Cory Maye Talks With HuffPost Readers About Release From Prison, Death Row (LIVE CHAT)

Cory Maye served 10 years in prison for killing a Mississippi police officer during a mistaken raid on his home. Maye, who had no prior criminal record, was initially sentenced to death, and served time on Mississippi's death row. Maye was released from prison earlier this week after agreeing to plead to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Huffington Post reporter Radley Balko has been championing Maye's cause for five years.

Maye and Balko will take your questions Friday at 8pm ET. Readers can submit questions in advance, and during the chat, in the chat window below.

Comments

[BowlingForRevenge]

02:55 PM on 07/23/2011

In the mail this week with a lovely thank you letter from Maye's lawyer Bob Evans for donating to help Cory start anew was another envelope from beloved author Toni Morrison. She is fundraising for The Southern Poverty Law Center which is a critical vendicator of justice in the South and everywhere that uses race as bait to hate.
SPLC needs our support now more than ever.
Give to Cory first and then give to the SPLC if you can spare the $'s.

[Stand Up for your Belief]

09:48 AM on 07/23/2011

So many inncoent folks reside behind prision walls.

[DrBulldog]

12:34 PM on 07/23/2011

Thirty years ago most of us laughed at such assertions. Our system of justice was so perfect back then, wasn't it?

Nobody's laughing now. Advances in forensic science (e.g. in fingerprint analysis, blood analysis, DNA analysis, fire analysis) has proven that prosecutorial incompetence, bigotry, and corruption exist everywhere in our country, often fooling naive and helpless juries. And I'm not even including yet the accumulated millions of ruined lives caused by ludicrous convictions for small-scale pot possession and sexting. It makes you wonder about the mountain of injustice in this country - including the shameful Lindbergh baby kidnapping and subsequent framing - that has never been corrected simply because the cases occurred long before the science arrived.

[connie o]

01:58 PM on 07/23/2011

You make some excellent points in your post. Perhaps we should consider these points before we support the death penalty.f/f.

[thepetermedic]

12:40 PM on 07/23/2011

and as we all know many guilty walk free

[itdoesntmatter]

02:25 AM on 07/24/2011

In no small part because law enforcement/prosecutors are putting away innocents even when they know they have the wrong suspect or exculpatory evidence..often when the real guilty person is known. If law enforcement isn't concerned about the guilty walking free, why should I?

[MRb1000]

04:23 AM on 07/23/2011

How do you give back lost time! How do you give back a life. The police department are at fault for this mistake!

[romuloxiii]

07:03 PM on 07/22/2011

Congratulations Mr. Mayes. I only hope this tragedy serves as a reminder for similar actions performed by police around the nation. The most recent example in my hometown can be read here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389437/Iraq-war-vet-marine-Jose-Guerena-shot-71-times-Tucson-home-SWAT-team.html

I am glad that you are still with us and may you lead a prosperous life.

[fratricide08]

06:41 PM on 07/22/2011

I really hope that Mr. Maye is given a full pardon (I know it's Miss. but still -- maybe a Presidential one) so that his record is restored. He doesn't deserve to live with a conviction still technically on him. I also hope supporters have set up some sort of trust fund as he won't be able to sue the state with the conviction/plea on his record.

[hsteacher]

06:33 PM on 07/22/2011

Mr Maye,
First, I want you to know how sorry I am that this happened to you. My family donated 10 dollars to your fund, please know in a time of recession, I wish our family could have donated more. My three questions are... 1) How is your daughter? Who took care of her while you were gone? 2) How did you keep hope alive? 3) What are your plans?
You are in our prayers. God bless you with abundance.

[sensimilla]

03:28 PM on 07/22/2011

this is fantastic! Gestap0 raids in support of the r4c1st drug w4r HAVE TO STOP.