Dozens of judges rejected Wallie Howard killer’s pleas for freedom. Then came Trump
Updated Jan 22, 2021;
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Syracuse, N.Y. – Dozens of judges have rejected Jaime Davidson’s bids for a new trial in the 1990 robbery-turned-murder of an undercover Syracuse police officer.
For 29 years, Davidson tried to convince judges, lawyers, activists, athletes, musicians and even the U.S. Supreme Court of his innocence. The federal Office of the Pardon Attorney turned down his case twice, in 2013 and 2017, records show.
Davidson, of Brooklyn, was found guilty by a jury of leading a drug ring and directing the robbery that ended in undercover officer Wallie Howard’s death. He maintained his innocence. He described himself as a rapper whose associates were fellow artists to defend against conspiracy charges.
‘Outraged,’ a ‘sock in gut’: Prosecutors, U.S. Rep. Katko, police stunned after Trump frees kingpin in Syracuse cop killing
Updated Jan 21, 2021;
Posted Jan 20, 2021
John Duncan in his office at the U.S. Attorney s Office in Syracuse in June 2015, shortly before his retirement.John O Brien
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Syracuse, NY The federal prosecutor who sent a drug kingpin to prison for orchestrating the murder of a Syracuse police officer expressed outrage Wednesday at President Trump’s surprise decision to release him from a life sentence.
“I’m kind of outraged that President Trump has granted him a commutation,” said retired Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan, a Republican who handled the trial personally.
Judge Kate Rosenthal, who broke gender barriers in 39-year career, retires: ‘She wasn’t intimidated by anyone’
Updated Dec 17, 2020;
Posted Dec 17, 2020
City Judge Kate Rosenthal in her chambers at the criminal courthouse in 2010. Michelle Gabel/The Post-Standard
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Syracuse, NY When Kate Rosenthal opened her Syracuse criminal defense practice in 1983, there weren’t any women handling the biggest cases: homicides.
“There were no women at that point doing it,” Rosenthal recalled. And most of the judges didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.
“The bench was all male, they were all about as old as our fathers, and they couldn’t conceive why we would want to do that kind of work,” Rosenthal said.