Vincent Simmons

Vincent Simmons is a prisoner at Angola State Prison in Louisiana.^[1][2][3] He was a subject of the 1997 HBO documentary "The Farm: Life In Angola Prison," as well as the follow-up documentary "Shadows of Doubt." He has remained in Angola for the last 38 years where he is serving a 100-year sentence for the attempted aggravated rapes of then 14-year-old twins Karen and Sharon Sanders.^[4] Alleged evidence of Simmons' innocence as well as the seemingly prejudicial nature of his trial has earned Simmons a great deal of support over the last 18 years. Although Simmons has continuously maintained his innocence and filed numerous Habeas Corpus writs, no Louisiana judge has yet offered him an evidentiary hearing.

On May 22, 1977, Karen and Sharon Sanders reported that they were raped two weeks prior. In statements to police, the twins claimed that they, along with their cousin Keith Laborde encountered a black man at the 7-11 filling station. They gave the man a ride and then claim that the same man produced a knife and ordered everyone into the trunk of the car. He then allegedly raped the twins one at a time and repeatedly before setting them free. The twins claimed that their attacker threatened to have his buddies come after them if they breathed a word.

In their statements, the twins were unable to identify their attacker because "all blacks looks alike." With this information, Avoyelles Parish police picked up Vincent Simmons and placed him under arrest. Simmons was placed in a line-up in which he was the only one handcuffed.^[5] The Sanders twins and Laborde then identified Simmons as their attacker.^[6]

Simmons was brought into interrogation and after refusing to confess to the crimes, was shot in the chest by deputy Robert LaBorde. The police version of events is that Simmons disarmed Officer Melvin Villamarette while Simmons was still in handcuffs, fired at LaBorde, but was unable to release the safety. Simmons allegedly shouted "You will never take me alive," before LaBorde shot him in the chest, inches from his heart. Simmons was never brought up on any charges related to this incident.^[7] Prosecutor Eddie Knoll claimed that any charges would have been redundant to the 100-year sentence Simmons was facing.

The Case

Simmons was given a 100-year sentence, two counts of attempted aggravated rape yielding 50 years per twin.^[8] From 1977 until 1993 Simmons filed repeated motions to view the evidence file pertaining to his case, including police reports, arrest reports, victims' statements, trial transcripts, the medical examiner's report and other documents. After 16 years, his request was finally granted. Facts that came to light included the medical examination of the twins, which showed that Sharon Sanders' hymen remained intact three weeks after the date of the alleged rapes and that she remained a virgin.^[9] This medical examiner's report was never turned over to the defense for discovery during the trial and Simmons' court appointed attorney, Harold Brouillete, made no effort whatsoever to attain it. This alone might have presented the reasonable doubt in the Simmons case and due to its suppression, Simmons claims that he is legally entitled to an evidentiary hearing under Brady v. Maryland. Another factor in the case was that up until one week before the Simmons trial, the penalty in Louisiana for aggravated rape was death. Simmons was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of aggravated rape. Days before trial, Knoll amended the charges to attempted aggravated rape. However, Simmons was never indicted on these charges, nor was it ever explained to the jury why Simmons was being charged with attempted aggravated rape when testimony they were hearing was based upon the charges of aggravated rape. All of the convicts who were on death row at that time for aggravated rape had their sentences reduced to 20 years.

There was no physical evidence presented in the Simmons case that the rapes actually occurred. Simmons' defense also presented several eyewitnesses who claimed that Simmons was at a local bar with them the night of the rapes. Knoll questioned the credibility of these witnesses in front of the jury based upon prior crimes such as littering, parking fines, and disturbing the peace. Furthermore, Brouilette never questioned the state's witnesses regarding their statements, and the numerous discrepancies related to their police interviews, preliminary examinations, and testimony at trial. For example, when the twins and Keith Laborde gave their initial statements, they claimed not to know the identity of their attacker, only that "all blacks look alike." In trial, they all claimed that they knew their attacker by name because he introduced himself to them as "Simmons" before beginning his attack.

Simmons remains incarcerated in Angola. The Vincent Simmons Project is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about Simmons' circumstances, and gathering funds for his defense.

References

External links

• www.freevincent.com
• Shadows of doubt documentary