My Journey to Help a Death Row Inmate

Visit on the Eve of New Years Eve!!!

2011-12-31T17:30:00.000-08:00

So tried to visit Chelsea just before Christmas but the lines were so long and they were only allowing 1 person at a time visit an inmate so Mom and I gave up. So we went yesterday and visited Chelsea. She was in good spirits. Unsure of what will happen now as her attorney died the beginning of December. She goes back to court on January 17th. If you are a praying person, I know she would appreciate any and all prayers. We are specifically praying for the RIGHT lawyer be appointed!!! God knows and is in control of everything so we believe He is working for her good!!! She told us whatever His Will is...

Her mail is a little messed up still with being moved and her number changing so she isn't getting much mail yet.

We had a wonderful visit. Laughed and planned for the future when she is no longer incarcerated!!! In Faith!!!

Later

Chelsea gets a new sentencing trial

2011-11-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

I think this is a good thing? I'll keep you updated as this happens. I know emails are being received from her attorney so I hope hope hope and pray that this is good and what she needs!!!

Texas woman on death row gets new sentencing trial

By MICHAEL GRACZYK, Associated Press – 2 hours ago

HOUSTON (AP) — One of 10 women on death row in Texas won a new sentencing trial Wednesday after an appeals court agreed that prosecutors improperly withheld evidence at her original punishment hearing.

Chelsea Richardson, 27, was convicted of masterminding the slayings of her boyfriend's parents so her boyfriend could inherit their $1.56 million estate. She was 19 at the time of the December 2003 killings.

Her appeal focused on what her attorney said was a prosecutor's failure to give Richardson's trial lawyers notes from a psychologist that suggested another woman masterminded the plot to kill Rick and Suzanna Wamsley, of Mansfield.

Tarrant County prosecutors didn't dispute the material was withheld but argued the notes would not have changed the outcome of the jury's decision to send Richardson to death row.

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday sent the case back to Tarrant County for a new punishment hearing.

Richardson's boyfriend, Andrew Wamsley, and the other woman, Susana Toledano, are serving life prison terms in the case. Toledano took prosecutors' plea deal and testified against Richardson and Wamsley, who also was convicted at trial.

A New Level

2010-11-08T05:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we begin again today in court. I can't get off work, which stinks but My family and friends are going without me. So they will tell me what's up. Pray that God gives the attorney wisdom and the right words to say!!! This is state level and it sounds good. I'm praying for a brand new trial!!! Some very important stuff is supposed to come out today and I believe God can do what's best. Keep Chelsea, her family and friends in court today in your prayers!!! They will need it!!!

Judge considers removing DA's office from case

2009-06-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

© 2009 The Associated Press
June 13, 2009, 10:30AM

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Tarrant County district attorney's office could be removed from its involvement in the appeal of a condemned woman after her lawyer raised claims of prosecutor misconduct.

A state district judge is reviewing complaints from the attorney for convicted murderer Chelsea Richardson that a district attorney withheld a report from Richardson's trial lawyers and interfered with her attorney-client privilege, repeating misconduct that resulted in a reversal in another death penalty case.

State District Judge Steven Herod, from Eastland County, took the issue under advisement following a hearing Friday.

Richardson, 25, was condemned for the slayings of Rick and Suzanna Wamsley, her boyfriend's parents, at their home in Mansfield in 2003. She's the first woman in Tarrant County sentenced to die.

Richardson's lawyer, Bob Ford, has argued the lead prosecutor at her trial, Mike Parrish, didn't disclose a favorable psychological report about Richardson, which would be a constitutional violation. He's also raised claims that Parrish, who retired from the district attorney's office last year, improperly failed to disclose that he indirectly received information from her trial lawyer's legal assistant.

At the hearing Friday, Ford submitted documents in another death penalty case prosecuted by Parrish that was overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

In that case, convicted killer Michael Toney won a new trial after the Tarrant County district attorney's office agreed Parrish failed to turn over documents to Toney's defense team. Toney was convicted of a 1985 bombing that killed three people and the Texas attorney general's office is now handling the case after the Tarrant County prosecutor's office recused itself.

Charles Mallin, an assistant district attorney in Tarrant County, told Herod Friday the Toney case "was a completely different matter" that was irrelevant to Richardson's case.

"We don't think he (Ford) has proved that this office has any type of conflict whatsoever," Mallin told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Ford responded that he could think of "nothing else more relevant." He's hoping for a new trial for Richardson or a reduction in her sentence to life in prison.

At her trial, Richardson was described as the mastermind of a plot to kill the couple so her boyfriend, Andrew Wamsley, could inherit his parent's $1.65 million estate. Wamsley and a friend, Susana Toledano, are serving life prison terms for their involvement.

Interesting Articles

2009-06-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

So this isn't any news for Chelsea but while checking out a link someone had sent me I stumbled across these stories on Oprah.com and found them very interesting.

Michael Crowe Story

Coerced Confession

A Wrongful Conviction

Hearing Coming Up

2009-06-07T19:20:00.000-07:00

Chelsea is currently benched in Tarrant County. She has a hearing June 12th which I will be attending and will give a over-view of following. She has very high hopes regarding this hearing. According to her attorney it will involve accusations towards the DA. I can't wait should be interesting!!!

If you are a believer, I know she would appreciate any prayers.

Gatesville Trip

2008-10-18T07:40:00.001-07:00

So we got to visit Chelsea yesterday. We had a good time. It's weird, we sit and laugh about stuff and I think for a couple of hours Prison life can fade for Chelsea. We eat chips, candy bars and drink sodas and even though glass and wire seperate us she has 2 hours of interaction with people.

