Mr. Jeffrey Todd Pierce

Jeffrey Todd Pierce and Family

A most glaring example of "Junk Justice and Okie Science" is the remarkable case of Jeffrey Todd Pierce.This case is highly remarkable owing to the fact that at practically every step through out the history of this case the Oklahoma Criminal Justice System failed miserably at every opportunity and continued to do so for fifteen years while keeping an innocent man in prison and in the process destroying his family.
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One such case being that of Jeffrey Todd Pierce.
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Pierce was a groundskeeper at the apartment complex and working the day of the attack.

Up to this point the details of the incident as reported in the referenced article would suggest that the apartment groundskeeper was a likely suspect.However, the following casts grievous doubts:

The patrol officer who first responded that day pointed out Pierce to the victim while she was sitting in the squad car.He asked her if there was any possibility Pierce was the attacker.She replied, "I don't think so."

Keep that "I don't think so."in mind as you read the remainder of this web page.

A detective wrote in a police report two months later that it was his "personal feeling" that the rapist was a maintenance man or groundskeeper.

Pierce, who had no prior criminal history, was arrested 10 months after the attack when the victim did identify him from a photo line-up as the rapist.

On the day of the attack when asked if Mr. Pierce was the attacker, the victim stated "I don't think so.".Two months later a police detective's "personal feeling" dictated it was a maintenance man or groundskeeper and eight months later still the victim decides she was wrong originally and it was Mr. Pierce that raped her.

All we at Bubbaworld could say after reading that was "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING!"

The referenced news report went on to indicate:

Pierce, then 24, was tried in October 1986 before DNA analysis technology existed.He was identified as the assailant by the victim, who told jurors, "I will never forget his face."Pierce had two witnesses who said he was at lunch with them when the rape occurred.
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When Mr. Pierce's appeals attorney pointed out to the Oklahoma Appeals Court that Gilchrist had refused the trial judge's order to turn hair samples over to an independent lab for testing, the Oklahoma Appeals Court ruled that Gilchrist absolutely violated that order but refused to order a new trial.
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Failures which ultimately led to Mr. Pierce's conviction and 65 year sentence.
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"I feel like everyone was done an injustice, especially Jeffrey.He was very young.His wife was very young and they had little babies.Where would he have been if this wouldn't have happened?"

While we at Bubbaworld can not "blame" Mr. Orr for being duped by the Oklahoma District Attorney's office and its so-called "forensic chemist", we urge anyone that might ever be called to jury duty to remember the words of Mr. Orr for they are the words of wisdom learned the hard way and at the expense of Mr. Pierce, his family and justice itself.
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On August 29th, 2001 both the Tulsa World and the Daily Oklahoman carried reports of an announcement from Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation revealing the evidence used to falsely convict Jeffrey Todd Pierce matches the DNA profile of a prison inmate now serving 45 years for rape and robbery.

The fact that the statute of limitations has expired on the crime for which Mr. Pierce was falsely convicted likely means the real culprit will likely never be charged with the crime for which Mr. Pierce spent 15 years in prison.

On 4/18/2002 attorneys for Jeffrey Todd Pierce filled suit in the Federal Court in Oklahoma City, seeking $75 million dollars in damages on the basis that Mr. Pierce's civil rights were violated by Joyce Gilchrist, former District Attorney Bob Macy, the Oklahoma City Police Department and others.
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I'm just the one that opened the door and I feel there will be a lot more coming out behind me. - Jeffrey Todd Pierce upon his release, 8 May 2001 following 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

I'm just trying to catch up with everybody on cell phones and computers.It's just wild.The world goes so fast now compared to when I was out there the last time. - Jeffrey Todd Pierce, in Daily Oklahoman report on 11 May 2001, on adjusting to a world that has passed him by.
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Opio Toure following the defeat of his bill which would compensate Mr. Pierce and other innocents convicted of crimes they did not commit.A bill which Rep.
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To fully understand the implications of Mr. Pierce's rape at the hands of the Oklahoma County Police Department, the District Attorney's Office and their "oh so willing to please forensic chemist" it is necessary to take the time to read each of the reports referenced above.

Once you are done, pause for a few minutes and consider the fact that what happened to Mr. Pierce and his family could just as easily happen to anyone and any family.Yes, even YOU and YOUR FAMILY.

As the heartbreaking case of Jeffrey Todd Pierce so clearly demonstrates, some police officers will substitute speculation for evidence, some witnesses will change their stories, some "forensic chemists" will say damned near anything to help some districts attorney gain convictions and this without regard to the actual guilt or innocence of the accused.

Likewise, some state legislators and government officials will express "regret" that an innocent man was robbed of fifteen years of his life, his family, his dignity and his freedom, but damned few of them are willing to compensate him or his family for their losses and suffering, choosing instead to basically tell him "Oops,we are sorry.Now go away and be a good little boy.".

While we might all like to believe that Mr. Pierce's case is rare, the fact is that there are numerous cases similar to his.In Oklahoma alone, six innocent men convicted of crimes they did not commit have been cleared thus far by DNA testing.One of these innocent men came within five days of being executed for a crime he did not commit.

How do these things happen?

More than anything else they are the result of a misplaced public confidence in "Junk Justice and Okie Science", a system wherein gullible jurors foolishly and without question accept as truth the muttering of districts attorney, police officers, forensic scientists and coached witness that wouldn't know real justice if it jumped up and bit them on the ass.

If ever you are called for jury duty, hopefully you will recall the painful lessons learned from Mr. Pierce's case and not make the mistakes of the jury in his trial.