Virginia Beach, Va. - Armed with over 4,000 documents, Gail Crockett is helping her son Cameron in his third effort for a new trial.
Cameron Crockett
On Monday, Gail filed the documents at the Virginia Beach Circuit Court on Cameron's behalf.
“We don’t go down,” Gail told NewsChannel 3’s Merris Badcock, who joined her at the courthouse on Monday. “We’re the Crockett's. We will never stop until we get justice for Jack and Cameron.”
Cameron Crockett says he did not drive drunk and crash his car on a cold December night in 2008. Crockett’s friend, Jack Korte, died in the crash.
In his first trial, a jury of 12 found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter, but were hung on his sentencing. A mistrial was declared, and a new jury convicted Crockett of involuntary manslaughter.
A NewsChannel 3 investigation has uncovered documents that may help Crockett with his case.
Speaking from prison, Crockett told NewsChannel 3’s Merris Badcock his recent court filings may prove he had an inadequate defense council during his trial.
“It took several months to file everything, but ultimately I put all those exhibits together,” he said.
Crockett has spent his time behind bars working as a law librarian at the prison and reading everything he can on his case. He told NewsChannel 3 he will be representing himself at his next trial.
“It’s very typical at this late stage in the proceedings, after the appeal and all that, for guys in my position to really have no choice but to represent themselves,” he says.
His mother Gail confirms their family has spent six-figures on Cameron’s defense.
According to the Crockett's, a seat belt test, considered a crucial piece of evidence, was never presented to the jury during Cameron’s trial.
Prosecutors argued that the crash threw Cameron into the back. However, Crockett says the seat belt test would have proved that he was not the driver.
“Cameron was found in the back of the vehicle,” said his mother Gail. “He also rarely wore a seat belt, so we knew that.”
Cameron says the test would have proved there was a third person in the vehicle wearing a seat belt who fled the scene after the crash.
Partial transcript of 911 audio call not played at Crockett's trial.
Additionally, Cameron says a 911 recording that was crucial to proving his innocence was never played for the jury either.
In the 911 call, witnesses state they saw Crockett trapped in the backseat of the vehicle. However, according to initial police reports, officers believe there was a belted driver.
In a remarkable twist, three of the jurors who convicted Crockett have come forward in support of Crockett’s campaign for innocence.
In separate affidavits filled in Virginia Beach Circuit Court, the three jurors stated they were pressured and attacked by other jurors to convict Crockett.
Web exclusive: Read Donna Smitter's Affidavit here
Web exclusive: Read Barbara Addison's Affidavit here
Web exclusive: Read Pamela Gillespie's Affidavit here
They also say they would have voted differently if the seat belt report and the 911 call were included as evidence during the trial.
“There was no justice to it,” said Barbara Addison, a juror who helped convict Crockett. “Convicting him was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”
Addison now believes Crockett deserves another trial.
Despite his circumstances, Crockett says he still has hope.
“I would hope that people who would kind of roll their eyes at it, and say, ‘give it up already,’ … that they would see that this is an innocent man still trying to push to have his innocence brought to light.”
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