January 12, 1994, Donna Meagher was kidnapped in Montana City MT and brutally murdered west of Helena MT. Donna’s family will never recover from the wounds left from this tragedy. Day turns to night and into day again. The wounds never heal. Winter turns to spring, flowers bloom and the sun shines. The wounds never heal.
Lewis and Clark County Detective Sam McCormack and State Investigator Reed Scott investigated the crime, interviewed witnesses and collected evidence for probable cause to file criminal charges. Once criminal charges are filed the defendant is presumed guilty whether the evidence is true or not. After being incarcerated for 24 years new evidence has emerged that may exonerate the men Sam McCormack and Reed Scott incarcerated. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher had this to say about the investigation of Sam McCormack and Reed Scott.
County Attorney Leo Gallagher said statements Freddie Lawrence made to authorities were obtained involuntarily and in violation of Miranda. Gallagher stated that "evidence" obtained by Sam McCormack and Reed Scott should be viewed with distrust. Leo Gallagher is an attorney and prosecutor. It is a violation of ethics to lie.
County Attorney Leo Gallagher says that Investigator Reed Scott threatened to charge Freddie Lawrence with perjury and obstruction of justice if Lawrence attempted to correct the statements that were involuntarily obtained. The same statements that should be viewed with distrust.
County Attorney Leo Gallagher says that Officers Sam McCormack and Reed Scott coerced Freddie Lawrence into talking using impermissible practices including lengthy interrogations, "good cop/bad cop" techniques, misrepresenting the officers intent, feigned concern for his family, threats to take his family away and threats of the death penalty. Once again remember Leo Gallagher states that evidence and statements collected by Sam McCormack and Reed Scott should be viewed with distrust.
Mary Jenkins, wife of Defendant Paul Jenkins, was a star witness for Sam McCormack and Reed Scott for probable cause to file criminal charges. Leo Gallagher made the following statements about Mary Jenkins: "Mary suffers from memory lapses much more acute and frequent than the average person. She was diagnosed with a condition of dementia, most likely of the Alzheimer's type." Leo Gallagher states concerns that despite this she was determined competent to testify. County Attorney Leo Gallagher actually says that Mary's testimony violated the defendants Sixth Amendment right to confrontation because her statements were so inconsistent that there was no ability for the defendant to cross-examine. However at this point that is irrelevant because the evidence collected was already used for the probable cause to file criminal charges. Evidence and statements that should be viewed with distrust.
New DNA evidence exists that shows the murder was committed by David Wayne Nelson. David Nelson is currently serving a prison sentence for killing two people after the conviction of Freddie Lawrence and Paul Jenkins. A conviction obtained by Detective Sam McCormack and Investigator Reed Scott. A conviction that Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher says should be viewed with distrust.
