This case _was_ resolved in court between the time of the original trial in 1981 and many appeals leading to Coleman’s 1992 execution. Despite claims that they were “denied” the opportunity to appeal by the 21 day rule, Coleman’s attorneys *did* have a chance to show all of their evidence to federal judge Glen Williams a few weeks prior to their client’s execution.
However, their own DNA analyst’s findings showed that Coleman’s sperm genotype and blood type combined (both found at the scene) put him in a subcategory of 2/10th of 1 percent of the population that could have murdered Wanda McCoy.
The federal judge ruled that Coleman did not “have a colorable shade of innocence,” and the “evidence now makes the case against him even stronger”
Their “alternative suspect” - a neighbor of McCoy, did not have the same blood type. After Coleman’s execution, said neighbor sued Coleman’s lawyer, Centurion Ministries and a Virginia death penalty abolitionist for libel - winning a sizeable out of court settlement in 1994.
There was no break-in at the McCoy house that night. Wanda would have opened the door at night to only three people - her husband, her father and her brother in law Roger Coleman. The first two had alibis, Coleman had about a 45 minute window in which he couldn’t explain his whereabouts.
Additionally, Coleman had been convicted of a 1977 attack on a local woman in which he tried to force the woman into a rape at gunpoint. Fortunately, the victim, Barbara Ratliff, managed to escape the home and alert authorities to arrest Coleman. He spent three years in prison for that.
Additionally, a few weeks prior to the McCoy murder, Coleman was observed in the public library committing a lewd act in front of the librarians just before closing.
The right man was arrested, convicted and executed for this grisly murder.
Your facts are correct, though whether there were only three people to whom she would have opened the door is arguably conjecture or hearsay. And, as flyingwolf pointed out above (http://www.livejournal.com/users/dcseain/43802.html?thread=157466#t157466), there has been advancement in DNA analysis since then. Additionally, Virginia does have a history of botched DNA analysis, and in light of that, i believe retesting is appropriate.
DCSeain, your allusions to Virginia "botching" DNA analysis doesn't really apply to this situation.
Dr. Blake was the defense's _own hand picked_ expert to screen the DNA samples back in 1991. He is in private practice in California.
Additionally, the alternative suspect that Coleman attorney Kitty Behan tried to cast as the "real killer" of Wanda McCoy came forward with documented work records showing he had a blood type other than what was found at the crime scene. In contrast, Roger Coleman had the correct blood type and the semen alleles matched his DNA -- a cross-reference that narrowed it down to 2/10th of one percent of the population.
The comment about the night time door opening was corroborated both by Wanda's father and her husband, both of whom were elsewhere at the time the homicide occurred. Coleman's own behavior that night was suspicious, he was not at work and paid an unexpected visit at 10 pm to the trailer of a female acquaintance, Sondra Stiltner, but left suddenly when he discovered her husband was at home. That may very well have been his initial intended victim.
There wasn't any sign of forced entry at the McCoy home, which leads me to conclude Wanda invited someone in willingly and then was almost immediately attacked -- being nearly decapitated by the knife blade wounds.
Oh yes, Coleman supporters like to attack the prosecution theory about Coleman fording the Slate Creek to reach the home to commit the crime. The Slate Creek, they note, was flooded that evening and would have been impossible to ford. Yet, how did Brad McCoy get home from work to discover his wife's mutilated body? He drove over a nearby bridge down the street across the creek - a bridge Roger Coleman would likely have walked across to get from where he parked his truck.
I have been to Grundy and explored the neighborhood in detail to understand the timeline of events. Coleman could very easily have had the time and opportunity, not to mention, motivation to commit this crime.
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branchandroot
Roger Coleman was guilty as charged.
Date: 2006-01-06 10:29 am (UTC)However, their own DNA analyst’s findings showed that Coleman’s sperm genotype and blood type combined (both found at the scene) put him in a subcategory of 2/10th of 1 percent of the population that could have murdered Wanda McCoy.
The federal judge ruled that Coleman did not “have a colorable shade of innocence,” and the “evidence now makes the case against him even stronger”
Their “alternative suspect” - a neighbor of McCoy, did not have the same blood type. After Coleman’s execution, said neighbor sued Coleman’s lawyer, Centurion Ministries and a Virginia death penalty abolitionist for libel - winning a sizeable out of court settlement in 1994.
There was no break-in at the McCoy house that night. Wanda would have opened the door at night to only three people - her husband, her father and her brother in law Roger Coleman. The first two had alibis, Coleman had about a 45 minute window in which he couldn’t explain his whereabouts.
Additionally, Coleman had been convicted of a 1977 attack on a local woman in which he tried to force the woman into a rape at gunpoint. Fortunately, the victim, Barbara Ratliff, managed to escape the home and alert authorities to arrest Coleman. He spent three years in prison for that.
Additionally, a few weeks prior to the McCoy murder, Coleman was observed in the public library committing a lewd act in front of the librarians just before closing.
The right man was arrested, convicted and executed for this grisly murder.
Re: Roger Coleman was guilty as charged.
Date: 2006-01-06 10:50 am (UTC)Re: Roger Coleman was guilty as charged.
Date: 2006-01-06 03:48 pm (UTC)Dr. Blake was the defense's _own hand picked_ expert to screen the DNA samples back in 1991. He is in private practice in California.
Additionally, the alternative suspect that Coleman attorney Kitty Behan tried to cast as the "real killer" of Wanda McCoy came forward with documented work records showing he had a blood type other than what was found at the crime scene. In contrast, Roger Coleman had the correct blood type and the semen alleles matched his DNA -- a cross-reference that narrowed it down to 2/10th of one percent of the population.
The comment about the night time door opening was corroborated both by Wanda's father and her husband, both of whom were elsewhere at the time the homicide occurred. Coleman's own behavior that night was suspicious, he was not at work and paid an unexpected visit at 10 pm to the trailer of a female acquaintance, Sondra Stiltner, but left suddenly when he discovered her husband was at home. That may very well have been his initial intended victim.
There wasn't any sign of forced entry at the McCoy home, which leads me to conclude Wanda invited someone in willingly and then was almost immediately attacked -- being nearly decapitated by the knife blade wounds.
Oh yes, Coleman supporters like to attack the prosecution theory about Coleman fording the Slate Creek to reach the home to commit the crime. The Slate Creek, they note, was flooded that evening and would have been impossible to ford. Yet, how did Brad McCoy get home from work to discover his wife's mutilated body? He drove over a nearby bridge down the street across the creek - a bridge Roger Coleman would likely have walked across to get from where he parked his truck.
I have been to Grundy and explored the neighborhood in detail to understand the timeline of events. Coleman could very easily have had the time and opportunity, not to mention, motivation to commit this crime.