Police claim that a key piece of evidence against me were carpet fibers taken from the binding materials which matched carpet samples taken from my mother's home. This cannot be possible.
An article dated 2/2/2005 in the Seymour Daily Tribune refers to a scent dog named Emma who was deployed in the search for Katie soon after she became missing says:"Emma, a bloodhound, provided investigators with the general direction from the apartments Collman had visited to the Dollar Store, and from there is was evident that the walking trail became a car trail."This would indicate that Katie was abducted from the Dollar Store and not from my mother's home.
Another article printed in the Tribune on 1/27/2005 supports this. It states "Investigators, however have determined that Collman first visited a friend in an apartment west of the store, Ford said. Collman then went to the store and back to the apartment.
She was last seen walking North from the apartments, Ford said."
North from the Penn Villa apartment complex would have been in the general direction of the Dollar General Store.
My mother's house was Southwest of the apartment complex.
Now I ask, could it be possible for 16 carpet fibers to have remained on the girl's body after floating in a lake for over 5 days? Not at all likely. I beleive this evidence was taken by authorities from my mother's house.
Reporters Unbiased Analysis of Crothersville, Indiana
The murder of Aaron "Shorty" Hall in April 2007 again brought focus to the tiny town of only 1500 residents. Garrett Gray and Coleman King claim that they beat Aaron Hall to death because he made an unwanted sexual advance towards King. They left him naked and alone, dying in cold temperatures, suffering multiple beating wounds.
Garrett Gray and Coleman King both plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter and were sentenced to 30 years each. They could be free in as few as 15 years for a cold-blooded killing.
This crime is an interesting twist of events, in that Garrett Gray is the son of former deputy coroner Terry Gray. Terry Gray was the spokesperson for the family of Katie Collman and owned the garage in which Hall's body would be located 10 days later. Terry Gray is a former deputy coroner and reserve deputy in Jackson County, Indiana.
8 days after Hall's body was placed in the Gray garage, a local officer named Darryl Hickman went to the Gray residence to make a search. He told Hall's mother, Maria Gumm that he could find no evidence of Hall being at the Gray residence. Later, 13 red stains would be lifted from the premises, including the kitchen, deck and Gray's vehicle. Apparantly Hickman could not smell a rotting corpse as well.
Officer Darryl Hickman is an uncle to Charles "Chuckie" Hickman, the man who previously confessed to killing Katie Collman.
In addition, Hickman originally claimed that Katie witnessed drug activity in a local apartment complex. Prior to that occassion, Terry Gray, acting in capacity as reserve officer went to that same apartment to investigate allegations of meth production. He also could not smell anything and made no arrests.
Denise Travers of the Bloomington Alternative began covering the Aaron Hall case in June 2007 after several media outlets refused to cover the story. Here's how she surmised the town of Crothersville, Indiana:
As ever, the truth – if we can ever know it completely – likely lies somewhere in between the extremes. Sources in Crothersville indicate that the circumstances of Aaron's murder are significantly different than what has been reported in local media. They knowingly imply just how much can be concocted in 10 days – the length of time between Aaron's death and the official discovery of his body in the garage of Terry Gray, deputy Jackson County coroner and father of Garret Gray, one of the defendants. They indicate that a sexual advance was involved -- not toward King, but toward his girlfriend. They state that – contrary to sworn affidavits – there were other witnesses of Aaron's murder: indeed, some have indicated that the Gray household was something of a teen drug haven, and that at the time of the first punch to Aaron's body, some number of other teenagers were present.
What lies in the conscience of these teenagers? Each of the Jackson County residents to which I've spoken has commented, independently and forlornly, about the wretched absence of anything constructive or fun for the youth to engage. A dearth of such luxuries as volunteer opportunities or civic engagement, a surprising lack of church-related youth activity, rampant poverty and drugs and a Footloose-like youth despair combine to make an environment which breeds antipathy and distance. What can be expected of youth whose futures are so bleak? If it is true that other teens and young adults witnessed the attack, how dead must their hearts be to be able to endure their silence?
