Detroit's Channel 4 Recaps the Wrongful Conviction of Temujin Kensu

Due to the miserable failure of the courts, Temujin Kensu's freedom may not be determined by the law, but with the help of public opinion, an opinion that could influence Governor Whitmer to pardon him.

Temujin Kensu has been fighting for his freedom for over 33 years. Things went so far as to grant Temujin a writ of habeas corpus in federal district court by Judge Denise Page Hood in October 2010. But a year and a half later, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals chose legal technicalities over his obvious innocence and overturned the decision. It was a blatant choice to put technicalities over a man's life.

Temujin's case is still being pursued legally through the Wayne County Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), Though there is reason to have hope in this course, the CIU will take perhaps a year or more to make their final decision. Also, there is the question about how a Wayne County CIU or even the State CIU can overturn a verdict made in another county, So a decision declaring his innocence is almost assured to be challenged in the courts, robbing even more years of Kensu's life.

Long overdue, the only humane course yet is to appeal to the governor asking that Temujin Kensu be pardoned. By law, all criminal cases considered by the governor must be reviewed by the Michigan Department of Corrections Parole Board. First, the University of Michigan Innocence Clinic was informed that they had submitted the application too early. The Parole Board then sat on it for the longest time, eventually forced by law to pass on a recommendation to the governor. They recommended that he not be pardoned and offered no reason for their decision. (Kensu has repeatedly sued the MDOC for their treatment of him and other prisoners and the Parole Board simply doesn't like him. See Temujin Kensu: A Man for Others.)

We encourage you to watch the 3 1/2 minute long Channel 4 news story by clicking on the link or the picture below. It's a good recap but there was nothing new in it. It appears to be an editorial decision to support Kensu by bringing his story before the judgment of public opinion. The aim is to influence people to notify the Governor that there is tremendous support to right this wrong. As anchor Devin Scillian states,

"There are many things that have come to light that just don't seem right."

Devin Scallian, Kimberly Gill, and reporter Victor Williams of WDIV Detroit

We want to encourage everyone to take steps to let the Governor know of your support. The blog just previous to this, Help Us Get Temujin Home for Christmas, gives practical steps on how to do this. So, please, do not let these efforts go to waste. Take a couple of minutes today and tell Governor Whitmer this has to stop!

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