I do know Kimberly and have written to her since 2005. We have talked about her conviction and the circumstances that surround it.
The state says that on July 21, 1997, McCarthy entered the residence of Dr. Dorothy Booth, 70, in Lancaster with the intent to rob her. A struggle took place and Booth was stabbed numerous times resulting in her death. McCarthy was found with Booth's credit cards and her car.
A statement taken by a Dallas police detective violated her constitutional rights and her death penalty conviction was overturned by the state's highest criminal court.
She was retried and resentenced to death. Her most recent appeal beginning in 2002 was denied this year.
In the several years I have known her we have talked about a lot. She is close friends with Darlie Routier, she worries over young Chelsea Richardson and of course her life in prison is far different than it was when she was on the street living as an occupational therapist with a Bachelors degree.
She has spoken of her first marriage to a leader of the
Black Panthers and her decent into drugs. She said despite his status as a
leader of an organization known for all over the world, he was a mama’s boy and
she grew bored.
Once he left the security of the marriage her life went downhill
and she became an addict. It was then she met the drug dealers who committed
the crimes she is being killed for.
Not only was Kimberly miles away from the crime scene she
had no idea they were going to commit it.
The ‘evidence” they have was planted at her home by the two
fellas who knew she was gone. Police came and found her with the knives and
credit cards in her possession and that’s all they needed. While she certainly knew the car and credit cards were stolen she had no idea that a murder had been committed.
No one has ever even considered the fact that she was
telling the truth. Admittedly it looks bad but can we really kill her because
it looks bad? There is a real and genuine chance this woman is telling the
truth.
If she is executed she will be the first woman killed by the state in Texas in seven years.
Amnesty International needs to hear from those of us who
do not believe in killing each other. Please write to them and let them know
they need to be helping Kimmie before they kill her and years later evidence is
unearthed in her favor.
Amnesty International USA
5 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10001
phone: (212) 807-8400
fax: (212) 627-1451
email: aimember@aiusa.org
Southern Office
730 Peachtree Street NE
Suite 1060
Atlanta, GA 30308
phone: (404) 876-5661
fax: (404) 876-2276
1-866-A-REGION
the broad is obviously guilty as hell, without any doubt. yep, being miles away from the crime scene is a handy alibi, WHEN it can be proven. since she couldn't prove it, that, in and of itself, proves her guilt. the fact that she had the proceeds from the murder is just icing on the cake
ReplyDeleteNot so obvious. Not obvious at all. Just because she cant prove her whereabouts doesn't prove guilt. They are not synonymous. Its a little asinine to say that it does. Not being able to prove where you were does not mean you committed a crime.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot possibly say because she can't prove her whereabouts she is guilty! Nowadays with the influx of CCTV constant activity in mobile phones, Internet etc it is likely you can prove your location. However, this crime was committed in a time where such tech ology wasn't mainstream.
ReplyDeleteThis is the exact reason why the American death penalty system is the most flawed and abhorrent in the world. Proponents of the system and the government that maintains hide behind an antiquated belief of guilty kill kill kill. Without having the foresight to thoroughly investigate a crime, ensure there is NO doubt as to guilt or even ensure adequate legal representation. Tis screams that those who wish to have criminals executed are as blood thirsty as the evil killers convicted to death.
Furthermore, all of the fundamental inadequecies continue while hiding behind the constitution. Forgetting that the purpose of the constitution was to protect ALL citizens!
We've all done some jacked up shit in our insignificant lives. Ask them why man? No definitive answer...ever...things happen baby. We got caught. Sure. Wouldn't it be nice if we could utter a secret phrase that would hold the world suspended in time...but alas the world turns so quickly taking us all in our way that soon its all just a smile.
ReplyDeleteOops sorry caught a buzz last night. Life is so amazing sometimes..
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, I just wish you'd be a little more skeptical of what you are told by the inmates. It seems that you are quick to believe the words of the women on death row who write to you; McCarthy's case is one of several examples.
ReplyDeleteBeing against the death penalty is valid, but claiming the person "may actually be innocent" is a huge stretch! She had a drug problem, was the neighbor of the victim, was caught with items of the victims after the murder (car/credit card, she pawned the victim's wedding ring, AND, the murder weapon was found in her house! It had been cleaned, but the detectives took apart the handle and found droplets of blood under the handle that matched the victim.
Are you saying that her druggie friends who you say "planted the evidence" to framer her cleaned up the knife first before putting it back??? Common sense.
Finally, you say "no one has considered the fact that she is telling the truth." Umm, she had a trial, with a jury, and the jury considered her version of the "facts." I really enjoy your site, but this is one of those no-brainer cases, and it's okay to be an advocate for the "underdog" without being blind to reality. You know what I mean?
