Davontae Sanford Update

Davontae Sanford had learning disabilities and has a 3rd grade reading level. After everyone in the neighborhood heard the shooting, he checked out the crime scene. It was a big deal to him and he felt important when he told the police he had seen it. Later on, the police wrote out a confession for him that he probably couldn't read. Never mind that a professional hit man has claimed that he did the crime. They've got their man! OK, they've got their boy, whom they were able to manipulate. And they just don't want to admit they made a mistake. Davantae has been in prison now for 15 months. He is 16 now. What has happened to him during this time of police and prosecutorial stubbornness?

July 16, 2009 Article by Jeff Garritt

For the complete Davontae Sanford story, click here.

July 21, 2009

Davantae experienced a setback today. Vincent Smothers, who earlier had admitted to having committed the murders which Davontae has been convicted, today refused to testify in court, invoking his 5th Amendment rights. No doubt Smother's attorney counseled him to not incriminate himself, understandably, but it's too bad that Smothers is heaping upon himself even more moral injustice than the murders themselves, by allowing a 14 year old boy (at that time) to be punished for his own acts.

Detroit News The Detroit FreePress Chicago Tribune Article