Summary
“The Prosecution: Wrong Place, Wrong Time” reveals how Chester Hollman was at a disadvantage in the judicial system.
As the title, “The Prosecution: Wrong Place, Wrong Time,” suggests, Chester Hollman is serving a life sentence without parole. Chester always felt the prosecutors and police just wanted to close his case. He was arrested for robbery and homicide.
Chester was unfortunately in the same car from the crime scene, and as he drove towards where the murder happened, he was stopped with Dierdre Jones in the passenger seat; the eyewitnesses didn’t identify them, and they weren’t even wearing the right clothes. There were also not four people in the car, as described by witnesses, and there was no gun.
To fight for his innocence, Chester Hollman had a new lawyer fighting for him (Alan Tauber) and district attorney Patricia Cummings looking into his case.
The Innocence Files Episode 7 reveals Chester to be a warmhearted man – a man with zero violent inclinations in him. When he was arrested, homicide investigators and the police did an aggressive interrogation, going against the rules of engagement and doing everything they could to place Chester as the main suspect.
As Chester entered the prison, he cried — they offered him a good plea agreement, based on whether he was able to provide information about other people in the vehicle, but obviously, he could not give them the information.
Episode 7 also puts the blame on Roger King, who was the prosecutor at the time – he was described as an orator. The jury struggled to find reasonable doubt at first, but they convicted Chester Hollman of second-degree homicide, despite the big holes in the case and very thin reasons to prosecute. Andrew Dawkins was also an unreliable witness who gave a false statement; he had also given false statements in the past and had an extensive criminal record. Dierdre Jones, who was also in the car and was pressured into giving a false statement, recanted.
Unfortunately, the judge did not believe Dierdre’s recantation.
“The Prosecution: Wrong Place, Wrong Time” then provides an overview of Philadelphia at the time Chester was imprisoned — it had over 100 cases under jeopardy due to police corruption, and the police did not seem to be held accountable. New District Attorney Larry Krasner reformed the criminal justice system in Philadelphia and got rid of the system that was not proportional.
As the episode delves deeper, we learn that other cars were rented that were identical to Chester Hollman’s. The police also had a suspect who would repeatedly rent cars and return them damaged, presumably for committing crimes. Her name was Denise Combs. The police also had an anonymous tip on Denise Combs, but the police did not pursue her. Andrew Dawkins also identified Denise Combs.
And lastly on this subject matter, Roger King was deemed a “win at all costs” prosecutor, and was not about the truth. He was often accused of withholding evidence in many of his cases and providing false eyewitness testimony; even the FBI investigated him for mishandling of judicial procedures – it was dropped, which made him feel invincible.
In June 2019, Patricia Cummings and Alan Tauber presented evidence to Judge Bright detailing evidence of Chester Hollman’s innocence. Tauber reveals that some evidence was reserved, including nail clippings of the victim – Chester’s DNA is excluded.
Judge Bright ruled that Chester Hollman is likely to be innocent and was freed in July 2019. The Innocence Files Episode 7 shows an emotional moment between Chester and his family outside the prison. Chester does not want to sit around all his life and vows to do something to make a difference.
Alan Tauber, Chester’s lawyer, did all his work for the family for free.
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