Post by SoulTrainOz on Jul 16, 2006 8:00:22 GMT -5
By TODD LESKANIC, The Tampa Tribune
Lionel Decius and Anne Ellyse Kania have never spoken to Gregory Capehart, except in letters.
Until last week, they had never even seen him in person.
Yet both seem certain that Capehart is not the man who raped and murdered 62-year-old Marlene Reeves in 1988. He doesn't belong in prison, they contend, and certainly doesn't deserve the death penalty.
Kania, a 19-year-old college student, can't even say exactly why she believes Capehart is innocent.
"I'm not really an optimistic person, but there's something about Greg Capehart," she said in a recent phone interview. "There just is."
Kania and Decius, also 19, have been following Capehart's case for nearly two years. Both are former students of John Dwyer, an English teacher at Lely High School in Naples.
Dwyer, who has been writing and visiting Capehart in prison since 2002, hung a picture of Capehart on his classroom wall when Decius and Kania were seniors.
He posted Capehart's photo underneath a poster he used in teaching his students Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment."
'Example Of Injustice'
"I used the poster as an explanation of the book for years," Dwyer said. "I just added Greg's picture as a sort of example of injustice going on."
Below Capehart's picture, Dwyer offered an invitation: "Be bold, be brave. Write a death row inmate."
Decius and Kania asked about Capehart, then took Dwyer up on his offer to write him. Last week, the two teens, Dwyer and Victoria Young, a rising senior at Lely, made the 200-mile drive from Naples to Dade City for Capehart's latest court appearance.
They took notes and exchanged occasional glances with Capehart, who sat handcuffed in the jury box. But the foursome left disappointed after Circuit Judge Linda Babb postponed a decision on whether to grant Capehart a new trial.
"We wanted him to get out that day," Decius said. "Hopefully, in August we'll bring a lot more students."
Decius is largely responsible for the 30 or so current and former Lely students who have become interested in the case.
After learning of Capehart's case from Dwyer, Decius circulated a petition at school and around Naples asking for DNA testing in the case. Five hundred people signed.
Evidence in the case was tested recently for DNA, but not necessarily because of the petition. None of Capehart's DNA was found - seemingly supporting his story he wasn't in Reeves' apartment the day she was murdered.
Since Decius and Kania became interested in Capehart's case, Dwyer has led what has become something of a school project. Each year, new students sign on. Some, such as Decius and Kania, stay involved after graduating.
Dwyer and his students have organized three car washes and sent the proceeds to Capehart to help him buy everyday supplies such as toothbrushes and pajamas. Dwyer has also taken up collections for Capehart at his church, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, where he learned of the case.
"He's been languishing in jail with lack of attention for almost 20 years," Dwyer said. "All he needs is for people to know about his case, and hopefully that will get people off their duffs. He deserves to get out."
No Resentencing Date
Capehart earned a reprieve from death row in 2004 after a judge ruled that he had received inadequate representation during his original sentencing. A resentencing is planned, though no date has been set.
Capehart now is seeking a new trial, claiming he also was represented poorly during his original trial. Most of those arguments will be fleshed out at the rescheduled Aug. 2 hearing. Dwyer, Decius and Kania plan to attend.
"If Greg were put on death row and executed, I think I would lose a lot of faith, not just in the justice system, but in the goodness of people, in general," Kania said.
Source : Tampa Tribune
www.tbo.com/pasco/MGBK7KSTLPE.html
Lionel Decius and Anne Ellyse Kania have never spoken to Gregory Capehart, except in letters.
Until last week, they had never even seen him in person.
Yet both seem certain that Capehart is not the man who raped and murdered 62-year-old Marlene Reeves in 1988. He doesn't belong in prison, they contend, and certainly doesn't deserve the death penalty.
Kania, a 19-year-old college student, can't even say exactly why she believes Capehart is innocent.
"I'm not really an optimistic person, but there's something about Greg Capehart," she said in a recent phone interview. "There just is."
Kania and Decius, also 19, have been following Capehart's case for nearly two years. Both are former students of John Dwyer, an English teacher at Lely High School in Naples.
Dwyer, who has been writing and visiting Capehart in prison since 2002, hung a picture of Capehart on his classroom wall when Decius and Kania were seniors.
He posted Capehart's photo underneath a poster he used in teaching his students Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment."
'Example Of Injustice'
"I used the poster as an explanation of the book for years," Dwyer said. "I just added Greg's picture as a sort of example of injustice going on."
Below Capehart's picture, Dwyer offered an invitation: "Be bold, be brave. Write a death row inmate."
Decius and Kania asked about Capehart, then took Dwyer up on his offer to write him. Last week, the two teens, Dwyer and Victoria Young, a rising senior at Lely, made the 200-mile drive from Naples to Dade City for Capehart's latest court appearance.
They took notes and exchanged occasional glances with Capehart, who sat handcuffed in the jury box. But the foursome left disappointed after Circuit Judge Linda Babb postponed a decision on whether to grant Capehart a new trial.
"We wanted him to get out that day," Decius said. "Hopefully, in August we'll bring a lot more students."
Decius is largely responsible for the 30 or so current and former Lely students who have become interested in the case.
After learning of Capehart's case from Dwyer, Decius circulated a petition at school and around Naples asking for DNA testing in the case. Five hundred people signed.
Evidence in the case was tested recently for DNA, but not necessarily because of the petition. None of Capehart's DNA was found - seemingly supporting his story he wasn't in Reeves' apartment the day she was murdered.
Since Decius and Kania became interested in Capehart's case, Dwyer has led what has become something of a school project. Each year, new students sign on. Some, such as Decius and Kania, stay involved after graduating.
Dwyer and his students have organized three car washes and sent the proceeds to Capehart to help him buy everyday supplies such as toothbrushes and pajamas. Dwyer has also taken up collections for Capehart at his church, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, where he learned of the case.
"He's been languishing in jail with lack of attention for almost 20 years," Dwyer said. "All he needs is for people to know about his case, and hopefully that will get people off their duffs. He deserves to get out."
No Resentencing Date
Capehart earned a reprieve from death row in 2004 after a judge ruled that he had received inadequate representation during his original sentencing. A resentencing is planned, though no date has been set.
Capehart now is seeking a new trial, claiming he also was represented poorly during his original trial. Most of those arguments will be fleshed out at the rescheduled Aug. 2 hearing. Dwyer, Decius and Kania plan to attend.
"If Greg were put on death row and executed, I think I would lose a lot of faith, not just in the justice system, but in the goodness of people, in general," Kania said.
Source : Tampa Tribune
www.tbo.com/pasco/MGBK7KSTLPE.html