The influence of power cannot be ignored, either. Hushed tones accompany the mention of certain names, and the ever-present buzz of fear has residents considering using false names or refusing, outright, to speak on record. In a town where so many cling to their personal salvation through Jesus Christ, the landscape of Crothersville, Indiana is ironically godforsaken. Most are afraid to go on the record, for fear that local law enforcement will remember the indignity and further abuse their power through false arrests, trumped-up charges, botched investigations and abject corruption. Each and every Crothersville resident willing to comment about Aaron's murder has his or her own horror story about Jackson County. Many have had personal run-ins with the law. The stories of prejudice, intolerance and narrow-mindedness are legion. In a town the size of Crothersville, social capital is a powerful weapon. Everyone knows who wields the power. Everyone knows who the important families are. Everyone knows who to call to get meth. Everyone knows everyone's family, history, darkest hours. You don't cross those who are in power. Period.
Garrett Gray and Coleman King both plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter and were sentenced to 30 years each. They could be free in as few as 15 years for a cold-blooded killing.
This crime is an interesting twist of events, in that Garrett Gray is the son of former deputy coroner Terry Gray. Terry Gray was the spokesperson for the family of Katie Collman and owned the garage in which Hall's body would be located 10 days later. Terry Gray is a former deputy coroner and reserve deputy in Jackson County, Indiana.
8 days after Hall's body was placed in the Gray garage, a local officer named Darryl Hickman went to the Gray residence to make a search. He told Hall's mother, Maria Gumm that he could find no evidence of Hall being at the Gray residence. Later, 13 red stains would be lifted from the premises, including the kitchen, deck and Gray's vehicle. Apparantly Hickman could not smell a rotting corpse as well.
Officer Darryl Hickman is an uncle to Charles "Chuckie" Hickman, the man who previously confessed to killing Katie Collman.
In addition, Hickman originally claimed that Katie witnessed drug activity in a local apartment complex. Prior to that occassion, Terry Gray, acting in capacity as reserve officer went to that same apartment to investigate allegations of meth production. He also could not smell anything and made no arrests.
Denise Travers of the Bloomington Alternative began covering the Aaron Hall case in June 2007 after several media outlets refused to cover the story. Here's how she surmised the town of Crothersville, Indiana:
As ever, the truth – if we can ever know it completely – likely lies somewhere in between the extremes. Sources in Crothersville indicate that the circumstances of Aaron's murder are significantly different than what has been reported in local media. They knowingly imply just how much can be concocted in 10 days – the length of time between Aaron's death and the official discovery of his body in the garage of Terry Gray, deputy Jackson County coroner and father of Garret Gray, one of the defendants. They indicate that a sexual advance was involved -- not toward King, but toward his girlfriend. They state that – contrary to sworn affidavits – there were other witnesses of Aaron's murder: indeed, some have indicated that the Gray household was something of a teen drug haven, and that at the time of the first punch to Aaron's body, some number of other teenagers were present.
What lies in the conscience of these teenagers? Each of the Jackson County residents to which I've spoken has commented, independently and forlornly, about the wretched absence of anything constructive or fun for the youth to engage. A dearth of such luxuries as volunteer opportunities or civic engagement, a surprising lack of church-related youth activity, rampant poverty and drugs and a Footloose-like youth despair combine to make an environment which breeds antipathy and distance. What can be expected of youth whose futures are so bleak? If it is true that other teens and young adults witnessed the attack, how dead must their hearts be to be able to endure their silence?
The influence of power cannot be ignored, either. Hushed tones accompany the mention of certain names, and the ever-present buzz of fear has residents considering using false names or refusing, outright, to speak on record. In a town where so many cling to their personal salvation through Jesus Christ, the landscape of Crothersville, Indiana is ironically godforsaken. Most are afraid to go on the record, for fear that local law enforcement will remember the indignity and further abuse their power through false arrests, trumped-up charges, botched investigations and abject corruption. Each and every Crothersville resident willing to comment about Aaron's murder has his or her own horror story about Jackson County. Many have had personal run-ins with the law. The stories of prejudice, intolerance and narrow-mindedness are legion. In a town the size of Crothersville, social capital is a powerful weapon. Everyone knows who wields the power. Everyone knows who the important families are. Everyone knows who to call to get meth. Everyone knows everyone's family, history, darkest hours. You don't cross those who are in power. Period.
