Ferguson and Erickson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (June 2008)

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(December 2007) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

Ryan Ferguson and Chuck Erickson were convicted of the brutal murder of Columbia Tribune Sports Editor Kent Heitholt. The crime occurred on November 1, 2001 in Columbia, Missouri. At the time of the crime, a white janitor, Jerry Trump, caught a glimpse of two young white men running away from Heitholt’s car around the time of the murder. The janitor said he could not provide a detailed description of them. Two years after the crime, after reading anniversary newspaper coverage, Erickson began telling friends he dreamed he had killed Heitholt. When police questioned him later, Erickson confessed but gave videotaped details inconsistent with the crime. He also named his friend Ryan Ferguson as his accomplice. Erickson said that following the murder, he and Ferguson went back to the bar they had been at earlier. However, the bar had closed more than a half-hour before the murder. Erickson confessed, that he, then 17, beat the 6'3", 315 lb. Heitholt with a tire iron just once. An autopsy showed Heitholt was beaten multiple times. Erickson said that afterwards, Ferguson, also 17, strangled the victim. He did not know how, and seemed surprised when told that Heitholt had been strangled with his own belt.

There was no physical evidence linking either defendant to the crime. Nevertheless, Erickson pled to the crime, and was the state's star witness at trial against Ferguson. The janitor, who had little memory at the time of the crime, identified Ferguson at trial. It has been determined that Jerry Trump's wife has reported April 23, 2007 that she did not sent her husband the newspaper he testified he received while serving his 5 year prison sentence for Child Endangerment with sexual contact. Jerry Trump committed perjury. Ferguson is not absolutely sure that Erickson was not at the crime, but is adamant about his innocence. The jury could not get over the fact that Erickson was willing to implicate himself in the crime, if he did not do it. Ferguson will be eligible for parole in September 2042. Ryan Ferguson was issued the highest bail in the history of the United States of America $20,000,000 for a young man that had never been to court except for a speeding ticket. View the YouTube video and watch Erickson being spoon-fed by Detective Short

YouTube I Have You Ever Had A Cop In Your Face Part I Charles Erickson's first vedio of his interogation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCyKnc1BVV8&mode=related&search

YouTube II Have You Ever Had A Cop In Your Face Part II The following is part of Ryan Ferguson's interrogation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McAuB6zhH0

YouTube III Have You Ever Had A Cop In Your Face Part III Did the Prosecutor lie in his closing? See for yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IbEjC7BBHc

The following is the 911 call the night of the crime You can see for yourself Jerry Trump knew little about the suspects

911Call November 1, 2001 http://www.freeryanferguson.com/911tape.shtml

Ryan Ferguson's Web Page FreeRyanFerguson.com

http://www.freeryanferguson.com/index.html

Sole Witness Story Columbia Tribune Jerry Trump's is never mentioned Ornt sole witness Columbia Tribune April 2003 http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2003/apr/20030405news003.asp

Great Summation of This Case Jane Alexander One Murder, Two victims: The Wrongful Conviction of Ryan Ferguson http://www.crimemagazine.com/07/ryan_ferguson,0722-7.htm

[edit] References

• Truth In Justice

• Part of what convicted the defendant Ryan Ferguson was that several of the jury members made their decision during jury selection when they were told by the prosecutor that the person Ryan was with had pled guilty. Several jury members stated on CBS 48 Hours that they had decided Ryan Ferguson was guilty before he took the stand. During cross-examination the defendant was respectful and presented a positive demeanor to the court. The prosecutor asked Ryan why he did not offer the police his phone records since these would help prove his innocence. The defendant explained that he was never asked about his cell phone calls by the police the day of his arrest nor did he think about their significance at that time. After all, he was innocent and thought the police would realize their mistake and release him. The term cell phone was not used by either the police, Ryan Ferguson or Charles Erickson. Ryan only remembered the cell phone calls a few days after his arrest. The police never spoke to Ryan after March 10, 2004 the day of his arrest. Ryan told the prosecutor he never expected to be charged with a crime he didn't commit. He then asked the prosecutor if he would ever expect that to happen to him, and when the prosecutor announced he didn't kill anyone, the defendant declared he didn't either. That produced reactionary clapping in the audience as they were upset at the prosecutor's bullying which went beyond normal crossing-examination questioning.

In his closing argument the prosecutor lied to the jury saying there was not a hair in the victim's hand but in crime scene photo 199-32 one can clearly see the hair. The FBI Lab reported the hair in the victim's hand did not match Ryan Ferguson, Charles Erickson or the victim.

Prosecutor Kevin Crane is currently a circuit court judge. Ellen Roper who presided over the trial has retired. Bill Ferguson the defendants father continues to pursue his sons case and has expressed confidence that he knows who the "real" killer is.

April 23, 2007 Barbara Trump reports that she never sent a copy of the Columbia Tribune to her husband while he was in his prison serving his five prison term This makes Jerry Trump's testimony untrue. Jerry Trump committed perjury when he testified his wife sent him a copy of the Tribune with photos of Ryan and Chuck. Trump testified he recognized Ryan and Chuck from the Tribune photographs. Now we know this was not possible. Jerry Trump the eye witness against Ryan committed perjury and Ryan should be granted a new trial.

Cavin Crane the prosecutor and now judge has been charged with a Brady Violation for not providing information to Ryan's defense team.

Shawna Ornt the key witness told Prosecutor Crane after Ryan's arrest, before her deposition and just before the trial that the suspects she saw in the parking lot were not Ryan or Chuck. Shawna Ornt told Prosecutor Crane of this fact. Prosecutor Crane is in violation of the law because he failed to provide this information to the defense.

This can be found in Ryan's appeal 29.15 page 9 filed March 3, 2008 There were other Brady violations as well.

Mike Schook the bouncer has provided an affidavit saying he was not at the club after 2:15am making Chuck's story impossible.