The story of Luc jr

  Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles, Jr. comes from an intact, loving family. His mother and father have been married since 1984. That same year, Mrs. Pierre-Charles became a pastor. In the course of Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr.'s academic history, he was a member of the National Junior Honor Society and the National Honor Society i.e., from the 7th through the 10th grade. He also attended Pasco-Hernando Community College to acquire his degree in Business Administration. Also, Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr.'s employment history showed his commitment to work. Starting at a very young age of 10-years-old, Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. dedicated his services to Milton Funeral Home. Later, he worked at Sweet Bay Deli in Wesley Chapel, Mc Donalds in Wesly Chapel, Cracker Barrel also in Wesley Chapel, and Thrifty Car Rental at Tampa International Airport. Luc Jr.'s work history shows that he is a preferred service person in the workforce. Lastly, Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. did not have a previous criminal history, not even a speeding ticket. However, Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. does have a 12-years-old son, Luc Pierre-Charles III, who is very intelligent and continuously expresses his love for his father and the desire for his father to be released from prison and returned home.  

      On July 28, 2006, in the early morning hours, 17-year-old Derek Pieper, and 18-year-old Raymond Veluz was murdered execution-style on an isolated dirt road in Trilby, Florida with multiple gunshot wounds. Two years went by, and the State Attorney still had no killer or no real evidence to convict anyone for the murders.

     On July 24, 2008, two years later, an arrest warrant was executed by Detective Lisa Schoneman and order by Circuit Judge Pat Siracusa. This arrest warrant was establish based on statements made by Angel Brooks, Donovan Parker, and John Blanford. On August 14, 2008, Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. and Tyree Jenkins were indicted by a grand jury on two counts of murder in the first degree; capital felonies, punishable by death or life, pursuant to Florida Statute 782.04. 

     Knowing his innocence and the incompetence of the judicial system and trial proceedings, Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. failed to waive his rights to a speedy trial. His first conviction came after a 9-day trial and six and a half hours of jury deliberation. The State's only evidence against Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. was a biased witness who had several inconsistencies in all her deposition and jailhouse informants, or better known as “jailhouse snitches”. In which, all showed some type of bias and had motives to lie. After Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. was remanded for nearly two years, he was granted an appeal, based on allowing hearsay to prove the truth of the matter asserted. In a seven-day trial, where the State put 3 jailhouse informants on the stand, in which all informants had the motive to fabricate their testimony; Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. was convicted for the second time on April 1, 2015, and sentenced to natural life in prison on both counts. 

     With sound evidence that the jailhouse informant had motives to lie and Ms. Brooks also acknowledged that all five of her previous testimonies were inconsistent, and admitting to disliking Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. for unexplained reasons. Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. was convicted with no evidence of guilt. However, there was evidence proving his innocence. 

     Angel Brooks, the girlfriend of Jermey Henry happens to be a crucial critical witness in Mr. Luc Pierre- Charles Jr.'s case. She gave five statements to law enforcement. Many statements made by Brooks were inconsistent with her previous statement. During the first four statements, Brooks was on probation for possession of a concealed weapon and possession of cocaine. Jeremy Henry was the initial suspect. However, Mr. Henry was killed before Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr’s first trial in 2009. Ms. Brooks made her first statement to law enforcement on August 14, 2006. She stated that she was with Andre Pierre-Charles, Luc Pierre-Charles Jr.'s younger brother, on the night of the murders when Andre received a call from an unknown caller. On August 23, 2006, Brooks gave two statements, one at the Sheriff's office and another at the state attorney’s office, and she gave another statement on May 3, 2007. Brooks did not mention a speakerphone in any of those statements. Brooks actually stated that she did not hear who was on the phone with Andre. Brooks first mentioning of a speakerphone and hearing Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. voice telling the victims to “get on their knees and pray” was in her January 16, 2009, deposition (Pierre-Charles v. State, 67 So. 3d 301 - Fla: Dist. Court of Appeals, 2nd Dist. 2011) (View District Court of Appeal in the downloaded section below. Also view Brooks' depositions from 8-23-06, 5-3-07 & 1-16-09 in the downloaded section below. 

