To Sherry, with our sympathy and love

Ronald Patrick Swiney
1944-2009

Patrick can breathe perfectly now. And he has no pain!

He had been in the Alabama Prison System since 1989, when he was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. He maintained his innocence until the moment he died.

Patrick, and his wife Sherry (who campaigned tirelessly for his release and his well-being 24/7) became friends of ours in 2002. Sherry was fighting on behalf of Patrick, and I was fighting on behalf of Maurice Carter.

I most recently corresponded with Patrick late last year. I learned that he loved to talk about drag racing, and so I sent pictures of Doug racing Studebakers. How he loved those memories! He closed his last letter to me: I appreciate all your hard work on my behalf, and making my heart happy with using one word: STUDEBAKER!

But, as his appeals and requests for legal assistance continued to fail, so did his health.

Last night, Sherry sent out an urgent appeal to those of us who remained close to the case: If each of us could stop everything we are doing right now and give a few moments to focus on Patrick's well-being, that will be powerful!

Many of us did that, but that was about the same moment that he was called home. Perhaps that was the answer we were given. No more pneumonia, no more health problems of any sort, and not even any more false accusations of guilt. I have a feeling that Maurice Carter, who could relate to most of those experiences, was there to welcome him with open arms.

Patrick can breathe perfectly now. And he has no pain!

Doug

Comments

Doug Tjapkes said…
Patrick Swiney was proven innocent in 2003 through scientific evidence.
This evidence was presented to the trial judge who refused to look at
it. That judge signed an Order prepared by the Alabama Attorney
General's office declaring that the Courts would not accept the
evidence. The federal district court, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals,
and the U.S. Supreme Court subsequently refused to look at the evidence
of actual innocence.

Americans believe that the legal system works most of the time. What
Americans don't understand is that what we call "justice" is not part of
the construct of the court system. The court system is designed to take
from the lower class and channel resources to the upper class.

If anyone still believes that the "justice system" has anything to do
with justice then you're not paying attention. What will it take for
people to get this? The justice system undermines everything Americans
believe that this country stands for.

Patrick spent 20 years in prison, innocent of any crime and died there.
Every judge, lawyer, warden, court clerk, and corrections employee are
responsible for that. Any one of these people could fought for true
justice. As Americans we are ALL responsible for this injustice. How?
Because we don't question; we don't think; we don't look.

Candy
July 30, 2009 at 8:45 AM
Ned Delaney said…
On Wednesday, 5 December 2007, Patrick Swiney wrote a letter to me in response to a card I sent him. I forget the details of my card, but I believe it was a simple greeting with a short letter attached. Patrick's return letter was two and a half pages long. I generally respond to personal letters, but I never heard from him again.

While recently sorting through files, his letter came to my attention. I read it over and decided to check on him, only to discover I was some six months too late. Why, I wondered, did he come to my attention at this time, and the more I thought about him the more I realized he still has a voice.

I maintain a mixed website dealing with various aspects of injustice, sometimes referred to as "conspiracies," depending on which side of the fence your on. We live in very unstable times if for no other reason than that our institutions have failed us, yet we are expected to embrace the news, support the system, and feel good about our country.

Our founding fathers warned us about snake oil salesmen, get rich schemes, and political promises. And true to form the Joker's in town, he has a gag order on Batman, and Gotham City is being held hostage.

I offer Patrick a voice through my website ~ Paradoxes to Enlightenment.com ~ 911DELANEYTRUTH.COM. It has been said that the Truth is out there. But the Truth can't just be absorbed by following the mainstream. It requires a little work, exploratory reading, and a burning desire to embrace what has given us all the lives we have. Patrick's case will be posted in the near future.
February 12, 2010 at 5:13 PM
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