Known as the East Cleveland 3, Derrick Wheatt, Laurese Glover and Eugene Johnson have been free since 2015. The state and its prosecuting attorneys, however, have refused to dismiss the case with prejudice. Wheatt and Glover filed the lawsuit.
The central point of contention has been covered in previous court hearings, leading to their exoneration two years ago: Members of the East Cleveland police department and the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office willfully suppressed evidence that would have proven the men’s innocence in the murder case. Specifically, the lawsuit cites: “unduly suggestive witness identifications and photo lineups; and fabrication, destruction, and suppression of evidence.” (The lawsuit, embedded below, details the step-by-step process that law enforcement took to target the three men.)
Among the named defendants: former prosecutor Carmen Marino, whose legacy is so tainted with corruption and unethical bombast that a simple Google search of his name reveals only the slimy trail he left as he slithered into and out of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center each day for 30 years. As we reported in our feature last year, Marino was instrumental in destroying the lives of Glover, Wheatt and Johnson.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial to determine damages and compensatory payment.
This article appears in Feb 22-28, 2017.
Carmen Marino is a piece of (criminal) garbage.