     The arrest affidavit was based on false statements and perjury and signed by lead Detective Lisa Schoneman. Angel Brooks’ statements concerning hearing Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr.'s voice on speakerphone were non-existent at the time of the July 24, 2008, warrant. The statement concerning hearing the defendant's voice on Andre Pierre-Charles’ speakerphone was included in the 2008 arrest affidavit. However, Brooks did not give such statements until her January 16, 2009, deposition. Foremost, Sprint/Nextel records custodian Jenifer Sheid testified that Andre’s phone did not receive or send any calls during a time encompassing the murders. (View  Indictment/Warrant/Arrest Affidavit in the download section below) Please pay attention to the date indictment was signed.

     In addition to the false and perjured statements concerning Angel Brooks, the statements that were given by Donovan Parker were also perjured due to the pressure from law enforcement providing Parker with false documents stating defendant, Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. alleged he was responsible for the murders. Also, Parker was threatened with receiving a harsher sentence and an additional crime if desired statements were not agreed upon.

John Blanford’s statements were false due to threats from state attorney Manny Garcia and being coerced to testify against the defendant to get a lesser sentence for his criminal charges. Andre Pierre-Charles testified that he was present at the time when Manny Garcia showed up at John Blanford’s home with law enforcement and threatened John with what will happen if he (Blanford) did not testify against Luc. Another event that needs mentioning is the incident that occurred during Luc’s second trial. During this event, John Blanford went against the witnesses’ instruction to not discuss the trial with anyone. It was seen and brought to the Court's attention that John was seen talking to a defense witness, his brother, Ralph Blanford. Ralph was summoned to the stand and shared with the Courts what John said to him. Ralph told the Courts that John stated that he did not want to testify against Luc, but he was threatened by the prosecution to do so.  However, Judge Barthel ordered that the defense not mention this incident to the jury.

   The prosecution called state witness, Anthony Harris’ attorney, Bill Bennet as an unlisted rebuttal witness to testify over a defense objection.  Mr. Bennet testified that he represented Mr. Harris on a murder charge while another attorney represents Mr. Harris on a robbery charge. Over objection, he repeatedly stated that there were no deals made with Mr. Harris. He further testified that there were no deals promised or inducements made in either of Mr. Harris’ cases. He further testified that he knows of no way that Mr. Harris’ sentence can be modified 14 months after the sentence has been imposed (Read Mr. Bennet's trial transcripts in the downloaded section below)   

Anthony Harris also referred to as Tony C is currently serving a 20-year sentence at Holmes Correctional Institution for the 2007 robbery with a firearm and battery that took place at Zephyr Park that left two Zephyrhills males, Tony Smiley and Kenneth McCullough hospitalized and for the murder of Sean Spaights, a 24- years-old Dade City man. Tony C was initially charged with 1st-degree murder for the 2007 fatal shooting of Spaights which occurred outside of a Dade City bar/hangout spot. However, due to previous substantial assistance that Tony C provided for the State in several other cases, he received the deal of dropping his 1st-degree murder charge down to 2nd-degree murder and receiving a concurrent 20-year sentence for both charges. 

     In 2015 Harris wrote multiple letters addressed to Manuel Garica, one of the State Prosecutors in Mr. Pierre Charles Jr.'s case. Within these letters, not only did Harris reference Mr. Pierre-Charles case, but he repeatedly asked for help with his sentencing. (View Harris motion to reduce sentencing and letters in the downloaded section below)

Not only did Harris participated in perjury, but he recruited inmates as well. Several inmates who resided in Land O’ Lakes detention center became witnesses in Mr. Pierre-Charles case. (View Tyrone Smith's letter in the downloaded section below. Brian Davis trial transcript will be added soon).

