Maintained by Victoria Ann Thorpe; Kerry Lyn Dalton's sister, Human Rights Activist, Author, Artist.
CAGES is her most recent published work.
More info at VictoriaAnnThorpe.com
Victoria - I'm researching your sister's case and have two quick questions: was a private investigator ever hired to track down the victim, Irene Melanie May or her whereabouts when she went missing? Second question is who did your sister supposedly say "I got away with it" to?
Hello AM the Obscure: the defense did have an investigator, I was not given the discoveries on his research ( when I asked for them a few years ago, I was told only a report written by one of the original attorneys remained. The investigators research was no where to be found). During the trial his evidence did uncover the missing woman's past history of changing her identity and disappearing. Defense attorney Landon wanted to subpoena a Mr. Bonnet from Missouri who would testify Ms May had vanished from his life in 1984(she had lived with him '82-'84 and had her 1st child during that time).Judge Whelan denied the defense attorneys' request on the grounds he found it "too remote".She was "Irene Claire" at that time, soon after meeting Robert May, in Louisiana 1985, she became Melanie May.
The statement that you quote "I got away with it" was not evidence at the trial. Kerry never made a statement about Melanie's disappearance after the police would not accept her word about the last time she saw her. All the quoted confessions released to the press were either from Detective Cooksey (saying he was repeating what someone told him they'd heard from someone else), or from criminal informants who claimed they were repeating what was said to them. The missing person would not have been a "missing person" if it weren't for the Task Force requesting a CPS worker to call it in (Sept.'88). Robert May, the husband, knew and testified to the fact, his wife had left him and was not missing. Even with police promises then pressure, Mr. May stuck to his word. The same CPS worker testified Ms. May had disappeared on her also, leaving the children behind to be collected by the sheriff. These details, and their referenced locations in the trial, are in the book, along with hundreds of other issues that illustrate this case never should have been. But please, keep asking questions, I'm happy to get you answers. Thank you for your interest. Please work to reform the justice system for the good of many, and to free Kerry Lyn. Sincerely, Victoria P.S. I also highly recommend reading Snitching, by law professor Alexandra Natapoff, to understand the controversial issues with informants.
Victoria thanks for your response! I am fully aware of the issues surrounding "informants" and I will look into your book suggestion. Without any physical evidence your sister's case is mind boggling, I'm trying to gather information surrounding women on death row as I think it's generally a forgotten subject and not much literature on the subject. Would your sister be interested in corresponding with me?
Victoria - I'm researching your sister's case and have two quick questions: was a private investigator ever hired to track down the victim, Irene Melanie May or her whereabouts when she went missing? Second question is who did your sister supposedly say "I got away with it" to?
ReplyDeleteHello AM the Obscure: the defense did have an investigator, I was not given the discoveries on his research ( when I asked for them a few years ago, I was told only a report written by one of the original attorneys remained. The investigators research was no where to be found). During the trial his evidence did uncover the missing woman's past history of changing her identity and disappearing. Defense attorney Landon wanted to subpoena a Mr. Bonnet from Missouri who would testify Ms May had vanished from his life in 1984(she had lived with him '82-'84 and had her 1st child during that time).Judge Whelan denied the defense attorneys' request on the grounds he found it "too remote".She was "Irene Claire" at that time, soon after meeting Robert May, in Louisiana 1985, she became Melanie May.
ReplyDeleteThe statement that you quote "I got away with it" was not evidence at the trial. Kerry never made a statement about Melanie's disappearance after the police would not accept her word about the last time she saw her. All the quoted confessions released to the press were either from Detective Cooksey (saying he was repeating what someone told him they'd heard from someone else), or from criminal informants who claimed they were repeating what was said to them.
The missing person would not have been a "missing person" if it weren't for the Task Force requesting a CPS worker to call it in (Sept.'88). Robert May, the husband, knew and testified to the fact, his wife had left him and was not missing. Even with police promises then pressure, Mr. May stuck to his word. The same CPS worker testified Ms. May had disappeared on her also, leaving the children behind to be collected by the sheriff.
These details, and their referenced locations in the trial, are in the book, along with hundreds of other issues that illustrate this case never should have been. But please, keep asking questions, I'm happy to get you answers.
Thank you for your interest. Please work to reform the justice system for the good of many, and to free Kerry Lyn.
Sincerely,
Victoria
P.S. I also highly recommend reading Snitching, by law professor Alexandra Natapoff, to understand the controversial issues with informants.
Victoria thanks for your response! I am fully aware of the issues surrounding "informants" and I will look into your book suggestion. Without any physical evidence your sister's case is mind boggling, I'm trying to gather information surrounding women on death row as I think it's generally a forgotten subject and not much literature on the subject. Would your sister be interested in corresponding with me?
ReplyDeleteYes, Kerry likes meeting new people and making connections with the free world. Please do write her (:
ReplyDeleteVictoria