#237 Jason Flom with Stefon Morant

Wrongful Conviction

Lava for Good Podcasts

True Crime

4.6 • 5.7K Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2021

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On October 11th, 1990, former New Haven, CT alderman Ricardo Turner and his lover were shot dead in their bed. Detective Vincent Raucci knew just who to pin it on, a small-time dealer named Scott Lewis. To make the case, Raucci attempted to extract false testimony from Scott’s friend Stefon Morant. When Stefon refused to go along with the scheme, Raucci pinned the murder on Stefon as well, even though he was hundreds of miles away at the time of the crime. Raucci simply extracted false testimony from another other small-time hood in exchange for leniency on his own legal troubles. Stefon Morant was charged with murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison simply for refusing to provide false testimony against a friend. To learn more and get involved, visit: https://www.120yearsfilm.com/ https://lavaforgood.com/with-jason-flom Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co No1.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Since the release of Stepon Morant's story, there have been some exciting new developments.
0:04.5	This is a re-release of his story with brand new content.
0:10.5	In the late 80s and early 90s, Stepon Morant and his best friends, Scott Lewis,
0:14.6	were dealing drugs for local New Haven, Connecticut, Kingpin, Frank Parisi,
0:18.6	who was about to go to prison on a weapons charge.
0:21.1	When Parisi asked Scott Lewis to take out a larger role in his business while he was away,
0:26.3	Scott refused, a decision that altered the course of his and Stepon's lives.
0:31.8	On October 11, 1990, former New Haven, Connecticut alderman Ricardo Turner and his lover, Lamont Fields,
0:38.2	were shot and killed while they laid in bed.
0:41.2	Detective Vincent Rouchy is believed to have pinned this double homicide on Scott Lewis
0:45.6	at Frank Parisi's request.
0:47.4	Rouchy pressured Stepon Morant to implicate Scott Lewis in a murder he knew nothing about,
0:53.1	a false statement that Stepon recanted the very next day.
0:57.7	However, his refusal to participate in Scott Lewis' wrongful conviction sealed him to the same fate.
1:04.0	Rouchy coerced and incentivized another street dealer Oville Ruiz,
1:08.6	sending Scott and Stepon away for 70 years.
1:12.6	Eventually, it took an FBI investigation and the help of law students
1:16.4	under Professor Brett Dignum to untangle Parisi and Rouchy's web of lies,
1:21.6	setting Stepon and Scott free after both had served over 20 years for a crime they didn't commit.
1:29.6	This is Rouchy's wrongful conviction.
1:38.6	D'olassing.
1:40.1	D'olassing.
	...

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