Evidence of Satanism in case where charges were dropped against men wrongfully convicted in 1992 killing

Evidence of Satanism in case where charges were dropped against men wrongfully convicted in 1992 killing

"The examiner also saw that Warford had an inverted cross tattooed below her left clavicle."
"The sheriff found various occult-related items and documents at Hardin's residence, and knives at the residences of both."

"During the trial, several witnesses testified about Clark's and Hardin's satanic worship.   Amy Padgett, an ex-girlfriend of Clark, said that Clark was once involved with satanic worship, that he owned numerous knives and guns, and that he had an inverted cross tattooed on his shoulder.   She stated that Clark (1) told her that he would like to try killing a person because it would be a challenge to see if he could do it and get away with it, (2) explained how a person could be killed by a stab wound to the base of the skull, (3) took her to an area where he claimed a number of animal sacrifices had been made, and (4) was familiar with the area where Warford's body was found."

"Yet another witness, Shawn Lee Mattingly, a friend of Clark, testified that Clark almost always carried a knife with him, and that Clark called one of the knives a “sacrificial knife.”   Mattingly also told the jury that Clark had admitted to him that Clark had once sacrificed an animal in front of a church, an act that was reported on the local news."
"Warford's sister, however, testified that she knew that Hardin was involved in satanic worship."

"There was testimony that Clark had specifically referred to one of his knives as a “sacrificial knife” and that, according to certain satanic teachings, worshippers could empower themselves by killing other living beings.   Warford's body was found tattooed with an inverted cross and wearing red sweat pants, a color which Hardin acknowledged was “a big color in this Satanism stuff.”   Although this evidence was not conclusive, it did tend to support the state's theory that Warford was killed out of a specific satanism-related motivation for performing a human sacrifice."
From: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-6th-circuit/1014918.html


Charges dropped against men wrongfully convicted in 1992 "Satanic" killing
By Crimesider Staff, Crimesider Staff CBS/AP February 27, 2018 '
BRANDENBURG, Ky. -- A Kentucky judge dismissed murder charges Monday against two men for a 1990s killing that authorities at the time described as "satanic." The conviction had rested in part on the visual comparison of a single strand of hair that defense attorneys fought to have tested for 18 years.

Garr Keith Hardin and Jeffrey Dewayne Clark had their convictions in Meade County vacated in 2016 based on the DNA testing, as well as evidence of police misconduct. They were released from prison in August of that year after serving more than 20 years, but it wasn't until Feb. 8 that the state Attorney General moved to dismiss the charges against them.
Hardin and Clark were convicted in 1995 of killing 19-year-old Rhonda Sue Warford, and sentenced to life in prison....

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/charges-dropped-against-men-jailed-18-years-in-killing-wrongly-linked-to-satanism/



Supreme Court of Kentucky.
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY APPELLANT v. JEFFREY DEWAYNE CLARK AND GARR KEITH HARDIN APPELLEES
2016-SC-000693-TG
Decided: August 24, 2017
"For the foregoing reasons, we hereby affirm the order of the Meade Circuit Court vacating Appellees' convictions and ordering a new trial."
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ky-supreme-court/1871829.html



United States Court of Appeals,Sixth Circuit.
Jeffrey Dewayne CLARK, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Michael O'DEA, Respondent-Appellee.
No. 99-6620.
Decided: July 16, 2001

A. Factual background
On April 2, 1992, Rhonda Sue Warford was reported missing by her mother.   The Louisville police learned from the mother that Warford had recently dated Garr Keith Hardin, and that Clark was an associate of Hardin.   Three days later, Meade County Deputy Sheriff Greer was notified that a body, later determined to be Warford's, had been found in a field off Highway 823 in Meade County.   Her body was found lying face down, clad in white canvas tennis shoes, red sweat pants, a dark blue shirt, and a multi-colored jacket.

Upon examining Warford's body, the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Kentucky found many stab wounds to her back, a 1-inch cut on the surface of her right hand, and a 0.4-inch cut on her right index finger.   He also observed a stab wound that pierced her lung through her upper right chest and stab wounds at the base of her skull, one of which severed her brain stem.   Warford's injuries were caused by a sharp, single-edged instrument, such as a knife.   The examiner also saw that Warford had an inverted cross tattooed below her left clavicle...

Search warrants for both Clark's and Hardin's residences were obtained.   The sheriff found various occult-related items and documents at Hardin's residence, and knives at the residences of both.   Clark was subsequently interviewed by the sheriff and arrested....

During the trial, several witnesses testified about Clark's and Hardin's satanic worship.   Amy Padgett, an ex-girlfriend of Clark, said that Clark was once involved with satanic worship, that he owned numerous knives and guns, and that he had an inverted cross tattooed on his shoulder.   She stated that Clark (1) told her that he would like to try killing a person because it would be a challenge to see if he could do it and get away with it, (2) explained how a person could be killed by a stab wound to the base of the skull, (3) took her to an area where he claimed a number of animal sacrifices had been made, and (4) was familiar with the area where Warford's body was found.

Another witness, Hope Jaggers, testified that she was Warford's best friend for a year prior to Warford's death.   Jaggers said that she heard Warford tell Hardin that Warford was pregnant, and that Hardin responded by saying that “if you are pregnant, I will kill you and that [expletive] baby.”   In addition, she told the jury that she had once seen Warford cut her fingertips with a razor and rub the blood on Hardin.   But when Jaggers was asked whether either Clark or Hardin was involved with satanism, she stated that she had no knowledge of such involvement.

Yet another witness, Shawn Lee Mattingly, a friend of Clark, testified that Clark almost always carried a knife with him, and that Clark called one of the knives a “sacrificial knife.”   Mattingly also told the jury that Clark had admitted to him that Clark had once sacrificed an animal in front of a church, an act that was reported on the local news.

Other witnesses denied having any knowledge of Clark's involvement in satanism.   Two witnesses-Warford's sister and one of his cousins-said that they had never seen Clark or Hardin involved in any satanic acts.   Warford's sister, however, testified that she knew that Hardin was involved in satanic worship.   When Clark's mother and stepfather testified, they denied ever seeing an inverted cross tattooed on Clark's shoulder.   Clark also denied that he was involved in the occult or in satanic practices....

We agree with the Kentucky Supreme Court.   There was testimony that Clark had specifically referred to one of his knives as a “sacrificial knife” and that, according to certain satanic teachings, worshippers could empower themselves by killing other living beings.   Warford's body was found tattooed with an inverted cross and wearing red sweat pants, a color which Hardin acknowledged was “a big color in this Satanism stuff.”   Although this evidence was not conclusive, it did tend to support the state's theory that Warford was killed out of a specific satanism-related motivation for performing a human sacrifice....
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-6th-circuit/1014918.html