Introduction to Paul's case

To: the Peoples

From: Paul A. Redd Jr B-72683

D2-117

P.O. Box 7500

Crescent City, California, 95532

My name is Paul Redd Jr. I am an African American prisoner from Oakland, California, who is serving seven years to life with the possibility of parole. In 1976 at the age of 19 years old I was indicted by a San Francisco Grand Jury and I was wrongfully convicted in the same year for the murder of a San Francisco local drug dealer. I am truly sorry for the senseless loss of that young brother, who was around the same age as me. 

I am writing this introduction here to bring attention to my injustice and to ask you all for help in raising funds to hire the attorney(s) that will vigorously prepare my Writ of Habeas Corpus to overturn this false conviction and to vindicate my name.

I got involved in my former lifestyle at the age of 12 ½ years old. I grew up down the street from the major hangouts for pimps, hustlers, prostitutes and drug dealing. These pimps-hustlers and players would come from all parts of the cities and states to visit the California Hotel and the major strip for prostitutions known as San Pablo Ave. 

As a youth I became fascinated and obsessed at this early age seeing these older individuals in their expensive cars, custom-made Cadillacs, Bentleys and Rolls Royces with their tailor-made suits, custom-made jewelry and the whole nine yard. These individuals who were major big-time pimps and major drug dealers welcomed me into their inner circle at that young age. I eventually began pimping and later dealing in heroin and cocaine. 

In December of 1975 I flew to Portland, Oregon, to visit a few friends as well as to drop off a large amount of drugs. Unbeknown to me, someone was killed in San Francisco. While in Portland, OR, I was arrested for questioning in this San Francisco drug-related murder, which caught me by complete surprise.

During my arrest, Oregon authorities seized $150,000.00 worth of heroin and cocaine with a street-value around 400,000. No drug charges were ever filed against me, nor pending when I was taken to San Francisco. 

I waived extradition in order to return to San Francisco to clear my name in this murder investigation that I wasn’t aware had happened. San Francisco authorities had set my bail at $1,000.000.00 and I was shortly indicted by a Grand Jury. The trial lasted four days and the Jury deliberated for about one hour. There was no physical evidence, no murder weapon nor any forensic evidence to place me at the crime scene.

My false conviction was based entirely on false material evidence, false perjury testimony, prosecutor presented false material evidence and concealed exculpatory evidence pointing to my innocence. They concealed police reports and made secret deals with two prosecution witnesses who themselves were charged with this murder in exchange for charges being dismissed or/and reduced. They gave false testimony against me. 

How did I become a target and focus? Simple: Kelvin Davis was the only eyewitness to this murder. He was the first to be arrested and was well aware all the evidence was against him, including motive. Kelvin Davis had a lot of information to bargain with by throwing this murder on someone like me. 

Kelvin Davis told law enforcement that I was a drug dealer and was close friends with major drug dealers. He told them that I went to Portland, Oregon. He took me to the San Francisco airport knowing I was carrying a large amount of drugs. Yet he never told authorities he drove me to the airport. However, he did tell authorities he knew of several residents in the Bay Area where large sums of money and drugs could be found. He told them I stayed and visited those residents. 

So when I was arrested and those large amounts of drugs were found at my motel, and Oakland Police Department obtained search warrants for other residents, finding more drugs and large sums of money, I became the focus. Because detectives thought by falsely charging me with murder, I would give up information about drug activities throughout the Bay Area in exchange for my freedom. I refused to become an informant for anyone.

I do not deny my former lifestyle I lived, nor that the victim lost his life over a drug deal and that should not have happened. But I did not take this life nor was I present at the crime scene. 

I ask for your help and support to have a fair hearing to show I was wrongfully convicted. 

Since I’ve been in prison I have made many positive changes in my life and am determined to reach youths and help to rebuild our communities. 

Please read my brief summary of the injustice and trial here.