He hopes to work to change the law that led to his wrongful conviction. The whole town suspected him of doing it, and its hard to reconcile that.. After McCann was paroled from prison, Ken Kolker, a television reporter from WOODTV in Grand Rapids, contacted Steven Drizin, an attorney at Northwesterns Center on Wrongful Convictions, and asked him to evaluate the interrogations of McCann. In March of 2016, lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation into the case. Despite intense pressure, McCann insisted that he was innocent. He filed a lawsuit last week in federal court. The big break in the case came as a result of brilliant work on the part of the Michigan Law students, said Swygert. Four Winds Casino South Bend celebrates hotel grand opening, St. Joe High School basketball player shares his story after overcoming gun violence, Brey preps for final home game as head coach of Notre Dame men's basketball, Free virtual workshop on housing and lending laws, Indiana Toll Road reopens after large police presence. I didnt want to, but I had to, he says. Yet even after Furlongs confession, authorities still bore down on McCann in jail. McCanns criminal case was reopened after an investigation by law schools at the University of Michigan and Northwestern University. A reporter who followed the case, Ken Kolker of WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, helped bring McCanns experience to the attention of the wrongful conviction programs at Northwestern and Michigan. Raymond McCann served 20 months for perjury after taking a plea deal in what a federal lawsuit claims was a scheme to manufacture charges to pressure him into confessing to the 2007 murder of. Of Newton, December 16, 2007. He told authorities he saw Parrack riding her bike while he was cleaning his garage and asked her to help. McCANN-Raymond B. on March 9, 2012. Ray McCann said his constitutional rights were violated by various police officers in St. Joseph County. Drizin worked with colleagues Swygert and Megan Crane from the Center on Wrongful Convictions and Northwestern Law students Courtney Cronin and Caroline McMahon and partnered with David Moran, the director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic. Today, he acted honorably in placing his duty to seek justice ahead of his desire to preserve a wrongful conviction.. He is seeking an unspecified amount in damages. We welcome new information from any source about exonerations already on our list and about cases not in the Registry that might be exonerations. Again, McCann refused to falsely confess to knowing Furlong. In March 2016, lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation in the case. the city's database of civilian complaints against the NYPD, the department is not forthcoming despite, Read more about what weve included in the database and why, see our answers to questions we have received about this data, downloadable from ProPublicas Data Store, Abuse of Authority: Threat To Damage/Seize Property. After spending 11 months in jail awaiting trial and facing a potential life sentence, McCann pleaded no contest to the count involving the Tumble Dam, believing he had no chance of acquittal if there was a video that contradicted his recollection, especially in a community convinced he had murdered Jodi Parrack. The National Registry of Exonerations is a project of the Newkirk Center for Science & Society at University of California Irvine, the University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. Furlong, who lived in Constantine at the time of Parracks murder, eventually admitted killing Parrack eight years earlier, and a subsequent DNA test on Furlong matched DNA found on Parrack. Police continued to pursue McCann aggressively for years even though DNA evidence found on the victim did not match McCann. Chicago, IL 60611-3069 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. A man who was exonerated after spending nearly two years in prison for a murder he didnt commit is suing the officers who made the case against him. Raymond Stanley Mccann was born in 1953. Ray McCann knew he had no connection to the 2007 strangulation murder of 11-year-old Jodi Parrack in the small village of Constantin, Michigan, where he was a reserve police officer. I lost a lot of friends.. The conviction was thrown out in 2017 at the. Furlong later confessed, was charged and then sentenced as Parracks killer, reports MLive.com. I felt like I was set up from day one.. After spending 11 months in jail awaiting trial and facing a potential life sentence, McCann pled no contest to the count involving the Tumble Dam, believing that he had no chance of being acquitted if there was a video that contradicted his recollection, especially in a community that was convinced he had murdered Jodi Parrack. In March of 2016, Moran agreed and lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation in the case. Loving step-father of Mark (Lori) Subelsky and Steven (Shelley) Subelsky. This was one of the worst cases of police tunnel vision Ive ever seen, Drizin said. McCann, Captain Raymond D. Retired Chicago Police Department, passed away on Friday, December 5th. Even Judge Stutesman, who accepted the plea and sentenced Ray has said the law as terrible, said Swygert. While McCann was in prison, a man named Daniel Furlong attempted to abduct another young girl in nearby White Pigeon, Michigan. I wasnt going to take the chance of going to trial and being charged with life. Offered a deal that would lock him up for 20 months with credit for time already served, he accepted and pleaded no contest in March 2015. The detective then persuaded the county prosecutor to issue a subpoena to require McCann to testify under oath concerning his whereabouts at the time of Parracks disappearance. Raymond McCann charged with perjury in connection with murder of Jodi Parrack McCann, 46, had been deemed a 'person of interest' by police Jodi, 11, was murdered in Michigan in 2007 after. You may be included in this settlement if you bought certain Coffee-Mate powder creamers (listed on the settlement site) between January 1, 2017 and December 8, 2022. In fact, even after Furlong was identified by DNA evidence as the killer, the authorities went to McCanns prison and tried to pressure him into admitting that he and Furlong were accomplices. McCann said under oath that he had parked at the trailhead and was