Loading summary
Transcript7 lines
- [00:00]
Advertiser 1
Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance, and keep an eye on your kids spending. With real time notifications, kids learn to earn, save and spend wisely. And parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money. With guardrails in place, try Greenlight risk free today@greenlight.com wondery craving your next action packed adventure?
- [00:34]
Advertiser 2
Audible delivers thrills of every kind on your command, like Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir where a lone astronaut must save humanity from extinction. Narrated with stunning intensity by Ray Porter. From electrifying suspense and daring quests to spine tingling horror and romance in far off realms, unleash your adventure aside with gripping titles that'll keep you guessing. Discover exclusive Audible originals, hotly anticipated new releases and must listen bestsellers that hook you from the first minute. Because Audible knows there's no greater thrill than the one that speaks to you. Discover what lies beyond the edge of your seat. Start your free 30 day trial at audible.com wondery us that's audible.com wondery us.
- [01:21]
Ann Roderick Jones
Edit audio hi all.
- [01:25]
Unknown Host
As promised, we're back to give you an update on Sandy. And actually, this is an update we thought we would be putting out.
- [01:32]
Ann Roderick Jones
Over a week ago, on July 10.
- [01:35]
Unknown Host
I received an email at 6am from one of Sandy's attorneys that they were on their way to get Sandy out of prison. All day our team scrambled to get an episode ready to announce her release. And then we waited a day, two days a week, and Sandy was still in prison. It turns out the Attorney General's office had called the Chillicothe Correctional center to interfere with her release. In the last episode, we shared the judge's historic decision to overturn Sandy's murder conviction. Because of this order, we naively expected Sandy to get out of prison shortly after. I mean, ideally, that's what should happen. This big confetti moment when the wrongfully accused walks out of prison and hugs their family. Well, that's obviously not what happened. Despite Judge Horstman finding Sandra actually innocent of the crime, Sandy was caught in legal limbo as the Attorney General's office fought to keep her behind bars. Well, today on July 19th, over a month after Judge Horstman's decision, Sandy walked out of the Chillicothe Correctional Center. Let's back up. Weeks ago, on June 14, Judge Horstman ruled that Sandy was innocent, that she was a victim of manifest injustice, and that the evidence pointing to Michael Holman as the perpetrator of the crime was so objective that no reasonable juror would find Ms. Hemmy guilty. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean this case is over. In fact, Sandy is now a defendant in the original murder charge, which took place in Buchanan County. This means that it's up to the Buchanan county prosecuting attorney to decide whether to dismiss charges or retry Sandy. Immediately after Judge Horstman overturned the conviction, Sandy's lawyers with the Innocence Project filed a motion for her release. If approved, it would mean that Sandy would go home while she awaits next steps. But that's not what happened. Instead, the Attorney General's office responded with a motion to keep Sandy in prison. They stated that Judge Horstman didn't have the authority to release her. On Monday, July 1, two weeks later, lawyers from the Innocence Project in the Attorney General's office were called to court. They were each there to argue their motions. One to release Sandy and one to keep her behind bars. The Innocence Project flew from New York City to Chillicothe. Sandy's family was there, too, to be there for the judge's decision. But when they all got there, something sort of surprising happened. The court session was canceled. At the last minute, the Attorney General's office had filed an order with the Court of Appeals. In a nutshell, they were challenging Judge Horstman's decision that overturned Sandy's murder conviction. This meant that Sandy would remain in prison until the Court of Appeals made a decision. That decision came a week and a half later, when the court sided with Judge Horstman and ruled that Sandy should be released. But again, it wouldn't be that easy. On the day of Sandy's release, while Press was waiting outside the prison and her lawyers were present to take her home, the Missouri Attorney General's office once again intervened. The office called the Chillicothe Correctional center, directing them not to release Sandy, and filed another appeal. This time, they took it to the Missouri Supreme Court. The AG's office argued that Sandy should continue serving time for past charges laid against her in the 80s and 90s while she was in prison for Patricia's murder. Watching all of this happen over the last month has been pretty shocking, especially since in many of the recent wrongful conviction cases in Missouri, the defendants were released swiftly. According to an article in the Kansas City star, in 2019, Ricky Kidd was found innocent and was released the next day. In 2021, Kevin Strickland was exonerated, and he was released later that day. And in 2022, the Missouri supreme court set aside the conviction of Keith Carnes. Four days later he was released. To put it in perspective, Sandy remained in prison for 30. Yesterday, the Missouri Supreme Court sided with the lower court's ruling and after serving four plus decades, Sandra Hemmy is finally going home. At least for now. While out, Sandy will be subject to a few conditions. Sandy is to reside with her sister and brother in law in Higginsville, Missouri. That's about an hour south of Chillicothe. Additionally, Sandy is to refrain from the use of alcohol or any controlled substance unless prescribed to her. And finally, that Sandy must have mental health evaluations and follow all recommendations from them. There are still a lot of steps before Sandy is truly free, but in this moment we can find solace in the fact that Sandy has walked out of the chillicothe Correctional Center 43 years later.
- [07:11]
Ann Roderick Jones
The Sandra Hemme Story is part of the Edit Audio Original series Ozark's True Crime. It is written and hosted by me, Ann Roderick Jones. This episode was produced by Ali Sierwah and Kathleen Speckart and was edited, mixed and mastered by Ali Sirwah. Our Executive producer is Steph Colburn. Thank you immensely to the entire Edit Audio team and to Patrick Rendell for the theme music. If you want to get in touch with us, you can email us at helloeditaud IO that's H e l l o d I t a u d I.