Innocent to protect drug informants
Framing innocent men in order to protect drug informants has been a longstanding policy within the FBI. In July, 2007 a Federal Judge ordered taxpayers to shell out over 100 million dollars to the families of four men who spent decades in prison for a murder they did not commit.
Here is the story from Fox News:
BOSTON — In a stinging rebuke of the FBI, a federal judge on Thursday ordered the government to pay a record judgment of nearly $102 million because agents withheld evidence that would have kept four men from spending decades in prison for a mob murder they did not commit.
Judge Nancy Gertner told a packed courtroom that agents were trying to protect informants when they encouraged a witness to lie, then withheld evidence they knew could prove the four men were not involved in the 1965 murder of Edward "Teddy" Deegan, a small-time thug shot in an alley.
Gertner said Boston FBI agents knew mob hitman Joseph "The Animal" Barboza lied when he named Joseph Salvati, Peter Limone, Henry Tameleo and Louis Greco as Deegan's killers. She said the FBI considered the four "collateral damage" in its war against the Mafia, the bureau's top priority in the 1960s.
Tameleo and Greco died behind bars, and Salvati and Limone spent three decades in prison before they were exonerated in 2001. Salvati, Limone and the families of the other men sued the federal government for malicious prosecution.
"Do I want the money? Yes, I want my children, my grandchildren to have things I didn't have, but nothing can compensate for what they've done," said Salvati, 75.
"It's been a long time coming," said Limone, 73. "What I've been through — I hope it never happens to anyone else."
The case is only the latest to highlight the cozy relationship Boston mobsters enjoyed with FBI agents for decades. Former Boston agent John Connolly was sentenced in 2002 to 10 years in prison for his role in protecting two organized crime kingpins, including one who remains a fugitive.
Gertner said FBI agents Dennis Condon and H. Paul Rico not only withheld evidence of Barboza's lie, but told state prosecutors who were handling the Deegan murder investigation that they had checked out Barboza's story and it was true.
"The FBI's misconduct was clearly the sole cause of this conviction," the judge said.
The government had argued federal authorities had no duty to share information with state officials who prosecuted the men. Federal authorities cannot be held responsible for the results of a state prosecution, a Justice Department lawyer said.
Gertner rejected that argument.
"The government's position is, in a word, absurd," she said.
A Boston FBI spokeswoman referred calls to the Department of Justice. Charles Miller, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said officials would have no immediate comment.
Peter Neufeld, co-founder of the Innocence Project, a New York-based legal advocacy group that specializes in overturning wrongful convictions, said the $101.75 million award is the largest ever in a wrongful-conviction case.
Gertner awarded $26 million to Limone, $29 million to Salvati, $13 million to Tameleo's estate and $28 million to Greco's estate. The wives of Limone and Salvati and the estate of Tameleo's deceased wife each received slightly more than $1 million. The men's 10 children were each awarded $250,000.
Limone and Salvati stared straight ahead as the judge announced her ruling, but a gasp was heard from the area where their friends and family were sitting when Gertner said how much the government would be forced to pay.
At the time of Deegan's slaying, Tameleo and Limone were reputed leaders of the New England mob, while Greco and Salvati had minor criminal records.
Deegan's murder had gone unsolved until the FBI recruited Barboza to testify against several organized crime figures. Barboza wanted to protect a fellow FBI informant, Vincent "Jimmy" Flemmi, who was involved in the Deegan slaying, and agreed to testify for state prosecutors in the case, plaintiff's lawyers said.
Tameleo died in prison in 1985 after serving 18 years. Greco died in prison in 1995 after serving 28 years.
Salvati was sentenced to life in prison as an accessory to murder. He was released from prison when his sentence was commuted in 1997, after serving a little more than 29 years. Limone served 33 years in prison before being freed in 2001.
Salvati and Limone were exonerated in 2001 after FBI memos dating back to the Deegan case surfaced during probes into the Boston FBI's relationship with gangsters and FBI informants Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi, Vincent's brother, and James "Whitey" Bulger, who has been on the FBI's "10 Most Wanted" list for years.
