The information on this page was provided directly by Tony Dameron, See links for more info.
Tony Dameron
The CCADP has since assisted Tony in
getting proof of his Canadian birth records and have confirmed his citizenship
with the Canadian Consulate.
The information on this
page was provided directly by Tony Dameron, See links for more info.
| More info about Tony
Dameron and his case - THE
ACCIDENT
TONY'S DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE BOTH EXPERT TESTIMONIES WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR TONY |
| (FOR MORE INFO ON BOTH EXPERTS' TESTIMONIES, CLICK HERE) |
| TONY'S USA INMATES PEN-PAL REQUEST |
| "Our Voices Must Be Heard" - From The New Abolitionist |
| THE CASE OF TONY J. DAMERON - From Death Row's Aid |
| TONY'S STORY- From Vanguard / Caz Creations |
| Convicted in Kane County - BEING RESEARCHED by IllinoisDeathPenalty.com |
| Death penalty foes pack forum on reform - From CNN August 3, 2000 |
| Aurora Illinois Beacon News Article - on Tony and the CCADP, October 7, 2000 |
HOW PROSECUTORS TURNED AN ACCIDENT INTO MURDER
INNOCENT ON DEATH ROW:
On October 5, 1998, I,
Tony J. Dameron, an innocent man was sentenced to death for the
Aug. 30, 1995, accidental
death of My Beloved 3 month old daughter, Rachel Dameron.
MAY SHE FOREVER REST
IN PEACE!!
THE ACCIDENT:
On Aug. 29, 1995, after a night of smoking marijuana and bar hopping, drinking beers and shots (I can not recall how much alcohol I consumed but I was drunk from steady drinking). I left the bar to go home around 1:00am where I lived with my girlfriend-Cynthia Michniewicz, her young son-Christopher Thornton (from a previous relationship), and our infant daughter-Rachel Dameron (My Beloved).
When I arrived home, Cynthia was not there but had left a note stating, "the children were next door," at the home of our neighbors, David and Deborah Alejandro, who occasionally baby sat for us. I went over to pick up the kids but ended up only leaving with Rachel because Christopher was sleeping. After returning home and putting Rachel to bed, I went downstairs and eventually ended up drinking a few more beers and injecting heroin intravenously.
Shortly afterwards, I
heard Rachel (My Beloved) crying upstairs, and I went to get her.
When I started down the curved steps, an accident occurred which would
change many lives forever - I stumbled, hit the wall and accidentally dropped
Rachel from my arms, and she fell to the bottom of the stairs. When
I got to her, she wasn't crying and didn't appear to be breathing.
I tried desperately to wake her in fear that she was dying or dead.
My Beloved, Rachel was in fact dead!! After sobbing convulsively,
I panicked.
| (FOR MORE INFO INTO MY LIFE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, CLICK HERE) |
PANIC LED TO A BAD
DECISION:
Grief stricken, scared and highly intoxicated by drugs and alcohol, fear caused me to panic and eventually - black out. When I came to and found My Beloved daughter lying next to me, I was devastated and didn't know what to do. Not thinking correctly, I regretfully decided to hide Rachel (My Beloved) until I was able to think of what to do. Instead of reporting the accident (which was the correct thing to do), I reported that she was missing.
After talking with the
police, I was took to the station for more questioning. Shortly thereafter,
Rachel (My Beloved) was located and I confessed to hiding her after committing
the accident.
THE ARREST:
The police were not satisfied
with the truth and were very intent on charging me with murder - suggesting
that I intentionally killed my Beloved daughter (for absolutely no apparent
reason or motive). I can understand that the charges were induced by reporting
Rachel was missing, instead of reporting the accident. If I would've
simply reported the accident, I wouldn't have been charged with murder,
and definitely wouldn't received the Death Penalty.
THE TRIAL:
After intense [negative] media coverage which were convicting me of a horrendous "Child Murder" long before the trial begun - all of which were fueled on by the Aurora Police Department and Kane County State's Attorney's Office, I was forced to trial with a jury that was no doubt influenced and exposed to pre-trial publicity, and with a highly bias judge. I never had the chance to receive a fair trial in such a highly polluted atmosphere.
