#255 Jason Flo with Dieter Tejada
In a clear cut case of self defense, high school senior Dieter Tejada did what anyone would do when a much larger child was wielding a bat in his direction. Among many things kept from Dieter and his friends, the aggressor had taken a number of drugs that would be ill advised for anyone - let alone someone who had been diagnosed with an anti social / behavioral disorder. Yet, after Dieter's involvement with the high school drama, either further violence with other kids, the drugs, or both led the initial aggressor's friends to call an ambulance. In trying to hide the fact that they were all on illegal substances, the aggressor's group made up a story, blaming Dieter's group from the blue collar town a few miles away for the drama, while hiding the aggressor's medical records (the proof of injury). With a disparity in access to power, as well as so much withheld evidence, Dieter and the others pleaded guilty to avoid lengthy sentences, counting themselves among a harrowing statistic ...
In a clear cut case of self defense, high school senior Dieter Tejada did what anyone would do when a much larger child was wielding a bat in his direction. Among many things kept from Dieter and his friends, the aggressor had taken a number of drugs that would be ill advised for anyone - let alone someone who had been diagnosed with an anti social / behavioral disorder. Yet, after Dieter's involvement with the high school drama, either further violence with other kids, the drugs, or both led the initial aggressor's friends to call an ambulance. In trying to hide the fact that they were all on illegal substances, the aggressor's group made up a story, blaming Dieter's group from the blue collar town a few miles away for the drama, while hiding the aggressor's medical records (the proof of injury). With a disparity in access to power, as well as so much withheld evidence, Dieter and the others pleaded guilty to avoid lengthy sentences, counting themselves among a harrowing statistic - the 95% of felony charges resolved by plea bargain in the US. One of Dieter's friends, Caesar Cordero, lost his immigration status as a result, returning him to a country that he only knew as an infant.
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Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co No1.