Republican Rep. Dan Burton of Indiana, who chaired the House Government Reform Committee when it conducted an investigation of the FBI and its use of criminal informants, said he was gratified by the judge's ruling.
"This was one of the biggest injustices that I have ever seen," Burton said.
One of the agents blamed in the case, Rico, was arrested in 2003 on murder and conspiracy charges in the 1981 killing of a Tulsa, Okla., businessman. Rico died in state custody in 2004 while awaiting trial.
Attorneys for Condon did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment Thursday.
During testimony before Burton's committee in 2001, Rico denied he and his partner helped frame an innocent man for Deegan's death, but acknowledged that Salvati wrongly spent 30 years in prison for the crime.
Rico was unrepentant when asked how he felt about Salvati's wrongful imprisonment.
"What do you want, tears?" he said.
Here is the story from Fox News:
BOSTON — In a stinging rebuke of the FBI, a federal judge on Thursday ordered the government to pay a record judgment of nearly $102 million because agents withheld evidence that would have kept four men from spending decades in prison for a mob murder they did not commit.
Judge Nancy Gertner told a packed courtroom that agents were trying to protect informants when they encouraged a witness to lie, then withheld evidence they knew could prove the four men were not involved in the 1965 murder of Edward "Teddy" Deegan, a small-time thug shot in an alley.
Gertner said Boston FBI agents knew mob hitman Joseph "The Animal" Barboza lied when he named Joseph Salvati, Peter Limone, Henry Tameleo and Louis Greco as Deegan's killers. She said the FBI considered the four "collateral damage" in its war against the Mafia, the bureau's top priority in the 1960s.
Tameleo and Greco died behind bars, and Salvati and Limone spent three decades in prison before they were exonerated in 2001. Salvati, Limone and the families of the other men sued the federal government for malicious prosecution.
"Do I want the money? Yes, I want my children, my grandchildren to have things I didn't have, but nothing can compensate for what they've done," said Salvati, 75.
"It's been a long time coming," said Limone, 73. "What I've been through — I hope it never happens to anyone else."
The case is only the latest to highlight the cozy relationship Boston mobsters enjoyed with FBI agents for decades. Former Boston agent John Connolly was sentenced in 2002 to 10 years in prison for his role in protecting two organized crime kingpins, including one who remains a fugitive.
Gertner said FBI agents Dennis Condon and H. Paul Rico not only withheld evidence of Barboza's lie, but told state prosecutors who were handling the Deegan murder investigation that they had checked out Barboza's story and it was true.
"The FBI's misconduct was clearly the sole cause of this conviction," the judge said.
The government had argued federal authorities had no duty to share information with state officials who prosecuted the men. Federal authorities cannot be held responsible for the results of a state prosecution, a Justice Department lawyer said.
Gertner rejected that argument.
"The government's position is, in a word, absurd," she said.
A Boston FBI spokeswoman referred calls to the Department of Justice. Charles Miller, a spokesman for the Justice Department, said officials would have no immediate comment.
Peter Neufeld, co-founder of the Innocence Project, a New York-based legal advocacy group that specializes in overturning wrongful convictions, said the $101.75 million award is the largest ever in a wrongful-conviction case.
Gertner awarded $26 million to Limone, $29 million to Salvati, $13 million to Tameleo's estate and $28 million to Greco's estate. The wives of Limone and Salvati and the estate of Tameleo's deceased wife each received slightly more than $1 million. The men's 10 children were each awarded $250,000.
Limone and Salvati stared straight ahead as the judge announced her ruling, but a gasp was heard from the area where their friends and family were sitting when Gertner said how much the government would be forced to pay.
At the time of Deegan's slaying, Tameleo and Limone were reputed leaders of the New England mob, while Greco and Salvati had minor criminal records.
Deegan's murder had gone unsolved until the FBI recruited Barboza to testify against several organized crime figures. Barboza wanted to protect a fellow FBI informant, Vincent "Jimmy" Flemmi, who was involved in the Deegan slaying, and agreed to testify for state prosecutors in the case, plaintiff's lawyers said.
Tameleo died in prison in 1985 after serving 18 years. Greco died in prison in 1995 after serving 28 years.