The whole trial was centered
around the testimonies of two expert witnesses-Forensic Pathologists. The
State's witness, Dr. J. Lawrence Cogan, concluded that the injuries could
have been from the result of a fall, but not in his opinion. It was
his opinion that the injuries were intentionally inflicted. My witness,
Dr. Robert Kirschner, one of the leading expert in the country, and much
more experienced and superior than the State's expert, testified that the
injuries which had caused Rachel's (My Beloved) death, could in fact have
been caused as I explained - down a flight of stairs. Acting upon pre-trial
publicity and highly inflammatory human emotions, and the nature of the
case (the death of a child), the jury unjustly found me guilty of First
Degree Murder. One expert's opinion crossing out another expert opinion,.
does not measure up to "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," which is the
very standard of law. So, their verdict was totally based on the
tragical death of a child and the bad decision I made after I had panic,
and not based of evidence.
| (FOR MORE INFO ON BOTH EXPERTS' TESTIMONIES, CLICK HERE) |
THE DEATH SENTENCE:
Here in the State of Illinois, I was eligible for the Death Penalty because the victim was under the age of twelve, and I had the right to have the judge or jury to decide on a death sentence or not.
Long before the Death
Penalty hearing begun, Judge John L. Peterson, informed my Defense Team,
"don't leave sentencing in his hands." In other words, allow the
jury to make the sentence determination because if it is left up to him,
he would automatically I without hesitation sentence me to death - which
he did after the hearing. Making these kind of comments before trial
and before hearing any of the evidence in this case, is a clear sign of
his bias, and that I was tried in a highly polluted atmosphere. I
never had a chance to prove my innocence!!!
NOTE:
I take 100% full responsibility for the cause of My Beloved Rachel's death, and the unthinkable bad decision I made after the accident, but this is not a case of murder nor is it a matter in which I should be executed for.
Despite the undisputable evidence that the State's Expert Witness had contradicted his own autopsy report's findings just to corroborate the State's claims of murder - despite much more experienced and superior Expert Testimony which corroborated the facts surrounding this unfortunate accident, I was unjustly convicted and sentenced to death.
I desperately need your
support to help me bring this injustice out of the dark and into the light
of Justice.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
Please join the "Justice
Committee for Tony J. Dameron," or give your support to the Committee's
Defense Fund, or include your name and address (or e-mailing address) onto
our mailing list for future updates and events.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tony J. Dameron
Reg.# K68537
P.O. Box 99
Pontiac, IL 61764
Regina M. Harris (Attorney
at Law)
Judicial Center
Suite 200
37 W 777 Rt. 38
St. Charles, IL 60175-7533
Tel.# (630) 232-5851
Nancy Dameron
Tel.# (765) 349-9916
E-Mail ndameron@scican.
net
THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE FOR TONY J. DAMERON
THANK YOU
Tony J. Dameron
Tony J. Dameron
Reg.# K68537
P.O. Box 99
Pontiac, IL 61764
The information on this page was provided directly by Tony Dameron, See links for more info.
| More info about Tony
Dameron and his case - THE
ACCIDENT
TONY'S DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE BOTH EXPERT TESTIMONIES WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR TONY |
| (FOR MORE INFO ON BOTH EXPERTS' TESTIMONIES, CLICK HERE) |
| TONY'S USA INMATES PEN-PAL REQUEST |
| "Our Voices Must Be Heard" - From The New Abolitionist |
| THE CASE OF TONY J. DAMERON - From Death Row's Aid |
| TONY'S STORY- From Vanguard / Caz Creations |
| Convicted in Kane County - BEING RESEARCHED by IllinoisDeathPenalty.com |
| Death penalty foes pack forum on reform - From CNN August 3, 2000 |
| Aurora Illinois Beacon News Article - on Tony and the CCADP, October 7, 2000 |
