459: #459 Jason Flom with Melissa Calusinski

Wrongful Conviction Podcasts

On January 14, 2009, sixteen-month-old Benjamin Kingan died after being in daycare at a suburb outside of Chicago, IL. Despite no physical signs of abuse or injury, police took 22-year-old Melissa Calusinski, an employee at the daycare, in for extensive questioning. Melissa repeatedly told officers she had nothing to do with the baby’s death, but after nine hours of interrogation, she falsely confessed to throwing the baby on the ground. The state relied on the later disproven theory that Benjamin died from a skull fracture, junk science testimony from medical professionals, and Melissa’s false confession to sentence her to 31 years in prison for first-degree murder.

Write your letters of support for Melissa’s clemency petition to IL Governor Pritzker and send to:

[e-mail]

Letters are due by 7/8/2024

https://www.kathleentzellner.com/melissa-calusinski

https://www.facebook.com/groups/740709216037007/

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