Salvati was sentenced to life in prison as an accessory to murder. He was released from prison when his sentence was commuted in 1997, after serving a little more than 29 years. Limone served 33 years in prison before being freed in 2001.
Salvati and Limone were exonerated in 2001 after FBI memos dating back to the Deegan case surfaced during probes into the Boston FBI's relationship with gangsters and FBI informants Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi, Vincent's brother, and James "Whitey" Bulger, who has been on the FBI's "10 Most Wanted" list for years.
Republican Rep. Dan Burton of Indiana, who chaired the House Government Reform Committee when it conducted an investigation of the FBI and its use of criminal informants, said he was gratified by the judge's ruling.
"This was one of the biggest injustices that I have ever seen," Burton said.
One of the agents blamed in the case, Rico, was arrested in 2003 on murder and conspiracy charges in the 1981 killing of a Tulsa, Okla., businessman. Rico died in state custody in 2004 while awaiting trial.
Attorneys for Condon did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment Thursday.
During testimony before Burton's committee in 2001, Rico denied he and his partner helped frame an innocent man for Deegan's death, but acknowledged that Salvati wrongly spent 30 years in prison for the crime.
Rico was unrepentant when asked how he felt about Salvati's wrongful imprisonment.
"What do you want, tears?" he said.
Unanswered questions
Here are a few unanswered questions concerning this case. I'm sure there are many many more:
Unanswered questions about the Katie Collman case:
1. Why were police not doing anything about the drug problem in the community prior to Katie’s disappearance?
2. Why did the eyewitness who saw Katie in the truck wait 2 days to come forward?
3. Why did police claim Katie was riding with a stranger while at the same time claiming she looked as though she was a normal passenger?
4. Why was the composite sketch not shown again after Hickman’s arrest?
5. Who did Katie visit at the Penn Villa apartment complex?
6. What false information did the 17 year old give to police?
7. Why did Hickman name Jeff Tatlock?
8. Why were over 70 people DNA tested, including one person after Anthony Stockelman was charged with her murder?
9. Why did Prosecutor Stephen Pierson thank the State Police Crime Lab for their efforts in testing the evidence quickly, yet 7 months after Stockelman’s arrest claim he did not have the evidence back from the lab?
10. Why did Pierson claim only one week prior to Stockelman’s arrest that Katie had not been molested?
11. Why was Pierson hesitant to seek the death penalty against Hickman, yet quickly added a death penalty affadavit to the case when he charged Stockelman?
12. How could one lone cigarette butt at Cypress Lake be identified as having been left there by the killer?
13. How many cigarette butts were found at Cypress Lake? How many were tested?
14. Why did the semen evidence change from being found on Katie’s body to being found inside her body?
15. Why did police not ask for a DNA sample from Anthony Stockelman earlier?
16. Why had Stockelman been dismissed as a suspect if Chuckie Hickman’s story was so outrageous?
17. Where did Hickman take police claiming that Katie would be found alive?
18. Did someone threaten Hickman into making a false confession?
19. Why was this case never heard before a Grand Jury?
20. Why did Tabitha Stockelman stand behind her husband after police charged him with the murder after stating his DNA was found on binding materials, yet later state that the DNA evidence was what had changed her opinion?
21. Why had police previously checked the lake, but not found Katie’s body?
22. Why were Dennis and Edward Carmen questioned concerning the Collman case?
23. Why was the eyewitness who saw Katie in the truck not present to testify in court?
24. Why were none of the other eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen Katie in the truck on the day of her disappearance also not present in court?
25. Why wasn’t Chuckie Hickman deposed or subpoenaed to testify in court?
26. Who were the other people Hickman named?
27. Why did Pierson claim it was not possible for Hickman to have abducted Katie because he was at a party at the time of her disappearance, yet in the probable cause affadavit against Hickman claim that an eyewitness saw him in the area of the Dollar Store at around the same time Katie was last seen?
28. Were false informing charges brought against the eyewitness who claimed to have seen Hickman near the Dollar Store?
29. Why did Hickman’s mother claim that others had threatened her son into making a false confession? Who were they?
30. Why did police concentrate on finding a person smoking Roger cigarettes rather than seeing if the DNA matched that of the man who had confessed?