     Frank Harrison, another jailhouse snitch, testified against Luc Pierre-Charles in the 2015 trial. Harrison's statements were fabricated. Harrison sent letters to the State Attorney, Manny Garica, seeking sentence reduction from his eight-year sentence that he was sentenced to in 2012. Many witnesses gave sworn statements. However, only a few were allowed to testify to how a jailhouse informant, Harrison received information about Luc Pierre-Charles case from Anthony Harris. At trial, State Attorney Manny Garcia and state witness’ Harrison repeatedly testified to the jury that “there is nothing the state attorney office can do” for him, concerning a sentence reduction. After Pierre-Charles’s conviction, newly discovered evidence was found in his case. Which, revealed that on July 12, 2016, State Attorney’s Manny Garcia, filed a Motion to Modify or Reduce Sentence for Mr. Harrison for the substantial assistance testimony he gave against Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. This motion was granted, and Frank Harrison was released from the Florida Department of Correction almost four years early. This newly discovered evidence was presented to the appellate court pending Luc’s appeal. However, Luc’s appeal was denied. (View Harrison trial testimony, motion to reduce sentencing in the downloaded section below)

In June of 2017, Frank Harrison was killed by his ex-girlfriend, Alejandria Guinn, after she stood her ground from being attacked by Harrison, who was armed with an assault rifle. Harrison has 14 prior felony convictions, including murder. These are the type of individuals that State Attorney Manny Garcia is helping re-enter society, at all cost. 

Jailhouse snitches will lie and testify against innocent defendants, such as Luc Pierre-Charles Jr., for a conviction. This is absolutely prosecutorial misconduct. State attorney Manny Garcia knowingly presented false testimony to the jury in the case of Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. Prosecutors as such go against the integrity and entire truth-seeking function of the judicial system. 

     In the case of the State of Florida V. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr., it has been brought to Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr.'s attention that Pasco County, lead detective, Lisa Schoneman, and State Attorney, Manny Garcia have participated in prosecutorial misconduct while representing the State of Florida during the prosecution of Luc Pierre-Charles in case number CRC 08-04222CFAES two counts of murder in the First Degree.

     Lisa Schoneman signed that warrant under penalties of perjury that the foregoing included in the arrest affidavit is true. Schoneman purposely included the statement made by Angel Brooks, hearing Luc Pierre-Charles Jr.’s voice on speakerphone. Knowing that the statement was false, Ms. Schoneman willfully participated in this unethical act, in the representation of the State of Florida. (Read Lisa Schoneman's trial testimony in the downloaded section below)

     Several of the informants who testified against Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. was shown to be biased, and each had motives to lie against Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. Two of the State’s jailhouse informants, Anthony Harris and Frank Harrison, wrote letters addressed directly to Manuel Garcia, Pasco County Assistant State Attorney. All letters were entered into evidence. However, they were not allowed to be read to the jury. In one of the letters, the informant clearly expressed how he would help convict Mr. Pierre-Charles Jr. at all costs, if he, Manny Garcia, help the informant get out of jail. Within the other letter, the informant expressed several times that he wanted to go home and went on stating that he did not want to return to the Department of Corrections and ask for the State's help.

    Furthermore, those obligated and responsible for upholding the law and ensuring justice are purposely and willfully engaging in the unethical practice of wrongful convictions. A conviction obtained by the knowing use of perjured testimony is fundamentally unfair, for it involves corruption of the truth-seeking function of the trial process. 

     Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr. has never been in trouble, not even a simple traffic ticket. When he was arrested, false documents and false statements were used to obtain his arrest. Detective Lisa Schoneman composed a false arrest affidavit by including the false statements given by Angel Brooks about the phone call she overheard on a speakerphone. This particular statement was not made until after Luc was arrested. Detective Schoneman also falsified a statement and forged Luc’s signature on the statement that she provided to Donovan Parker, alleging that Luc had accused Donovan of killing the victims. Then you have John Blanford’s false statements that were given out of fear, due to threats and coercion of State Attorney Manny Garcia. All three of these witness statements were used to obtain the Indictment of Mr. Luc Pierre-Charles Jr.

