Lloyd Jarrow

It was 55 days after my 17^th birthday when I was arrested on suspicion of murder. I was suspected after two witnesses said they saw me with the shooter headed toward the scene minutes before the shot. I was in the 10^th grade - special aid - reading and writing on a 4^th grade level. I had no idea then that I’d end up here, learning to read, and writing about my innocence.

Let me explain. Those witnesses were ex-offenders and drug addicts - hardly enough?? They were thrown in jail until the trial, allegedly, to ensure they would attend. The prosecutor had to come up with something else but there was nothing else. Although I was at the bar past curfew none of those witnesses saw me shoot, or kill anyone. I had never been convicted of a crime. All the evidence pointed to the shooter. who confessed, yet maintained his innocence. During the trial my attorney stressed ‘my client is innocent and we’re not saying that he was an accessory, we’re saying he was not involved in any way…” In spite of this, the prosecutor tried to get me to plea to a lesser charge of five years probation, if I agreed to testify that I was with the shooter when he robbed and shot the victim. I wanted to, out of fear and desperation, but it wasn’t true! Because I refused, the prosecutor had no witness to the murder, so in the midst of the second day of the joint trial he allowed the shooter to plea to a reduced charge (15 years) if he agreed to testify that I was the shooter, which he did. I was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to ‘natural life’ in prison. My trial went swift and without the necessary evidence that would have supported my innocence. The evidence that was withheld by the prosecutor came later, years later, ‘by mistake’!! I say ‘by mistake’ because this is what the prosecutor said when I received the Grand Jury testimony, and statements of witnesses, which I was totally unaware of. This evidence implicated his two witnesses of murder. The prosecutor had the trial jury believe his witnesses had no reason to lie, as did the detective, for indictment! When the Grand Jury asked about ‘any other person other than “me” that had people to come forward and implicate’, he lied, and covered for them, in order to make his investigation appear reliable. I tried, (pro se) my best to petition the courts with this newly discovered evidence, along with a sworn affidavit from my trial attorney stating: ‘If I had discovered these statements I would have done everything under allowable law and have used these statements to support your innocence’!!!

If you would like to help in any way, such as providing a private investigator, legal representation, law books or research assistance you’re welcome, and your help would be greatly appreciated.

Contact me directly at:

Lloyd Jarrow
#365826
LA State Prison
Angola
LA 70712
U.S.A.