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May 2, 2010

Maybe FBI, federal courts should take Dechaine case

Kennebec Journal Staff

As the years in prison mount for Dennis Dechaine, the case refuses to go away.

When justice is achieved, the world overcomes tragedy and sorrow and settles in a restful closure. But when injustice is perpetuated on an innocent person, the whole universe is out of whack and cannot rest until justice is restored and the perpetrators exposed and punished.

Almost 22 years after he was convicted of first-degree murder in the slaying of Sarah Cherry, Dechaine has become synonymous with miscarriage of justice and wrongful incarceration. More and more people wonder why this state will not own up to its mistakes, release an innocent man and pursue the real killer and conveyors of injustice with all its authority and vigor.

An act of the Legislature several years go opened up the state's secret files to scrutiny and exposed contradictions between investigators' sworn testimony in court and their notes written at the time.

Why did the Attorney General's Office not pursue that as wrongful testimony that helped convict Dechaine? That office is mired in its own attempts to cover up illegalities and destroy evidence that would have cleared Dechaine.

Pertinent materials from the crime scene were incinerated, including the rape kit that exonerated Dechaine, just before an appeal was heard in court.

If Maine is incapable of rendering justice in this case, maybe it's time for the FBI and federal courts to step in.

Ross Paradis

Frenchville

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