over his head, obstructing a clear view of his face.  It should be noted that Tina Trout is legally blind.  Sometime between October 3rd and October 13th, Ms. Trout changes her story and makes the assertion that she recognized me as the man from the night of the shooting.  Ms. Trout claims she saw me at a store the morning after the shooting.  However, she did not mention this to detectives the same day she was interviewed by them. 

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I have the transcripts from Ms. Trout’s 911 call and the offense report from her initial interview with Officers Babb and K.D. Garrett at the scene, and Homicide Investigators the next morning where she gives an untainted and truthful account of what she saw.

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During the course from the day from the shooting until my arrest, you will ascertain how Ms. Trout was coached and used as the only witness to wrongfully convict me.  There was no evidence.  No other witnesses were called to testify against me.  Only the unjust and untruthful account given by Tina Trout.

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I also have exculpatory evidence obtained by detectives that was purposely withheld from my case.  Due to the sensitive nature of this paperwork, I can only show this secret transcript to an attorney or legal group.

In addition to the phone call identifying another man as the killer and that I was not present, there is also a sworn statement given by Ms. Trout’s father, Earl Trout.  Earl Trout went on record to state that after trial and sentencing, his daughter Tina Trout confided to him that she made a mistake in identifying Michael Crump as the person who shot Eric “Nike” Jones.  Mr. Trout stated that Tina was “afraid” to come forward after the sentencing because she was unsure of what consequences she would face for admitting her mistake.  Mr. Trout claims he came forward with this admission because he “decided to agree to help Mike Crump because it is the right thing to do.”

I have been incarcerated for a crime I did not commit since I was 18 years old.  I just turned 40.  I have spent over half of my life in prison as a guiltless man.  Due to my age and naivete, I put my life in the hands of an incompetent public defender who convinced me that my case would be thrown out due to lack of evidence.  He also assured me by having a bench trial would work to my advantage because the judge understood the prosecution did not have a strong case.

I am writing to you because I need help with having my case reopened.  The victim’s mother, Deborah Jones, also believes in my innocence and is willing to go on record stating so. 

Please assist me in clearing my name and bringing justice for Eric Jones, his family and myself.