To: Attorneys at Law
In August of 2011 I was charged with killing a lieutenant. My greatest fear was that the local judicial system (Genesee County) wouldn't grant me a fair trial. This fear was increased once I was actually threatened and later down the line when I was physically assaulted. I have the list of names of the deputies who physically assaulted me. Also the transcripts would show that I've made several attempts to avoid the repeated harassment that I endured in the past two years from Genesee County Sheriff Department. I've filed several motions (change of venue) and these of course were denied by the court's trial judge because of the county's bias towards my case.
I also have the original paper clippings from a local newspaper stating clearly that the head prosecutor of Genesee County (David Leyton) indicated that "there are people in my office who knew the victim personally." I've fired two court-appointed attorneys simply because I've mentioned repeatedly to them about the daily harassment and the physical assaults that I encountered and neither attorney did anything to help me seek justice, nor did they try to get me to a safer county.
I wasn't the only yount man in my case, in fact there were two of us. Both, me and my co-defendant (Ryan Diville) were beaten up on a daily basis for no apparent reason besides that we were charged with killing a local lieutenant sheriff. My co-defendant had taken a plea of 25 years to testify against me; but the main reason why my co-defendant plead out was to release himself away from the daily abuse. I strongly believe that the police obtained statements from my co-defendant by using threats of physical harassment. I come to this conclusion because the police had gotten me to make involuntary statements by using different threats and tactics to get me to give them what they wanted.They also threw my co-defendant in the bull pen for the last nine months before he took the plea.
They've tried to get me to take the same plea but to no avail. Although they beat me, and harassed me, I grew tired of being afraid and doing what they wanted of me. I became stronger than my co-defendant. I chose to fight back by seeking pure justice by going to trial. What they did to us was wrong. This is a form of violation of our due process rights, miscarriage of justice, and cruel and unusual punishment. Both me and my co-defendant were two teens and the system didn't just abuse their power, they violated our constitutional rights and made us both endure physical abuse every other day for two years! The judicial system used threats to divulge information crucial to a criminal prosecution. There are things that the police could do to two seventeen-year-old young men who are charged with killing a retired lieutenant sheriff.
We found ourselves in disfavor with Genesee County. We had no business being held in such a hostile environment awaiting trial for two years. It was improper, unethical and immoral to have us placed in an environment where we are already judged before trial...being coached to say things for court proceedings and enduring physical harm and harassment on a daily basis.
When I tried to seek help from the court I was denied my constitutional rights. I personally tried to file a law suit a year ago, but the deputies would always send me to the hole and trash all my things and throw away all my legal papers.
Everything mentioned in this letter is true and can be proven. I made sure that I left a paper trail to prove these accusations. I was found not guilty of 1) felony murder, 2) second degree murder, 3 armed robbery, and 4) carjacking. But because they overcharged me I was found guilty on 1) first degree home invasion, 2) rec/conc firearms, 3) larceny firearm, 4) safe breaking, and 5) felony firearm.
This is my first time in the system and I still received a lengthy sentence of 26 years, when my guideline on my PSI report was 45-96 months. Genesee County showed me and my co-defendant cruel and unusual punishment simply because we were charged with murdering a lieutenant who the whole city of Flint knew.
I am suffering now mentally and physically from what they did to me for two years. I would like to file a lawsuit for $10 million in punitive damages. If you're interested in my case please contact me as soon as possible. I can't let Genesee County get away with this injustice. If I don't seek justice for what they did to me, then I believe the injustice would continue! Injustice somewhere is a threat to justice everywhere. My case is in the process of an appeal. Also a book about my tragic experience is underway. Also I'm aware of the Statute of Limitations, the time frame deadline would end August of 2014. This took place from August 2011-Oct 2013. I also have witnesses; one is a sheriff who is employed at the jail. If you have any questions please contact me. I hope to hear from you soon.
-Aaron Robinson, #858448
Lakeland Correctional Facility