     Two of the State’s witnesses, Frank Harrison and Anthony Harris, both jailhouse informants, wrote letters to the State Attorney, Manny Garcia. At trial, the letters were entered into evidence but were prohibited to be read to or submitted to the jury. In one of Anthony Harris's letters, he wrote that he would help convicted Luc, at all cost, if he, Manny Garcia help him get out of jail. Moreover, Frank Harrison expressed several times in his letters that he wanted to go home and that he did not want to return to the Department of Corrections, and sought help from the State. After Luc lost the trial, State Attorney, Manny Garcia got Frank Harrison’s sentence reduced and Mr. Harrison was released from prison several years early. Anthony Harris first degree murder was reduced to second-degree murder, and he received a sentence of 20 years running concurrently with a 20 years sentence on the armed robbery conviction. 

  On May 8, 2020, Luc Pierre-Charles' post-conviction Attorney Mr. Daniel W. Ripley filed on his behalf a Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.850 motion to seek relief due to ineffective assistance of counsel, stemming from Pierre-Charles 2015 conviction. In the motion seeking relief, Attorney Ripley raises four claims outlining the facts demonstrating to the Court that Luc Pierre-Charles was denied effective representation of counsel when his Trial Attorney failed to do the following:*Claim 1: Investigate and call alibi witness Ashley Samelton at trial.*Claim 2(A): Impeach William Bennet's trial testimony with the law contained in Florida Statute 921.186.*Claim 2(B): Object to the repeated claim that Anthony Harris and Frank Harrison could not have their sentences reduced as a misstatement of the law.*Claim 2(C): Assistant State Attorneys committed a Giglio Violation when they knowingly elicited testimony and called a witness to testify that there was no way for an inmate who had already been sentenced to receive a reduction in that sentence knowing that this was false testimony.*Claim 3: Investigate jail calls and failed to impeach Anthony Harris,  one of the state key witnesses with statements within these calls.*Claim 4: Based on the cumulative effects of the specific allegations of ineffective assistance described in the preceding claims, Luc Pierre-Charles was denied effective representation of counsel. Had the above claims been presented at trial, there is a reasonable probability that the outcome would have been different, and that Luc Pierre-Charles would have been acquitted of the murder of Derek Pieper and Raymond Veluz. At the present time, Luc Pierre-Charle's 3.850 motion is currently pending, since May 2020, a ruling in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pasco County, Florida Criminal Justice Division. The facts clearly show that Luc Pierre-Charles was wrongfully convicted and innocent of the said crimes. The facts presented in the motion by Attorney Daniel Ripley, JUSTICE must be served and Luc Pierre-Charles set FREE from this cruel injustice imposed upon his life. Where Pierre-Charles can be safely returned home to his loving family.  Please view  Luc’s 3.850 motion and the transcribed jailhouse calls from Anthony Harris in the downloaded section.  

 Luc Pierre-Charles an inmate at Zephyrhills Correctional Institution has proven there are ways to apply oneself. As a reader of the law, member of the Committee Organizing Assistance and Community Help foundation (COACH), and Chief of Operations for the Z.C.I chapter of The Coach Foundation P.R.E.P. Initiative (Pre Release Education Program) Mr. Pierre-Charles has dedicated his time to learning and applying ethical principles to his life. When Mr. Pierre-Charles finds free time he is an active student in the chapel's seminary program, Miami International Theological Seminary (MINTS) as a way to assist others. As Mr. Pierre-Charles continues to fill his time with productive and meaningful efforts, he joined the cleanliness crew at the Mental Health Unit at Z.C.I. In order to receive this duty an individual is required to attend vigorous training. Mr. Pierre-Charles has not only demonstrated a will to help himself but also a willingness to help others. Mr. Pierre-Charles has received multiple certification to prove his attendance and completion in multiple areas of work, membership, and required trainings. This shows his dedication, virtuousness, understanding of commitment, as a man and productive citizen. 

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