Does Christopher Dunn’s Life Matter?

In 1990, Chris was 18 years old. One night, when his Uncle Larry was visiting his mother's house, the family, including Chris, walked his uncle outside to the car to say goodbye. They heard three or four shots in the distance. His mother told everyone to get inside. They later learned that a 14-year-old boy in the neighborhood had been shot. The next day, the police came and arrested Chris. They cuffed him to a table and interrogated him for 36 hours. Chris was then held in jail for nine months before an assigned public defender first contacted him. She spoke with him only twice more, for five minutes or less, before he went to trial a full year after his arrest. Once at trial, his PD did not call any of his alibi witnesses - neither Uncle Larry, nor his mother, nor his sisters. No evidence was presented in his favor. There was no physical evidence against Chris; the ONLY evidence against him was the eyewitness testimony of two boys, 13 and 15. Their stories were not consistent, but Chris' public defender didn't make an issue of that. In exchange for his testimony, one boy received just probation on felony robbery charges. This boy had a second pending robbery case that was particularly brutal, and had resulted in a baby being shot and blinded in one eye. That second case simply ... disappeared. The state offered Chris 10 years if he would admit guilt. He refused. Next, they offered 20 years. He refused to admit to a murder he did not commit. So, Chris was sentenced to life without parole plus 90 years. In 2005, the first boy recanted his testimony, saying he had lied because he didn't like Chris, and that he hadn't seen the shooter at all. This was encouraging, but Chris' attorney at the time said it wasn't enough. We needed both recantations. For the next 10 years, we looked for the other boy. In 2015, we found him living in California. He gave a statement that matched the first boy's statement. He had not seen the shooter, and they decided to say it was Chris because they didn't like him. In addition, three other people - one who was at the crime scene and in the police report, but never called to the stand - and two who were talking on the phone with Chris near the time of the crime - all provided affidavits and said they were willing to testify to Chris' innocence. Our investigator also found phone records. We had what we needed for a finding of actual innocence, but needed a court to hear the evidence. In 2018, a judge granted Chris an evidentiary hearing. This was huge, and we were closer than ever to ending this nightmare. The hearing went even better than expected. Near the end, one correctional officer turned to another and said, loud enough for us to hear, "Should we call and tell them to get his stuff ready to go?" His innocence was so clear that release seemed an inevitable next step, but the State wanted a live interview with the second boy, who had provided an audio taped statement and affidavits signed by two investigators. The State had flown an investigator to question him, but the boy had refused to see her. The defense agreed to give the state another chance to interview the boy. It never happened. Two years and three months later, the judge finally issued a ruling. Maddeningly, it acknowledged Chris' likely innocence and noted that releasing him would be appropriate and right, However, the judge said he was prevented from doing so because he didn't want to contradict Lincoln v. Cassady. That case said that an innocent person like Chris cannot be granted relief - unless they are on death row. Chris' sentence is life without the possibility of parole. He has served nearly 31 years. He went in at 18, and will turn 50 this year. Unless this injustice is corrected, the only way he is getting out of there is in a coffin - or in a cardboard box, more likely. He has a long, slow, state-sanctioned death sentence. But he's not on death row! The family of the boy who lost his life in 1990 deserves to know the truth, and for his killer to be found and punished. Chris deserves a chance to live as a free man. Since the 2018 hearing, he has experienced three heart attacks. Now in fragile health, he is doing his best to avoid COVID-19. If you would like to help, please spread the word. We are asking the Missouri Supreme Court to hear Chris' case. Share, tweet, post. Contact the office of Kim Gardner, St. Louis Circuit Attorney: (314) 622-4941. Contact Missouri Governor Mike Parson. Contact Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. We thank you.

2 comments

  1. Without a doubt this man’s life matters I pray that he will soon be exonerated and a freeman the sad thing is there are many black man that went to prison as a young man who are doing someone else’s time and are trying to be freed with no money they don’t have a chance one that I know of went in when he was 19 for a rape that was proved that he did not commit the police officer that arrested him is the uncle of the codefendant who is on the street and has been from day one I just beg the legal system to do your job just because they have no money is no reason for them to sit in prison for a crime that has been shown and proved that they did not commit come on Missouri are interested in this Gettys man at least a hearing get their cases back in court and give them a fair trial one more thing there was blood found at the scene of this rape DNA was ran on the blood it did not and I repeat it did not belong to the young 19-year-old who is now sitting in prison it belonged to his codefendant who is uncle was the arresting officer who is now believed to have committed crimes himself and I know with all of our new prisons the state needs money to pay for them but not at the expense of our young innocent men I don’t care what color they are give them their day in court with a attorney that cares about freeing that man
    A attorney that has had experience not that has a desk for files and his or her interest is to clear their desk and get on to the next case
    To sit in prison would be horrible but the sit in prison knowing that you’re innocent and knowing the evidence points to your Innocence and facing what could be a fact that you will die there tomorrow and justice department it’s supposed to be blind justice I find that really hard to believe

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