31. Why was the cigarette butt not tested at the same time as the binding materials?
32. How could 16 carpet fibers remain on the child’s body after being submersed in the lake for 5 days, yet none be found in Stockelman’s truck?
33. How can semen be positively tested after being in water for such a long period of time?
34. Were tire tracks taken at the Lake? If so, what were the results?
35. Why did police go to a home on 800 South the night of Katie’s disappearance looking for her?
36. Why did police not make any arrests when they found a meth lab in operation that same evening?
37. Why had police not made any previous arrests when called to the Penn Villa apartment complex prior to Katie’s disappearance?
38. Why will no one name the residents of the apartment Katie visited?
39. Why were all of Stockelman’s pre-trial conferences public, yet the same has not applied to all other cases in Jackson County including that of Zachariah Blanton which has also gained national publicity?
41. Why would Katie look as though she were a normal passenger in the truck unless she was with someone she was familiar with?
42. What are the names of the 69 other persons who were DNA tested?
43. Who was asked to submit a DNA sample one month after Stockelman was charged with Katie’s murder? Why were they asked for a sample?
44. Were the other samples returned from the laboratory in a timely manner?
Specific questions for James “Ricky” Kilburn
1. Why didn’t you ask for a change of venue?
2. Why were several key witnesses never questioned, including the person who last saw Katie?
3. Why did you allow Pierson to go in excess of 8 months without turning over the evidence against your client?
4. You claimed you could not defend Anthony if you felt he was guilty. Yet not only did you defend him, you asked for his release from jail under a new interpretation of Criminal Rule 4. Later you claimed you felt he was guilty. Why were you not only able to defend him believing he was guilty, but also ask for his release under Criminal Rule 4?
5. Why did you ask for his release under Criminal Rule 4 knowing that you yourself had asked for the case to be moved forward?
6. Why did you allow your client to waive rights to a trial by jury as well as any rights to appeal?
7. Why did you visit Stockelman so infrequently at the Jackson County Jail?
8. Why did you not ask for the DNA evidence to be re-tested?
9. Why did you not raise any objections or cross examine any witnesses during the plea agreement?
10. Why did you wait until the Friday before the plea hearing to contact any possible witnesses to testify as to Stockelman’s character?
11. Why did you not include another witness who was willing to testify on Stockelman’s behalf without a subpeona?
12. Why did you not attempt to contact any of Stockelman’s co-workers to testify on his behalf after the initial sentencing hearing was postponed?
13. A specific event was told to you during a meeting with one of the witnesses. This event would have been significant if mentioned in court, yet you never brought it up and never allowed the witness to talk about it either. Why?
14. Why were no expert witnesses called to testify?
15. Have you seen the DNA evidence?
16. Why did you never follow up with a witness who saw vehicles at Cypress Lake prior to her being found?
17. Why did you allow the prosecution to proceed with a plea hearing in which Mr. Pierson openly stated he would not obey the requirements of Indiana Law by having Mr. Stockelman state how the crime was committed?
18. Had you previously been fired by Mr. Stockelman?
19. Mr. Stockelman was entitled to two death penalty certified attorneys. Why did you never ask for these attorneys to be appointed to him?
20. How many drug dealers in the Crothersville/Austin area did you represent? Were any of these people named by Hickman?
21. What did you do with money given to you by members of Stockelman’s family to have the DNA retested?
22. Why did you tell Stockelman’s family not to speak out to the media on his behalf?
23. Are you troubled by your involvement in obtaining Stockelman’s false confession, thus allowing those truly responsible for Katie’s death to remain free?
24. Will you stand before the Lord with a clear conscience on your day of judgement?
Unanswered questions about the Katie Collman case:
1. Why were police not doing anything about the drug problem in the community prior to Katie’s disappearance?
2. Why did the eyewitness who saw Katie in the truck wait 2 days to come forward?
3. Why did police claim Katie was riding with a stranger while at the same time claiming she looked as though she was a normal passenger?