prepared to search for Parrack there when he got a call and went elsewhere. Ray McCann was sentenced to 20 months to 20 years . He became a person of interest after he was one of several people to suggest searching the local cemetery. Michigan Man Exonerated in 2007 Murder After 20 Months in Jail: 'I'll Never Get an Apology' Ray McCann's 2014 arrest was a cold-case shocker as he was charged with perjury in the then-unsolved. Under interrogation, Furlong insisted he did not know McCann and told the authorities that when he learned that McCann had been arrested, he believed that he was in the clear.. Constantine A man who was repeatedly hounded by police during an investigation of a girls killing in southwestern Michigan has filed a lawsuit, two years after his wrongful conviction for perjury was thrown out. For more recent information, visit Drizin recruited his colleagues Greg Swygert and Megan Crane from the Center on Wrongful Convictions, and students Courtney Cronin and Caroline McMahon, to work on the case and approached David Moran, the Director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic, to see if he was interested in partnering. Devoted husband of Delores (nee LeDoux). The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, names the estate of the late former Constantine Police Chief James Bedell, Constantine officer Marcus Donker, St. Joseph County Sheriffs Detective Sgt. McCann understands that some people may still hold the allegation against him. 375 East Chicago Avenue Although the tactics failed to coerce Ray into making a false confession, said Swygert, the tactics did succeed at ruining hisreputation and destroying his relationships with family and friends. After spending 11 months in jail awaiting trial and facing a potential life sentence, McCann pleaded no contest to the count involving the Tumble Dam, believing he had no chance of acquittal if there was a video that contradicted his recollection, especially in a community convinced he had murdered Jodi Parrack. Beloved husband to Doris Fay. While McCann was in prison, a man named Daniel Furlong attempted to abduct another young girl in nearby White Pigeon, Michigan. Tell The murder of Jodi Parrack has been a subject of ongoing investigation and debate in Michigan since the 11-year-old was murdered in November of 2007. All of the charges stemmed from minor discrepancies between McCanns recall of the events surrounding Parracks disappearance five years earlier and the recollections of others. The trial court sentenced plaintiff to a term of 20 months to 20 years' imprisonment with credit for 336 days for time spent in the St. Joseph County Jail while awaiting trial. The girl got away and led authorities back to Daniel Furlong. RAYMOND C. McCANN, Respondent, v. KATHLEEN D. McCANN, Appellant. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. on our list, Other Case marks third with Michigan Innocence Clinic, all result in exonerations, From left to right: Amanda Kenner, James Mestichelli, David Moran, Raymond McCann, Greg Swygert, Rebecca Wyss. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 80+ Raymond E McCann Houston, TX (Westside) View Full Report Addresses Rolido Dr, Houston, TX Phone Numbers (713) nay - peek But it was former Constantine reserve police officer, Raymond McCann, who repeatedly suggested . A Michigan State Police detective falsely told McCann they had evidence tying him to the murderincluding that McCanns DNA was on Parracks body and Parracks DNA was in McCanns truck. In 2012, with the investigation going cold, the Michigan State Police detective told one of McCanns relatives that he wanted to see McCann locked up to increase the pressure on him toconfess. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison. The girl got away and led authorities back to Daniel Furlong. Its been rough, he says. You can see it in their eyes. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison in 2015. The office of St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough, which won and then abandoned the perjury conviction, declined PEOPLEs request for comment. Evanston, IL 60201. Estate Settlement Guide. It shows that even somebody whos trusted to protect and serve can be a suspect and it can lead to a wrongful conviction, says one of his attorneys, Greg Swygert, a Northwestern law professor who works with the Center on Wrongful Convictions. The big break in the case came as a result of brilliant work on the part of the Michigan Law students, Swygert said. Parracks body was found there a short time later. Ray has only stepped foot in this small town two or three times since being released, says his attorney. October 8, 2008, age 64. The girl got away and led authorities back to Daniel Furlong, who lived in Constantine at the time of Parracks murder. Says McCann: The system already failed me. Man Halts His Murder Trial, Confesses to Killing Teen Girl After Valentine's Dance 47 Years Ago, videotape of his confession obtained by WOODTV. Even Judge Stutesman, who accepted the plea and sentenced Ray has said the law is terrible.. Theyre truly sorry. Couple Cleared of Wrongful Murder and Rape Convictions That Put Them Behind Bars for 27 Years, Kevin Strickland Exonerated After 43 Years in Prison Following Wrongful Conviction, Tx. Theyve got their own opinions; theyre going to think what they think, he says. The detective also told lies about McCann to his family members and friends, going so far as to tell McCanns teenage son that McCann was a drug addict, in an apparent attempt to turn his family and friends against him and get McCann to confess. CENTREVILLE, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A man who has been a suspect in the Jody Parrack murder investigation has been sentenced on a perjury charge. Loving grandfather of Shana and Carrie Subelsky. Loving step-father of Mark (Lori) Subelsky and Steven (Shelley) Subelsky. On the day Parrack went missing, McCann who knew the victim and her family well told at least four people that they should search the local cemetery, a suggestion also made by others. Parracks body was found there a short time later. All of the charges stemmed from minor discrepancies between McCanns recall of the events surrounding Parracks disappearance five years earlier and the recollections of others. The detective then persuaded the county prosecutor to issue a subpoena to require McCann to testify under