The Wrong Man in Prison?
New evidence in a string of assaults in Tacoma suggests that a man currently serving time in the Walla Walla penitentiary may be innocent.
Since the unusual series of crimes attributed to Larry O. Blaisdell, the contractor who is accused of raping a number of little girls, have come to light, many people and the authorities are beginning to doubt the guilt of 'Pat' Stundon, a young man who is serving a fourteen-year sentence in the Walla Walla penitentiary for an alleged criminal assault in the West End of Tacoma. His friends claim that his conviction was caused by poor legal defense, while his family steadfastly maintain his innocence and put up strong proof of an alibi. Blaisdell is now in the county jail, and prevailing sentiment is urging that justice make short shrift in disposing of his case.
“Many now believe that Blaisdell may be the culprit for whom Stundon is in a felon's cell.”
This story highlights the recurring historical issue of wrongful convictions, where local public outrage over heinous crimes often rushed the judicial process. It serves as a reminder of how the perceived 'prevalence' of crime can obscure the truth in criminal justice.
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