[FlyingBrickAnnouncements] Fwd: For friends in the Richmond area: COURT WATCH ALERT

[Megan Osborn]

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From: Phil Wilayto <philwilayto at earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, Apr 17, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Subject: For friends in the Richmond area: COURT WATCH ALERT
To: Defenders & Friends <DefendersFJE at hotmail.com>


For friends in the Richmond area:

Please join us tomorrow morning at the John Marshall Courts Building to
support Ashley Williams, a young single mother who is to be sentenced in
connection with the tragic death of her 2-year old son.

Even though the medical examiner's office reported the cause of the boy's
death as "inconclusive," prosecutors insisted the he died of malnutrition
and neglect. When Ms. Williams' court-appointed attorney asked a medical
expert to review the boy's medical records, he found no evidence of abuse
or neglect and concluded the child likely died from a genetic disorder that
simulates malnutrition. The expert was prepared to testify at Ms. Williams'
trial, at no charge, but the attorney was removed from the case.

Ms. Williams' other three children were all healthy, but they were taken
from her and placed in the foster care system. Depressed, she pled guilty
to involuntary manslaughter without even going to trial and now faces up to
life in prison. There were stories of her case in the local papers when
she was charged, but none since then.

A coalition of African-American community leaders, including King Salim
Khalfani, Sa'ad El-Amin, Marty Jewell and others, has stepped forward to
support Ms. Williams and is calling for people to attend her sentencing
hearing, scheduled for 9 am, Wednesday, April 18, before Judge Taylor in
Courtroom 302 in the John Marshall Courts Building, 400 N. 9th
St., Richmond, VA 23219. The Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality have
endorsed the coalition's efforts and will be at the hearing. Please do your
best to spread the word.

Thanks,

Phil Wilayto
for the Defenders
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