Mark Sanders has been in prison for over 21 years for a murder he did not commit.  Back in 1997, The federal government indicted Mr. Sanders on drug charges that later he was acquitted on.  The government came back with another indictment, and there was a mistrial on that case.  Mark’s attorney raised a double jeopardy issue, which was later thrown out of court due to late filing by his attorney. 

 

The jury found one of the defendants guilty on drug charges.  The same jury deadlocked on Sanders, who had been through two trials without being convicted. The defendant that was convicted, decided to cooperate with the federal government against Mark Sanders. While the witness was returning to trial, someone shot and killed him at a gas station.

 

At that point, the federal government superseded the drug indictment and charged Sanders with capital murder.   The government used one eye-witness to convict Sanders who stated he did not see anything the day of the shooting. Only to change his story eleven days later, and have multiple visits by the detective, the witness allegedly picked Sanders out of a photo array and agreed to cooperate with the government that he saw Sanders from inside the gas station at the cooler, getting drinks. Sanders proceeded to trial on capital murder charges, and was convicted by a juror. 

 

This case hinges on the testimony of one eye-witness which was a cross-racial identification.  The sole eye witness was paid over $60,000.00 before the trial and another $40,000 after the trial for his testimony. Studies have shown in the past that cross-racial identification is not accurate.  Mr. Sanders has been fighting for his freedom and justice in this case for 21 years.