Blakely resigns from Sikeston DPS

The detective in charge of the investigation of David Robinson for the murder of Sheila Box resigned from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, the city announced Wednesday.

City manager Jonathan Douglass wrote in an email early Wednesday evening John Blakely's resignation is "effective immediately."

"This was a decision Blakely came to after being reassigned with no law enforcement duties within DPS," Douglass wrote. "There were obvious challenges with Detective Blakely's involvement with the department after the findings of Judge Darrell Missey, who was the special master for the Missouri Supreme Court in the David Robinson case review."

In a follow-up email, Douglass said Blakely will receive standard payouts of his accrued leave time, but he was not given severance pay. Blakely faces many accusations, some made by Missey, that he manipulated his investigation to attain Robinson's conviction.

After Missey's report to the Missouri Supreme Court, the city of Sikeston placed him on paid leave, then took away his badge, reassigning him to the fire division.

The Missouri Supreme Court last week ordered David Robinson be released from prison within 30 days after finding his Constitutional rights had been violated. The state has not yet released Robinson.

The Supreme Court ruled Blakely and the prosecution violated Robinson's rights by allowing a witness they knew was lying to testify falsely before the jury. One of the two key state witnesses in the case, Jason Richison, said he was a cellmate of Robinson and overheard him proclaim that he shot Box. But Blakely and the prosecution knew they were not cellmates, according to court records.

Missey also wrote Blakely was the least credible witness in the case, and said Blakely ignored evidence and witnesses that pointed toward innocence and focused only on evidence that pointed toward guilt.

Furthermore, a Southeast Missourian investigation found Blakely did not investigate a key suspect in the case, Romanze Mosby.

Then-Scott County deputy Bobby Sullivan handled the investigation of Mosby, saying he only did so because Sikeston officers, including Blakely, refused to check into the lead.

Blakely denied before the court he knew Mosby was a suspect, before admitting it before Missey last August. Sullivan said in depositions he thought Sikeston had "tunnel vision" in the case.

Blakely also is accused of intimidating two witnesses.

Ronnie Coleman testified during appeals depositions and said in an interview with the Southeast Missourian that Blakely called him the night before Robinson's trial and told him he'd bring forward drug charges if he showed up to court.

Coleman was going to testify, he said, that the state's key witness, Albert Baker, told him he was lying about seeing David Robinson shoot Sheila Box, and made up the story to get out of jail.

Other people who knew Coleman at the time of the murder confirmed to the Southeast Missourian that Coleman told them about this interaction with Blakely at the time of the trial in 2001.

Missey wrote that another interaction with Baker, just before an appeal proceeding where Baker was going to recant his testimony, was inappropriate.

"While Albert Baker was walking down the street in Park Hills, a uniformed officer drove up to Albert Baker and handed him a telephone with Detective Blakely on the other side," Missey wrote. "According to Albert Baker's testimony, Blakely told him, 'We're watching you.' ... The evidence about that telephone call is outrageous. The image of Albert Baker walking down a street in Park Hills to be confronted by a uniformed officer who then hands him a phone with Detective Blakely on the other end is absolutely bone-chilling. ... There is no legitimate reason for Detective Blakely to arrange for law enforcement to unexpectedly approach Albert Baker in public."

Reggie Robinson, David Robinson's brother, said in an email Wednesday night he thinks Blakely is getting off easy.

"Well I can't say that I'm happy he resigned because that is not enough," Reggie Robinson said. "He took almost 18 years of my family life from us, and I would like for him to pay for what he did. ... I am glad that he will not have a chance to do this again to someone's family. Justice has prevailed in my brother's case, and we are praying justice prevails with Blakely getting what he has coming. Maybe now our community can get past this and move on."

In another email, Robinson's wife, Pat Jackson, expressed continued dissatisfaction.

"Blakely resigning still doesn't close the book on this injustice," Jackson said. "A full investigation is the first step that can help David, myself and his family feel that things will be moving in the right direction. Blakely resigning just means he has extra time to live his life while the one we love is still sitting behind bars and for what! Meanwhile all we can do as a family is just wait for the phone to ring and the words You can go get David he is a free man!"

Douglass wrote in his email "The Sikeston DPS has accomplished many things in the last 17 years since the State of Missouri's trial of David Robinson. Our police officers and our citizens remain our top priority and we will move forward together with all interested parties."

Sikeston had previously asked the U.S. Attorney's Office to look into the case, and refer the case to investigators if it saw fit. Douglass said he doesn't know if the federal government will investigate the case or not.

"We know that the U.S. Attorney's Office received the Special Master's Amended Report and our request to investigate the case," Douglas said. "We have been told that the U.S. Attorney's Office cannot confirm or deny whether there is an investigation underway. The City of Sikeston will cooperate with any requests or investigation by the US Attorney's Office or other authority."

bmiller@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3625