Charge: First Degree Murder/Armed Criminal Action
Sentence: Life Without Parole 35 Years
Both Sentences to be served Consecutive
Status: Currently on appeal in the state court system
Issue: Sufficiency of Evidence Innocence, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
My name is William J. Condit, but everybody knows me by Bill. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the year 1961. I relocated to the state of Missouri in the Fall of 1985. I met a beautiful woman a year later and started a relationship that eventually led to marriage and a decent life. I worked at Ex-L-Tube in North Kansas City initially as a welder and worked my way up assistant Department head of Projects & Engineering. This position gave me responsibility of all the rolling equipment in the steel mill and those projects that leaned towards increasing the production of tubing being manufactured at our plant. My life appeared content. I worked hard at my job and did all the things a man should do to provide a home and future for my family. Then It Happened!!
A self-destructing series of misjudgement and actions started the event that would destroy everything that I had worked so hard to achieve not only for myself but those that depended upon me. I never saw it coming! On August 9, 1995 the culmination of months of irresponsibility and chaos found me standing in the middle of a livingroom in midtown Kansas City wondering how what I just witnessed happened. Two acquaintances and I were hanging out at one of the guys house drinking beer and watching boxing on the television on cable that night. Before the night was over one guy was dead on the livingroom floor and the other standing over top of him with a knife. I could not believe what had just happened, but the real surprise was that in the end I was going to be sent to prison with a life without sentence for the conduct of another individual. I was in a state of shock and everything seemed surrealistic.
I found myself leaving with the individual that comitted the Homicide. I had no idea what was going on or what to do. I had been staying over at his house the last few days and that was where my car and things were. The reality of what had just happened and not hit me yet. That Would Change!!
For the next 24 hours nothing appeared to be real. The individual that comitted the murder came up with a story to tell the police if one of us got questioned about the incident and that we should change our clothing. He said that we should go over to his brothers house. We went there for the night and he spoke with his brother and went to sleep. I could not do anything but dwell on what had just happened. I was too terrified to do anything and the first chance I got, I was going to get away from all this. His brother kept coming into the bedroom the check on us throughout the night. I just kept reliving the incident as to what I experienced that night. It was impossible to deal with. I just wanted it to be a dream. I just wanted to run away from the world and everybody in it.
I was taken into custody the following night after 36 and a half hours since I last slept or ate. In a total disheveled state of mind physically and mentally I was interrogated by two detectives from the Kansas City Homicide department. I agreed to talk to them after it was quite clear that failure to comply would be hazardous to my health. I told them that I was in fact there that night. They asked me about what transpired that night and the events that led up to the death of one of the individuals. I told them that the two got into an argument over an issue that apparently been ongoing for the last few days and an altercation ensued to which the one killed the other. I explained that I did not know that anything like this was going to happen and that out of the blue everything went crazy.
They informed me that they had the other individual in custody and that he had already admitted that he had stabbed the victim in the chest which caused the death. They informed me that he confessed and that they just had a few loose ends to tie together that at that time did not appear to make sense. I reiterated my statement that I was indeed present at the time and that the two had been arguing throughout the night and that I had nothing to do with the actions that caused the death of the victim. From that moment on the environment took a drastic turn for the worse. I was threatened and beaten psychologically with the proverbial rubber hose. They Told Me how it went down and after 3 and one half hours of relentless psychological torture and total disregard to my requests for counsel they had me agreeing with whatever script they chose.
It had taken about 3 takes during those hours for me to get my lines correct and eventually a film crew was called to location to record the final production. Unlike that to which you see on television they do not stop yelling at you when you request an attorney. I was mentally beaten down to the point that I would have admitted to harming the President to get out of that small room and the presence of the Detective. I wish to state that the contents of my statement did not contain anything stating that I killed the individual. They just needed to implicate me into the crime. They accomplished this task by telling me that I would be charged and convicted of first degree murder if I just stood there and did not attempt to stop the altercation. I eventually conceded to their pressure and said that I did attempt to stop the fight and to get the victim off of the other guy. This statement with a few other strategic changes in the script set the scenario that eventually cost me my life. Not bad work for those that are entrusted with the sanctity of protecting the rights of the accused and investigation of a crime.
I was taken in front of a judge a day or so later and still had not seen nor spoken with an attorney that was to be appointed to me upon request. The charges lodged against me were read and imagine the surprise and shock when I was informed that I was being held on first degree murder charges and armed criminal action. I was given no opportunity to speak and wisked out of the courtroom and sent straight to jail.
It wasn't long before I started to completely unravel and lose all sense of reality. I was referred to the Psyche department after filling out a request for help. I was seen by a psychologist to whom after evaluating me found that I was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and sudden impulse deficit disorder. I was placed on medication and periodically seen by the psyche department at the detention center.
On 10/20/95 I was finally graced with a visit from an attorney from the Jackson county public defenders office. Some Two Months Later. It was apparent that this attorney had numerous people to see and not alot of time in which to accomplish this. He had in his arms several files in number which referred to various different cases. He looked as if he had not slept in days. I knew and had lived the experience of sleep deprivation all too well. He was a walking posterboard. He only spoke with me for a few minutes and told me to worry and everything was under control, Justice for Some.
The next time I saw him was on 1/10/96. After some 3 months later and I am told that we would be going to trial in a month later. He told me that everything was going well and that he was doing everything that needed to be done on my behalf. I assured him that I was indeed worried and concerned that we had not gone ever anything about what went on as to this event aside from the fleeting Hello-Goodbyes. I as well inquired into the investigation and interviews that I assumed all attorney's did in the course of the duties. I even handed him a list of names and avenues to look into that was prepared by a paralegal at the jail on my behalf. He took the notes and told me he had to go and that he would see me real soon. Justice For Some!!
A month later I get called from an attorney visit from him admonishing me for sending a letter to his superior and several other outside entities requesting assistance in getting somebody capable of handling this case. I just was not buying the Do Not Worry answers I got from him, no matter how doped up I was on psyche medication. I just could not believe that a case as serious as this was being handled in such a manner.
The day before trial I see him and he hands me a case to take back to the cell to read and says that it is the winner to set me Free! A few words and the ever present Do Not Worry is administered with a handshake and off he went. "See ya tomorrow I think??", I say to myself.
The next day 3/4/96 the trial is to begin. My attorney requests a hearing on the Motion to Suppress my coerced and fabricated statement, yet presents no evidence on my behalf. The prosecution goes on to state that everything went as it should and that there was no foul play involved. The only one that could testify as to the actual events that transpired in the interrogation room is never called. We were overruled and I do not blame the Judge. We did not present anything!! The trial went forward and the state presented its theory and when it came time to present our side of the events that night my attorney stated "We have nothing to offer"!! It took 2 and a half days to wipe me off the face of the earth and the only reason why was because I did not have the cash to buy Justice. I had an overworked, heavily burdened shell of a man attempt to sell me on the idea that everything was going to work out just fine. I Do Not Blame Him. Society made this type of conduct tolerable. He was just trying to make a living, though mentally I question his ethics, I was well understand.
I have documented every aspect of this case and have been systematically denied at every avenue in the State court system in getting a hearing as to my claims. I will Never give in until I receive a fair trial. In short my day in court Literally consisted of one side saying I did this, and my side standing mute. Justice is not what you see on television. Go to the real court in your town or city and see how there is Justice for Some, and Carte Blanche Access to Prison for the Poor!!
Or e-mail me here please put my name in your letter I share this box with several others.
