Sunday, May 26, 2013

George Souliotes: Trial date set as prosecutor refuses to drop charges in deadly Texas fire - in spite of allegations that he was convicted on basis of outdated arson science. The Modesto Bee.




"A defense attorney has filed a motion to dismiss charges against a man facing a third trial in Stanislaus County after a federal judge overturned his 2000 conviction in the deaths of a mother and her two young children in a Modesto house fire. The federal judge ordered prosecutors to start the new trial for George Souliotes by July 10 or set him free. Local prosecutors say there is "ample admissible evidence" to prove the defendant started the fire. A hearing for arguments over the motion to dismiss has been set for June 5. Souliotes is charged with three counts of murder and one count of arson. His trial is scheduled to start July 8.........Jim Brosnahan, Souliotes' defense attorney, says evidence linking his client to the fire has been confirmed to be false by scientific advances in arson investigation, according to the defense motion filed Monday in Stanislaus County Superior Court. "Mr. Souliotes has spent over 16 years incarcerated based on evidence the government admits is false," Brosnahan said in his motion. "The prosecution has an obligation to cure its prior submission of false evidence. No one should have to undergo the injustice imposed on Mr. Souliotes.".........Souliotes, 72, was transferred earlier this month from Salinas Valley State Prison and is being held without bail at the Stanislaus County Jail. A hearing to determine whether a bail amount should be set has been scheduled for June 10."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.modbee.com/2013/05/24/2731447/lawyer-drop-charges-in-modesto.html

 Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following developments relating to this case.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located  near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site. 

The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:

http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html

Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.