Okay, so I went against my original instinct and chose to find the girl from the University of Missouri�s School of Journalism. The email from her was nice enough, and she gave me her instructor�s name and she�d have him contact me.
So I felt fine about it, for a minute.
Something told me to Google his name. I don�t like what I came up with: a lot of pages about his work on wrongful conviction cases. His work as the Director of IRE, which is Investigative Reporters and Editors. He even wrote a book about judicial corruption. He is very popular on Google, by the way. Plenty of prisoner activist pages came up. Don�t like it, not for one minute.
I took some time to write down notes of my own so that if and when I do talk to him, I have something valuable to say.
I don�t want to be skewered. I don�t want my family to be disturbed. School of Journalism was an innocent enough thing. I thought I might be of some help to someone by telling my story. I don�t want to be exploited. What to do?
What to do?
I am so glad I locked my journal. So glad.
This is the email I got from him:
Ms. DeBoer,
My name is Steve W. I'm the professor at the University of Missouri Journalism School supervising the students researching the case involving your mother's murder and the attack on you.
I apologize for any trauma the inquiry has caused you. Please let me tell you the facts about our project:
Journalism students need to learn as much as they can about the workings of the criminal justice system so they can serve as responsible reporters and editors after they graduate. As part of their training, they are researching stories about the local criminal justice system here in Boone County. To supplement their local reporting, they are studying a real-life case that shows the sometimes mysterious workings of the criminal justice system.
I looked at many cases from around Missouri before choosing one for the students' project. Many of the cases I learned about from journalists and lawyers around the state. I heard about the Rodney L. case more or less simultaneously from his daughter, Kay L. who contacted me because she saw something I had written about prosecutors, and from a lawyer who wonders if Rod*ney Lin*coln is the actual perpetrator. I had never heard about the case until receiving those two emails.
Eleven students are enrolled in the class. Each one is looking at a different aspect of the case--the victims and their families, the defendant and his family, the police investigation, the forensics work, the prosecution, the defense, the two trials, the jurors, the judges, the appellate court, etc. During that research, we learned of your blogging about the case as well as other matters in your life.
If you would like to meet with me, or a few of the students who would travel to see you, or all the students during class time in Columbia, we can make arrangements. Should you be willing to travel to Columbia on a Tuesday or Thursday morning to meet with the entire class, I would reimburse your mileage out of my own pocket.
Please feel free to ask any questions that come to your mind. I can be reached by return email
Thank you.
Steve
They found my online journal.
My reply:
Mr. W.,
I have a lot of trepidation about this. What I am deathly afraid of is a smear campaign against myself or worse, emotional damage inflicted upon my family. I have an uncle who has teetered near suicide so many times the last few years over the murder, you just wouldn't believe it. I have lived life knowing completely what happened that night, and have kept it to myself mostly. My family doesn't talk about it. The only time it comes up is at an awkward time like Thanksgiving or Christmas. There is deathly silence.
Kay L. is about my age. Her life's purpose is exonerating Rodney L. While I can identify with her need to see her stepfather as innocent, she was not there that night. She only believes what he tells her. He is a pathological liar and a true psychopath. He has no conscience.
Kay wasn't there that night. I'm sure she told you some things that are twisted. One, she will tell you, is that I said we went over a bridge. I will remind you that I was seven, and the bridge in question is actually a viaduct. My vocabulary wasn't as extensive then as it is now.
She will also tell you that I identified him as Bill. While the physical description matched, the name did not match a physical description of the suspects. That name was taken from me under duress. I was lying naked on a cold table in the emergency room and they thought I was going to die. They had police and my sister asking me questions in case I died. I will remind you that I practically had my innards laying out on the table, and I had 13 stab wounds and a collapsed lung.
I gave them the name "Bill" to get them to leave me alone so I could go to sleep. It is that simple.
What Kay will tell you is that I identified him through a biased line-up. This is incorrect and illustrates that this uh, female, has no idea what she's talking about. I was taken from the Hospital in a wheelchair over to the police station to do a sketch with the artist.
When I was finished, the picture was shown to my family and my aunt burst out with "That's Rod. Joann dated him some months ago." Eventually, I looked at 5-6 lineups. Eventually, I did identify Rodney.
I can tell you that before that night the last time I saw Rodn*ey was 8 months before. I only met him once or twice so his name was of no consequence to me. It so happens that there were a lot of Bill's in the neighborhood. Kay will tell you that they should've checked out this flaming gay guy named Bill. Bill liked men. Not children.
If you question the validity of a child's testimony, think about this: If a 7 year old told you she had been touched inappropriately, you would believe her, wouldn't you? Just because a child is young doesn't mean they can't be believed.
I'll tell you another thing: I have an 8-year-old daughter. She can't tell you what she ate for lunch yesterday but she can tell you all about the boy who kicked her in the back in kindergarten. She can tell you when it happened, what his name was, what followed up afterwards.
I was telling the truth.
What Kay will probably not tell you is that Rodn*ey's alibi backed out at the last minute. She will not tell you that when he was arrested he had defensive scratches all over his body. (My mom had extremely long nails). She will not tell you that he came into work late the day after it happened. She will not tell you they had a partial handprint on the murder weapon.
