The Case for Ryan Ferguson
A lack of physical evidence and conflicting testimony from an alleged accomplice
has nonetheless resulted in the murder conviction of an innocent young man.

On March 10, 2004, after returning from a college class in Kansas City, Mo., Ryan Ferguson was arrested for the murder of the Columbia Daily Tribune Sports Editor, Kent Heitholt, which had occurred on Nov. 1, 2001.

During 9 hours of questioning by Columbia police the day he was arrested and for the entire period leading to his trial, Ryan has been unwavering in his insistence that he had nothing to do with this horrific crime.

YouTube II
Have You Ever Had A Cop In Your Face Part II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5McAuB6zhH0

",I did not do this! I was not there!", Ryan told the police.

",I never expected to be arrested for a murder I didn't commit,", he testified under oath during his trial.

We believe that Ryan is innocent and that the complete lack of evidence - forensic or otherwise, supports his claim.

The prosecutor agreed and stated during the trial that ",there is no physical evidence to connect Chuck or Ryan to the crime scene",.

And yet a jury inexplicably convicted Ryan of second-degree murder.

Ryan was sentenced to 40 years on Dec. 5^{th, 2005. He received 30 years for murder and 10 for robbery to be served consecutively. He will be eligible for parole in the year 2040.}

We believe that Ryan is a victim of a false confession given by his alleged accomplice Chuck Erickson in the murder case.

Chuck was sentenced after Ryan and received 15 years for murder and 10 for robbery. He will be eligible for parole in 12 years.

This is crucial information and is the reason why we believe Erickson pled guilty to murder. He would receive a deal from the prosecutor if he would in turn plead guilty and testify against Ryan to help the state get a conviction.

The prosecutor provided Chuck with police reports which represented a combination of mischaracterizations, fabricated information and factual information all rolled into one.

These false and misleading reports drove the Erickson's to believe that Ryan would take a plea and say Chuck is the one that murdered the victim.

The Erickson's must have felt they were trapped and had no choice but to plea and save their son.

The difference between 25 years, or 40 years.

As you will see, we have information that makes a compelling and convincing case on Ryan's behalf.

We want to free an innocent young man. We hope you will read the account of this bizarre story and help us give Ryan back his freedom. We know that you, like the rest of us, will be outraged.