Stacey Roden:
ReplyDelete"The American death penalty system is the most flawed and abhorrent in the world."
Slow down there my friend. Let's not get too overly dramatic. Several countries hang people for being gay, or they hang women for having affairs. Female witnesses are given less credibility as male witnesses. But the American system is "the most abhorrent in the world." ????!!!!??? Don't expect to ever be taken seriously with statements like that.
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ReplyDeleteOh, and for the record: This lovely specimen of a woman was indicted but not tried for the 1988 murders of Jettie Lucas and Maggie Harding, both 85-year-old friends of McCarthy's mother. For the life of me I cannot understand why people choose to defend these killers (McCarthy, in all likelihood, is a serial killer).
ReplyDeleteI appreciate everyone reading and commenting but yes. I beleive her druggief friends planted tainted evidence and there is a reason (several) that I believe it. Kimmie did have a trial but never once did anyone who participated in it consider that she was innocent. When someone is indicted but not tried that is indication that there is not evidence to prove guilt.
ReplyDeleteI can not believe anyone would be executed if there is a shred of a chance that person may be innocent. We are talking about taking a person's life - the exact same thing we are punishing them for!! So if we are wrong, what then? Do you prosecute the prosecutors, the judges, the warden, the execution team? Or do you just say - oopsy my bad!
ReplyDeleteIt's ridiculous to me that we can consider ourselves so perfect that we can take someone's life. England has no death penalty, Australia, Canada. Yet we pattern our penalty system after what? Iran, Iraq, Afghanastan, China, North Korea. Yea, that's who I want to be compared to.
Neva states that we have no death penalty in England, that is true, however, it is also true that according to the many polls that have been taken since the abolishment of hanging in 1964 in the United Kingdom, that the majority of English people support the death penalty and would like to see it reinstated, just because a countries politicians lack the backbone and do not care enough about the murder victims to give them justice, it does not follow suit that that country is right. Most English people applaud countries such as the United States for having the courage and sense of justice to rid evil murderers once and for all.
ReplyDeleteNeva I love your comments. I would say that it is a huge stretch to say most English citizens wish they had the death penalty. No, that simply isn't true. There are polls and things that have stated otherwise throughout the years.
ReplyDeleteIt takes no courage to kill someone. Its quite the opposite. Its cowardice and a way to end the trial without searching for further evidence.
And MLC, Im tickled that you enjoy the blog, really. But try to understand I have been doing this a long time. I have seen real injustices time and again. I dont simply believe what someone tells me because they are an inmate. But I have seen so so so many of these situations in my real life law enforcement scenarios and know when there is a good chance someone is telling the truth. I believe if there is even on single tiny shred of a chance that someone is innocent it should be checked out to the fullest extent. So many judges, prosecutors and investigators will simply take the evidence they have gathered and when it looks good to them- STOP. No need to look further into what could be the truth when I could stop now and watch the game.
The victim was my aunt. Step back and think of someone being brutally murdered you loved and adored. Google the details of the case and you will be shocked. The accused had 16 years to prove differently, my aunt had less than 5 minutes. It could have been your mother, sister, grandmother or wife.
ReplyDeleteThe victim was my aunt. Step back and think of someone being brutally murdered you loved and adored. Google the details of the case and you will be shocked. The accused had 16 years to prove differently, my aunt had less than 5 minutes. It could have been your mother, sister, grandmother or wife.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it but McCarthy clearly committed this crime. I know that she suffered from drug addiction for a long time and I believe she committed desperate acts in effort to support her addiction. However, I have read affadavits and other evidence in this case. McCarthy used the victim's credit cards in a liquor store and other places following the crime. She was driving her Mercedes Benz shortly thereafter as well. When the police arrested her, she tried to carry a bag with her that contained possessions that belonged to the victim. The murder weapon was found in her home that not only contained blood after the police took it apart, the knife also matched the style and make of other knives in McCarthy's house. She pawned the victim's ring that was cut off her finger for $200. Regarding her indictment for other murders, McCarthy knew both elderly women, as they were acquaintances of her mother. Both women were murdered much in the same way as Dr. Booth. These are things that McCarthy cannot explain away. There is way too much evidence against her. I truly wish she had received some sort of treatment for her addiction long before she spiraled down the path of crime, but addiction is no excuse for murder. I feel for her, but I feel even more for the victims of McCarthy's horrific actions to support her drug habit. Ultimately, the death penalty only serves to destroy even more lives. Very often the family of convicted murderers love and care for them. It appears McCarthy has a wealth of family and friends who will be devastated on the day of her execution. I will be praying for them and for the families of the victims.
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