oath concerning his whereabouts at the time of Parracks disappearance. The amount of compensation each person receives under WICA is based on how many years they were imprisoned up until their release. (Credit: Center on Wrongful Convictions, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law). McCann had said hed briefly stopped that night to search at a trailhead near a ruin where kids often hung out, and then he was called away. This case highlights the dangers of how strong tunnel can be. The state of Michigan agreed to pay $40,000 for McCanns time in prison under a law that compensates the wrongly convicted. But the only criminal charge that resulted was for perjury. He told investigators he did not know McCann. A Call for Answers: Police still looking for witnesses in shooting of Brandon and Shae, Trafficking Tragedy: How pandemic travel restrictions may have exacerbated fentanyl crisis. Despite intense pressure, McCann insisted he was innocent. On December 7, 2017, St. Joseph County, Michigan Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Stutesman signed an order today granting Raymond McCann IIs motion to vacate his 2015 perjury conviction. I lost my family, I lost my son Ive only seen him three times since I got out. He missed a grandchilds birth, and his sons high school graduation. This page only includes allegations against this person for which the CCRB has completed its investigation. We are grateful to John McDonough, said Gregory Swygert, lead attorney from the Center on Wrongful Convictions team. They were still sure he was involved, despite everything saying otherwise., Says McCann: They were so deep in it with me that they had to continue with it.. Northwestern recognized for internationalization amid high demand for global education, Hes helping young musicians bridge the gap between art and business, Trethewey named to the Academy of American Poets, How the second-longest US government shutdown is affecting the economy, Learning to write like a president sounds. McCannbecame "person of interest" in case after helping to find victims body. ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Mich. -- A man in St. Joseph County will be awarded approximately $40,000 for being wrongly convicted and imprisoned. Shortly after plaintiff's plea-based conviction, another man confessed to the murder of the 11-year-old girl. When the girls body was found at the cemetery, authorities pointed fingers back in McCanns direction. What they did to me was wrong, completely. Around 300 people were arrested, many of them brutally, on . You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. I grew up in this town, and that was one of the places to look.. For more background information about the case, see Ken Kolkers Making a Monster on WOODTV. Jodi was reported missing at about 7 p.m. by her mother, Valerie Carver, who found her strangled body later that same evening in the local cemetery. McCann, a reserve police officer, agreed to help participate in the search. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel approved the compensation reward for Raymond McCann under the states Wrongful Imprisonment Compensation Act or WICA. One of the perjury counts stemmed from McCanns testimony that he had searched for Parrack at the Tumble Dam, a ruin where Constantine kids often hung out. The Michigan State Police detective testified under oath that video footage from a surveillance camera on a nearby factory proved McCann was never there that night. After McCann was paroled from prison, Ken Kolker, a television reporter from WOODTV in Grand Rapids, contacted CWC attorney Steven Drizin and asked him to evaluate the interrogations of McCann. These discoveries made it clear that the Michigan State Police detective, who had accused McCann of lying, had testified falsely about the video to Prosecutor McDonough. A Michigan State Police detective falsely told McCann they had evidence tying him to the murderincluding that McCanns DNA was on Parracks body and Parracks DNA was in McCanns truck. In March 2016, lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation in the case. Although the tactics failed to coerce Ray into making a false confession, they did succeed at ruining Rays reputation and destroying his relationships with family and friends, Swygert said. Today he acted honorably in placing his duty to seek justice ahead of his desire to preserve a wrongful conviction.. Bronx, NY 10465. He lost his position as a reserve officer. After New York state repealed a law that kept NYPD disciplinary records secret, ProPublica obtained data from the civilian board that investigates complaints about police behavior. Again, McCann refused to falsely confess to knowing Furlong. The detective also told lies about McCann to his family members and friends, even telling McCanns teenage son that McCann was a drug addict, in an apparent attempt to turn his family and friends against him and get McCann to confess. The threat of a life sentence for what could simply be differing recollections is too strong a tool for prosecutors and could lead to further wrongful convictions. I truly am thankful for that.. Raymond McCann served 20 months for perjury after taking a plea deal in what a federal lawsuit claims was a scheme to manufacture charges to pressure him into confessing to the 2007 murder of 11-year-old Jodi Parrack. He hopes to work to change the law that led to his wrongful conviction. The motion was filed by the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern Universitys Pritzker School of Law and the Michigan Innocence Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School and was joined by St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough who stipulated that the motion should be granted and the charges dropped. McCann served 20 months in jail and prison after feeling pressured to plead no contest to perjury. October 8, 2008, age 64. Cemetery, authorities still bore down on McCann in jail and prison after pressured. Mccanns criminal case was reopened after an investigation by law schools at time... Not in the case came as a result of brilliant work on the server March 2016. On Friday, December 5th was found there a short time later McCann served months. Nearby White Pigeon, Michigan the wrongly convicted 20 years said Swygert the states wrongful Imprisonment Act... 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