Yesterday she was pretty down when we got there because of her direct appeal deny. But we took her good news and she cheered up. We talked about the case a little, but mostly we talked about family and friends and what our plans are once she gets out. We spoke of how God is in control of our lives and we put that in his hands. Chelsea truely believes God will come through for her. I believe she is right. We serve a big God and He knows our past, present and our futures. He knows every breath we breathe and he loves us more than anyone else. He died for us, gave his life for us. Like Chelsea said yesterday, everything she has gone through is nothing compared to what Jesus Christ went through. Yet He did it for me and for you. Because He loved us so much he gave his life.

Chelsea has never been one to tell us do this or do that. She always just asks that we do everything prayerfully. We have there have been times she was a little leery of something and it has turned out to be something God has blessed. We set up the website and she was so concerned that it would cause us trouble with those involved against her. You know what? I'm not scared of men. I have a God that will keep me through hard times. He has done it before and he will do it again. So I continued with the website and begin to get responses through the site. Then that rolled into a blog and now we have a MySpace where people are able to connect as a support for Chelsea. It's not a quick thing and sometimes the slowness of it all drives me CRAZY!!! LOL. I want things to hurry along so Chelsea can be released. It's so wrong how innocent people can have this happen. Yesterday Chelsea talked about how unsure she was about someone having a website for her, she was afraid it wouldn't help but with our God He said I can use that and He did and we are very thankful.

Some are asking if anyone is doing anything for Chelsea for Christmas, that is being worked on and as soon as I hear I'll be posting about it.

If you are a praying person don't forget to continue to pray for Chelsea. She wants God to be the center of her world and any good that is done to be done in His name under His direction. You can't go wrong with my God!!!

Thank you anonymous!!!

2008-10-03T20:47:00.001-07:00

All I can say is thanks to the person that anonymously sent me an email with important information. Please pray that this is the break we need in Chelsea's case to help her get a retrial!!!

The journey until today

2008-09-09T11:45:00.001-07:00

So, I'm writting Chelsea a letter and thinking about what changes I'm going to make to the site tonight. With the help of new friends all over the world we are fighting for Chelsea Richardson. We are on a journey to prove that she just might not be guilty. Her trial was a total mess as I can tell so far. They found her guilty not on PROOF, not on DNA, no only on the word of the girl that was involved, the very girl that pulled the trigger AND used the knife to stab a Mansfield couple. Add to that 2 jailhouse snitches and you have Chelsea on Death Row.

My problem with that is in Chelsea's latest hearing in her appeals it was brought to the courts attention that

1) the DA lied and they have proof because he was caught in the lie ON THE STAND,

2) Susanna Toledano was given a psyciatric evaluation and she has issues, anger, multiple personality, etc. This was testified by the doctor that did the evaluation. He spoke of how one moment Toledano was hating Chelsea saying everything was her fault and the next moment saying she loved Chelsea and had no idea why she killed them, "sometimes I snap".

3) The jailhouse snitches received "lighter" sentences for testifying against Chelsea, well of course they would testify against her, who wouldn't??? I for one believe this should NOT be allowed in our court system.

4) What of Toledano? The DNA is there, she admits she was there and had some part even though she says she was "forced", RIGHT!!! (sarcastic) She was offered a LIFE SENTENCE if she testified against Chelsea, she THE ONE WHO DNA proves did it and she could be back out in 30 years, and Chelsea is on DEATH ROW!!! Come on people what is wrong with this??? Once again, what would you do if they said death row or testify against someone? I am pretty sure most of you would be testifying, anything to save your life.

There is proof Toledano was there her hair and barrette was found in Mr. Wamsley's hand. Toledano says Chelsea hid in a closet and coached her (Toledano) on what to do. Then came out of the closet took the gun and knife and shot and stabbed them more. Let me ask you, where is Chelsea's DNA?? Do you know think in that kind of a horrendous crime she would have left a hair or clothing fiber??? Chelsea's family says she was home asleep, she spoke to her mother when she came in for the night.

One other thing that disturbs me and it is this. The police searched Chelsea's families home 3 times over several weeks with search warrants. The final time was 4 months AFTER the crime was commited. They went in and wrecked the inside of the house without a warrant and found the bloody clothing under a bathroom sink. Is the Mansfield PD so bad at investigations that they didn't look under a sink?? OR, was it a plant? Sorry guys, in September of 2007 WE TV did a Women on death row documentary on Chelsea, which in my opinion wasn't the greatest but OK, they did this in my house and while they were in the area wanted to speak to the Mansfield PD and were denied an interview which the crew that was here thought very odd and commented on they had to be hiding something, PD's don't usually refuse to comment.

So with the help of friends from ALL over the world I'm beginning a journey I've never been on and it's a little scary and a slow process. I'm fighting for the rights of someone on death row. Yes, me the one that 2 years ago would have stood my ground with my decision to support the death penalty. Now I'm not sure, I am leaning towards not believing there should be a death penalty. Look at how many inmates have been exonerated because of DNA evidence or a fair retrial. It scares me to think that we may have innocent people sitting on death row. I know of at least one execution that the man was found innocent after his execution. How did that happen?? He's DEAD!!! How do you go back and say, "Man, I'm so sorry we were wrong, you really were innocent". It's a little late to say we're sorry after he's gone.

People that know me will be shocked by my newest "cause" but those that I'm joining with in this fight will understand.

Here is the site I have for Chelsea's Fight http://www.chelsearichardson.com/