4. Why was the composite sketch not shown again after Hickman’s arrest?
5. Who did Katie visit at the Penn Villa apartment complex?
6. What false information did the 17 year old give to police?
7. Why did Hickman name Jeff Tatlock?
8. Why were over 70 people DNA tested, including one person after Anthony Stockelman was charged with her murder?
9. Why did Prosecutor Stephen Pierson thank the State Police Crime Lab for their efforts in testing the evidence quickly, yet 7 months after Stockelman’s arrest claim he did not have the evidence back from the lab?
10. Why did Pierson claim only one week prior to Stockelman’s arrest that Katie had not been molested?
11. Why was Pierson hesitant to seek the death penalty against Hickman, yet quickly added a death penalty affadavit to the case when he charged Stockelman?
12. How could one lone cigarette butt at Cypress Lake be identified as having been left there by the killer?
13. How many cigarette butts were found at Cypress Lake? How many were tested?
14. Why did the semen evidence change from being found on Katie’s body to being found inside her body?
15. Why did police not ask for a DNA sample from Anthony Stockelman earlier?
16. Why had Stockelman been dismissed as a suspect if Chuckie Hickman’s story was so outrageous?
17. Where did Hickman take police claiming that Katie would be found alive?
18. Did someone threaten Hickman into making a false confession?
19. Why was this case never heard before a Grand Jury?
20. Why did Tabitha Stockelman stand behind her husband after police charged him with the murder after stating his DNA was found on binding materials, yet later state that the DNA evidence was what had changed her opinion?
21. Why had police previously checked the lake, but not found Katie’s body?
22. Why were Dennis and Edward Carmen questioned concerning the Collman case?
23. Why was the eyewitness who saw Katie in the truck not present to testify in court?
24. Why were none of the other eyewitnesses who claimed to have seen Katie in the truck on the day of her disappearance also not present in court?
25. Why wasn’t Chuckie Hickman deposed or subpoenaed to testify in court?
26. Who were the other people Hickman named?
27. Why did Pierson claim it was not possible for Hickman to have abducted Katie because he was at a party at the time of her disappearance, yet in the probable cause affadavit against Hickman claim that an eyewitness saw him in the area of the Dollar Store at around the same time Katie was last seen?
28. Were false informing charges brought against the eyewitness who claimed to have seen Hickman near the Dollar Store?
29. Why did Hickman’s mother claim that others had threatened her son into making a false confession? Who were they?
30. Why did police concentrate on finding a person smoking Roger cigarettes rather than seeing if the DNA matched that of the man who had confessed?
31. Why was the cigarette butt not tested at the same time as the binding materials?
32. How could 16 carpet fibers remain on the child’s body after being submersed in the lake for 5 days, yet none be found in Stockelman’s truck?
33. How can semen be positively tested after being in water for such a long period of time?
34. Were tire tracks taken at the Lake? If so, what were the results?
35. Why did police go to a home on 800 South the night of Katie’s disappearance looking for her?
36. Why did police not make any arrests when they found a meth lab in operation that same evening?
37. Why had police not made any previous arrests when called to the Penn Villa apartment complex prior to Katie’s disappearance?
38. Why will no one name the residents of the apartment Katie visited?
39. Why were all of Stockelman’s pre-trial conferences public, yet the same has not applied to all other cases in Jackson County including that of Zachariah Blanton which has also gained national publicity?
41. Why would Katie look as though she were a normal passenger in the truck unless she was with someone she was familiar with?
42. What are the names of the 69 other persons who were DNA tested?
43. Who was asked to submit a DNA sample one month after Stockelman was charged with Katie’s murder? Why were they asked for a sample?
44. Were the other samples returned from the laboratory in a timely manner?
Specific questions for James “Ricky” Kilburn
1. Why didn’t you ask for a change of venue?
2. Why were several key witnesses never questioned, including the person who last saw Katie?
3. Why did you allow Pierson to go in excess of 8 months without turning over the evidence against your client?
4. You claimed you could not defend Anthony if you felt he was guilty. Yet not only did you defend him, you asked for his release from jail under a new interpretation of Criminal Rule 4. Later you claimed you felt he was guilty. Why were you not only able to defend him believing he was guilty, but also ask for his release under Criminal Rule 4?
5. Why did you ask for his release under Criminal Rule 4 knowing that you yourself had asked for the case to be moved forward?
