Southeast hosts discussion on David Robinson 'Life Without' murder case

Southeast Missouri State University hosted a screening Wednesday at Academic Hall of the Southeast Missourian's investigative documentary "Life Without," which examines the murder conviction of Sikeston, Missouri, man David Robinson.

A panel of experts and people associated with the case then discussed it.

In 2000, David Robinson was arrested after police received a tip from a confidential informant who said Robinson had shot and killed Sheila Box.

Another man, Romanze Mosby, later confessed to Box's murder several times.

In 2009, he committed suicide in prison hours after confessing again to his stepfather.

Albert Baker, whose testimony carried much of the prosecution's case against Robinson, has recanted, admitting under oath to having perjured himself by testifying against Robinson.

In the "Life Without" video, a member of Robinson's legal team, Jonathan Potts, said, "David has the single strongest case for innocence that we've seen in the country."

One of the panelists, Josh Kezer, served 16 years for the murder of Angela Mischelle Lawless before being exonerated in 2009. Another panel member, Jim Wyrsch, was one of the lawyers who helped free Kezer.

The panel also included Southeast Missourian editor Bob Miller, who oversaw the newspaper's investigative efforts, and Raleigh Blasdell, assistant professor in Southeast's Department of Criminal Justice & Sociology.

Miller said connections made during the coverage of Kezer's case helped bring Robinson's to light last year.

Kezer said he'd known of Robinson's case since he was freed in 2009.

He said he doesn't believe innocence claims out of hand, but he found Robinson's case compelling.

"I've been in that visiting room where David was sitting in that interview hundreds of times," he said, recalling his time in the prison where Robinson is held.

Robinson's conviction appeared to be an unfortunate miscarriage of justice, Kezer said.

Blasdell said it's important in the course of examining the case and its procedural record not to lose sight of the human tragedy at its heart.

A woman was slain. And if Robinson is innocent, he has been deprived of 16 years of life with no sure end in sight.

But in procedural terms, she said it's important to question informant testimony and consider what, if any, compensation a witness received or was promised.

Baker, who received money from police for rent and living expenses, has said he understood the compensation was in exchange for testimony that would benefit the prosecution, though no such agreement was articulated explicitly.

Another thing to keep in mind is tunnel vision, she said.

Criminal-justice professionals, from the beat cop to the judge, she said, have the potential to pursue a convenient or seemingly straightforward case, especially when trying to manage available resources efficiently.

Conversely, Wyrsch pointed out public defenders can do the same.

As a former public defender, he said at one point, he had 120 open felony cases.

Even a 60-hour workweek would allow for no more than half an hour's attention for each, he said.

Moderator and Southeast media professor Tamara Zellars Buck asked what role race and class may have had in Robinson's prosecution.

Blasdell said the most demonstrable effects in general come when statistically disadvantageous traits coincide to make a bad situation worse.

Poor people and minorities are more likely to be wrongfully convicted, she said. Robinson, a black man, was both.

To compound those factors, Sheila Box was a white woman, which Blasdell said could have had an effect -- consciously or subconsciously -- on how a jury viewed Robinson as the accused.

While not as onerous as explicit racism or classism, implicit biases play a role in courtrooms, she said.

"People are human," she said. "They have biases. Just like pharmacists do. Just like farmers do. Just like teachers do."

Kezer expressed some optimism at the fact Robinson's case is getting attention, especially from the Missouri Supreme Court, which has appointed a special master to examine the case. But if Robinson got out today, it still wouldn't be justice, he said.

"True justice is not available for David Robinson," Kezer said. "But freedom's a good start."

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627