David Wong's Statement About Judge Lawliss's 9/30/03 Decision To Deny A New Trial
NOTE: The following is a statement that reflects David's feelings and thoughts right after being told about Judge Lawliss's decision.
STATEMENT FROM DAVID WONG October 5, 2003
Greetings.
On October 3, 2003, Jaykumar Menon, one of my attorneys, and two of my close friends and staunch supporters, trekked up to Shawangunk Correctional Facility in order to personally deliver the very bad and sad news emanating from Judge Lawliss’s decision. He denied my 440-10 motion to vacate my wrongful murder conviction stemming from a homicide of another inmate in Clinton Correctional Facility by a former inmate who is now deceased.
I am ever so grateful to them and my other attorneys, family, friends, and supporters who share my pain and feel the same as I toward the injustice of Judge Lawliss’s rigged decision.
After reading Judge Lawliss’s 25-page decision, there exists no doubt in my mind that it was a pre-determined decision. The decision represents a most egregious disregard of the fundamental principle of fair play and amounted to a blatant distortion of the truth. Judge Lawliss disingenuously twisted and manipulated the defense witness testimony to fit into his pre-determined, biased, and tinted lens.
Judge Lawliss’s decision is merely a reminder of just how corrupt and racist the judicial system is, and how much strife the minority community and their sons and daughters must face each and every day.
While this decision certainly will delay my freedom and dreams, it will not alter nor shatter my hopes and dreams, for the most basic human nature is to dream and to hope. I will feel down for a couple of days, or even a couple weeks, but it will not destroy my spirit, nor will it deter me from continuing to seek justice and my freedom because I know I am innocent in this murder charge. The court twisted the truth and manipulated the facts in my case to base his decision, however, I have no doubt that the truth is supreme and will one day shine brightly even amidst the most racist and wicked. My only hope is that this day will come sooner than later.
To my family, friends, supporters, and lawyers, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love, friendship, and hard work and effort throughout the years. I want you all to know that we did not lose, for your friendship, compassion, and hard work has never been lost on me. I have always had faith and belief in your conviction and ability and I will continue to have faith and belief in you all.
I know that you all have taken the decision hard and felt for me. Please, your anger and despair should further your resolve and conviction to seek justice and peace for all. The racist and wicked can twist the truth and suppress it for a time, but they lack the foundation in truth and justice and thus will become irrelevant in time.
Thank you all for being so wonderful and kind. Peace and love, David Wong
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