Bubbaworld

Yesterday the Oklahoma City Council agreed to a $4 million dollar settlement with Jeffrey Todd Pierce, an innocent man, who was convicted of rape and imprisoned for 15 years. His false conviction was in part based upon the false testimony of fired Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist.

That Mr. Pierce lost his freedom and a significant portion of his life owing to the improper actions of an employee of the Oklahoma City Police Department clearly justifies the settlement and much more. Nothing can make up for the years stolen from Mr. Pierce. In the least society must compensate him in the only way it can and that is with money.

But what about Joyce Gilchrist?

Mr. Pierce is not the only innocent person falsely convicted and imprisoned owing at least in part to the misdeeds of Joyce Gilchrist. Gross incompetence is not a crime, however lying under oath is.

In some instances false testimony on the part of Gilchrist was nothing more sinister than gross incompetence. Yet in others there’s the distinct possibility that she outright lied, knowingly giving false testimony to help the prosecution win its case at all costs.

Knowingly giving false testimony is perjury and perjury is a felony crime. However to this date Joyce Gilchrist has been immune to prosecution for her false testimony. Testimony which helped send innocent persons to prison for long periods of time and destroyed lives, such as was the case with Mr. Pierce.

How long will it take before full justice is done in this scandal? Don’t hold your breath waiting for justice to happen where Joyce Gilchrist is concerned. It seems that Gilchrist is simply immune to prosecution. Makes one wonder what she has on the higher ups in the criminal justice system in Oklahoma County, doesn’t it?