She will not tell you he killed a man some years before he killed my mom. He was supposed to get jail time, but instead he was sent for 2 years or so to Malcolm Bliss, a mental health facility.
Kay is very manipulative, from what I've seen. She has no concern for me or my sister or my mother. She will do anything to help him gain notoriety for his cause.
What she does not understand is that a little child's testimony did not put Rodney L. in jail. It was a lot of things.
There is no concealed innocence. There was no overworked Prosecutor. There is no conspiracy. I know what I saw. That face has stayed with me for 23 years and because of what he did I have never had a normal life. I actually have moments where I'm laying there in the dark and I feel him standing next to me. That's how real the fear is. That kind of evil and dread...well, it's his hallmark.
Steve, to be honest, what bothers me is that I know you have done work for wrongful convictions. I'm glad you have a cause, but I know you have written books and you write many editorials on your experiences. I know you are a powerful man. Men like you, scare me. You do have the power to get something started.
I am scared. My family would not make it through this again. You just don't understand. Family members had to clean up that crime scene. They are scarred for life. Most suffer from debilitating depression.
While this is just another case to you guys, this is my life. I cannot convey to you the ways in which this man has devastated my life. I cannot convey to you what it feels like to be me. To be me. It is a lonely life. Even though I smile, everything is tinged with sadness.
You can call me at home. My number is *****. Please make sure my number and my name do not get out. I do not use the last name D. for any media or newspaper. It is a rare last name and I do not want any of Rodne*y's crazy relatives to find me.
I'll be glad to talk to you, but please remember that this is my life. I lived the nightmare. I lived the worst-case scenario.
Rest assured Rod*ney is the perp. I have never doubted it. Remember, I was there.
I wasn't coached. I wasn't schooled. I wasn't told to lie. I never lied. No matter what that tramp says.
Thank you,
Melissa
Hopefully this goes okay�.
I got a call yesterday that my Grandma is really sick. It seems her kidneys were shutting down. My aunt wanted me to go to the hospital. It was Jackie�s birthday! As if stuff isn�t crazy enough around my house lately, all this crap starts happening at once.
I did talk to Grandma yesterday and she sounds fine.
My house is semi-clean. I�ve got to clean the bathroom, vacuum all the floors. Gah!
And now for a little fun:
WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME? Melissa (nope, you�re never gonna get it)
2. WHAT COLOR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING? Black pants
3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? �What a Fool Believes� by the M People
4. DO YOU WISH ON STARS? yes
5. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Bacon cheeseburger
6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Midnight blue
7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? sunny
8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Guy at work
9. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS? Yes
10. HOW OLD ARE YOU TODAY? 30
11. FAVORITE DRINK? Dr. Pecker
12. FAVORITE SPORT? hockey
13. HAIR COLOR? dark brown
14. DO YOU WEAR GLASSES? No
15. SIBLINGS? 2 whole sisters, 1 adopted sister, 3 half brothers and 1 half sister
16. FAVORITE MONTH? October
17. FAVORITE FOOD? shrimp
18. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Never Been Kissed
19. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? Christmas
20. WHAT DO YOU DO TO VENT ANGER? Write in my diary, talk to myself
21. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD? Crayons and paper
22. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer
23. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses
24. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? CHOCOLATE!!
25. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO EMAIL BACK? Yes
26. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Silvia
27. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Jackie
28. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? 2 bedroom apartment
29. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? yesterday
30. WHO WAS THE FRIEND YOU HAVE HAD THE LONGEST? Silvia or Kevin, it�s a toss-up
31. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? Watched little Jackie open presents, watched Survivor
33. FAVORITE SMELLS? Coconut cr�me pie candles from Marshall�s
34. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? ??? My daughter, to be a better person.
35. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF? Dying and my daughter won�t know who I am or what I�m about.
36. PLAIN, BUTTERED OR SALTED POPCORN? Yuck, I hate popcorn.
37. FAVORITE CAR? It�s a truck. The Dodge Ram.
38 FAVORITE FLOWER? Lilies
39. NUMBER OF KEYS ON YOUR KEY RING? 8
41. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK? Friday
42. WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR LAST BIRTHDAY? I don�t remember.
43. HOW MANY STATES HAVE YOU LIVED IN? Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, California and Louisiana.
44. FAVORITE TREE? Weeping willow
45. HOW MANY CARS HAVE YOU HAD & WHAT WAS THE FIRST CAR? 4, the first was a 1987 Buick Century.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? St. Louis, MO
47. DO YOU LIKE YOUR JOB? Uh.
48. IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO DO ANY JOB IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I�d be a Victim�s Advocate.
49. WOULD YOU GO SKY DIVING? NO!!
50. HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR MOM TODAY? No.
51. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE FOOD? Fried rice with MSG.
52. WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ OR ARE CURRENTLY READING? I haven�t read a book in a while, I�m sorry to say.
53. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU ARE GOING TO DO AFTER YOU GET OFF WORK TODAY? I�m going to get Jackie from school.
3:07 pm - March 04, 2005
Recent entries:
What you missed - January 16, 2012
%%older_entries%%From hell - October 19, 2010
%%older_entries%%a rant from a few weeks ago - August 17, 2010
%%older_entries%%Tired - June 20, 2010
%%older_entries%%A beautiful lie - March 11, 2010
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