Rev. Pinkney Appeals to State Supreme Court, Speaks on Prison Radio

On September 3, 2016, Rev. Pinkney's defense team filed a 50-page "Application for Leave to Appeal" to the Michigan Supreme Court. Rev. Pinkney seeks to overturn the Court of Appeals disappointing opinion in July. The new appeal continues to raise the same questions that are critical not only to Rev. Pinkney, but to all of our constitutional, due process, and civil rights. Very briefly, these are questions of:

• insufficient evidence
• violations of Michigan Rules of Evidence and of the constitutional rights to free speech and due process
• prosecuting under a statute that only sets out penalties, not crimes

Meanwhile, the Michigan Supreme Court declined to consider Rev. Pinkney's request for bond pending appeal, and he remains in prison in Muskegon. It may take a year before the Michigan Supreme Court hears his appeal, by which time Rev. Pinkney will have served the minimum sentence (30 months). As Rev. Pinkney has said, this essentially means that any of us can be kept in prison without any direct or sufficient evidence and with rampant violation of our rights.

LISTEN to Rev. Pinkney's response in his own words, recorded yesterday on Prison Radio.