The Free James Titus Movement Has Begun

[Kire]

How do you free someone who has been dead for 57 years?

Write to President Obama and tell him about James Titus (b. 1857 - d. 1952).

Titus served almost nineteen years doing hard labor in the New Jersey State Prison because he was a little guy prone to panic attacks and the newspapers in New York, Trenton and Philadelphia were angry because the 1886 Tillie Smith Rape and Murder case in Hackettstown, NJ was a dead end.

You can do everything you can to spread the word that James Titus needs a Presidential Pardon.

The Free James Titus Movement Has Begun

http://freejamestitus.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/freejamestitus
http://twitter.com/freejamestitus

Search for "Free James Titus" on Facebook.

Listen to WRNJ-AM Radio on the morning of November 4, 2009 for an interview with local Hackettstown resident Erik B. Anderson, one of the few who actually read

Stay tuned for more developments.

This man is gone. His family is wiped out.

The Hackettstown Historical Society still sells T-shirts that say "Got Ghosts?" and incessantly talk about "Tillie's Ghost." They get real quiet when you try to bring up the subject of James Titus' innocence.

The real killer will never been found, but James Titus doesn't have to be a prisoner anymore.

Remember Tillie Smith! Remember James Titus!

Warm Regards,

Erik B. Anderson
Independence Township, New Jersey
Established 1782

[happyslug]

1. The President can NOT pardon Titus, this is a STATE CRIME

The only person who can pardon him is the Governor of New Jersey under whatever New Jersey law permits him to grant pardons. Since Titus was sentenced under the New Jersey Criminal Code the President has no power to issue any pardons in his case. The Presidential pardon powers are broad, but restricted to crimes against the Federal Government NOT crimes against the States.

The President....shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States....
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/constitution/text.html
Article 2, Section 2 of the US Constitution.

Thus it is up to New Jersey to pardon this man, NOT the President of the United States.

[Kire]

2. Hey wow!

thanks for the information.

I guess I will be redirecting my efforts to the Governor of New Jersey. Maybe Corzine will do it soon!

[Kire]

3. In the News

Local Man Leads Charge To Pardon Hackettstown Man Convicted of 1886 Murder
Warren Reporter - December 6, 2009

K&R this thread in Editorials & Other Articles
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x502629

[Kire]

4. for the record, this is not a partisan issue

anyone and everyone can join