6. Why did you allow your client to waive rights to a trial by jury as well as any rights to appeal?
7. Why did you visit Stockelman so infrequently at the Jackson County Jail?
8. Why did you not ask for the DNA evidence to be re-tested?
9. Why did you not raise any objections or cross examine any witnesses during the plea agreement?
10. Why did you wait until the Friday before the plea hearing to contact any possible witnesses to testify as to Stockelman’s character?
11. Why did you not include another witness who was willing to testify on Stockelman’s behalf without a subpeona?
12. Why did you not attempt to contact any of Stockelman’s co-workers to testify on his behalf after the initial sentencing hearing was postponed?
13. A specific event was told to you during a meeting with one of the witnesses. This event would have been significant if mentioned in court, yet you never brought it up and never allowed the witness to talk about it either. Why?
14. Why were no expert witnesses called to testify?
15. Have you seen the DNA evidence?
16. Why did you never follow up with a witness who saw vehicles at Cypress Lake prior to her being found?
17. Why did you allow the prosecution to proceed with a plea hearing in which Mr. Pierson openly stated he would not obey the requirements of Indiana Law by having Mr. Stockelman state how the crime was committed?
18. Had you previously been fired by Mr. Stockelman?
19. Mr. Stockelman was entitled to two death penalty certified attorneys. Why did you never ask for these attorneys to be appointed to him?
20. How many drug dealers in the Crothersville/Austin area did you represent? Were any of these people named by Hickman?
21. What did you do with money given to you by members of Stockelman’s family to have the DNA retested?
22. Why did you tell Stockelman’s family not to speak out to the media on his behalf?
23. Are you troubled by your involvement in obtaining Stockelman’s false confession, thus allowing those truly responsible for Katie’s death to remain free?
24. Will you stand before the Lord with a clear conscience on your day of judgement?
My attorney
A friend sent this message to me while I was in the Jackson County Jail. It does help to put things into perspective. Hope you enjoy it.
My Attorney
After living what I felt was a decent life, my time on earth came to an end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a courthouse.
The doors opened, and I was instructed to come in and have a seat at the defense table.
As I looked around, I saw the “prosecutor.”
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.
He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar, I felt I knew Him.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes.
He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him.
As He took His seat behind the bend He said “Let us begin.”
The prosecutor rose and said: “My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in Hell.”
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all those things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney, who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I knew I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life-couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’d done?
Satan finished with a fury and said “This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise.”
When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.
The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to Him in His full splendor and majesty. I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge “Hi, Dad”, and then He turned to address the court.
“Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won’t deny any of these allegations. And yes, the wages of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished.”
Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed: “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine.”
My Lord continued with, “His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me.”
Satan still does not understand yet.
“This man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.”
As Jesus sat down He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said “There is nothing else that needs to be done. I’ve done it all.”
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips:
“This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed.”
As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving “I won’t give up. I will win the next one.”
I asked Jesus as He gave me instructions where to go next “Have you ever lost a case?”
Christ lovingly smiled and said “Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you-Paid in Full.”
My Attorney
After living what I felt was a decent life, my time on earth came to an end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a courthouse.
The doors opened, and I was instructed to come in and have a seat at the defense table.
As I looked around, I saw the “prosecutor.”
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.
He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar, I felt I knew Him.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes.
He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him.
As He took His seat behind the bend He said “Let us begin.”
The prosecutor rose and said: “My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in Hell.”
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all those things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney, who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I knew I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life-couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’d done?
Satan finished with a fury and said “This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise.”
When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.
The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to Him in His full splendor and majesty. I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge “Hi, Dad”, and then He turned to address the court.
“Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won’t deny any of these allegations. And yes, the wages of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished.”
Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed: “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine.”
My Lord continued with, “His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me.”
Satan still does not understand yet.
“This man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.”
As Jesus sat down He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said “There is nothing else that needs to be done. I’ve done it all.”
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips:
“This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed.”
As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving “I won’t give up. I will win the next one.”
I asked Jesus as He gave me instructions where to go next “Have you ever lost a case?”
Christ lovingly smiled and said “Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you-Paid in Full.”
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