International Free Mark Lankford Campaign

Random Observations, volume 12 (52nd Birthday Edition), 5th June 2008

Greetings to everyone and I hope all is far better for you than what I'm experiencing this 25 April, 2008. I wish to thank everyone for the letters, e-mails, cards, prayers and positive energy extended toward me during these dark days.

As you all know, I was illegally convicted, in violation of Idaho law, the Idaho constitution and the US constitution. I was scheduled to be sentenced to "slow death" on 17 April, but this has been moved to 19 June, 2008. The "motion for a new trial" has not prompted a hearing, nor have I had any contact whatsoever from my "attorneys" since 12 March (only once here since 19 February).

I was able to have three very good visits with Sally Montana from Zurich. She had researched the case via newspapers and had some apt, pertinent questions. These I will attempt to address in this communiqué. Remember, that which is reported in Idaho media is neither objective nor accurate. They only publish what they perceive to be in conformance with the prejudices of their anticipated readership.

Point one: I did not lose my job at Tenneco Oil in 1983. I "left" (quit) my job. I also "left" my severance pay, my last paycheck, my stock and my credit union money. Of interest: not one document from my company has ever been utilized in court. Also, no document from my bank has ever been used in court, only my personal checkbook. You do the math!

Point two: My 1982 Z-28 Camaro was in complete working order. The deputy sheriff stated it was "operable". The (reputed) late Robert James Lankford was a pathological liar, seemingly afraid of his own shadow. He committed perjury with impunity and my attorneys were ineffective in "pinning the tail on the donkey", refusing to investigate. Kovis called Robert, Bryan, Lee John and Layne Thomas "liars and deceivers", which is very true. Bryan and Layne Thomas admitted to being liars at least. Of course, the prosecution had made "deals" with them both, immunizing them from prosecution for perjury. How nice!

Point three: "Timeline" issue. The lying Dennis Albers, who has been admonished by the Idaho State Bar for jury tampering, lied to my jury in closing arguments numerous times. This is prosecutorial misconduct (only a small part of the rampant misconduct displayed at my "trial"). Albers'
"theory" was/is that it was/is not possible for me to be standing on the highway at approximately 9:15-9:30 pm on the evening of 21 June, 1983. He "theorizes" that Bryan and I were up the mountain by that time, with Mr. and Mrs. Bravence either in the Volkswagen van or where they were found. His "theory" is that Mr. and Mrs. Bravence were either knocked out or killed (he doesn't know which) at 8:30 pm at Sheepcreek Campground.

Blowing the Albers theory out of the water is the testimony of the prosecution's own witness, the last person to see either of the Bravences alive before Bryan murdered them! This man, Jerry Lonnevik, stated he wanted to spend the night at the Sheepcreek Campground. When he stopped on the highway, he saw "right before dark at about 9:00 pm, a green and white Volkswagen van at the campsight"! He stated he saw "one person standing at the campsight with a nice camp set up".

Who was this "one person"? Was it Mr. Bravence or was it Bryan? How could the van be there at 9:00 pm if Albers says we were up on the mountain with the van then? Lonnevik says he saw no one walking on the road. Then where was Bryan? Where was I? How does Albers justify his extremely important discrepancy/evidence problem? He simply says Mr. Lonnevik was mistaken! (Lonnevik testified the same way at both trials.) As Albers also told the jury, "We don't have to prove Mark Lankford killed anyone. We 'think' he did. We just have to prove he was somehow involved in the robbery" somewhere along the line. Preposterous, yet the jury still convicted me!

Further, on the "timeline", Albers says it could not have happened the way I testified: that it had to have been at 8:30 pm. He says that is the only way to get from Sheepcreek, up the mountain, place the Bravences on Summit Flat, drive back down to Grangeville and on to a motel in Pendleton, Oregon to be there before dayalight. This is nonsense and easy to debunk.

One: The motel clerk, a drifting sort of fellow named Andy W. Dale, says he was on duty between 2:00 am and 6:00 am on 22 June, 1983. He didn't know the time of the person checking in, but believed it "dark". Albers says it was daylight or "sunrise at 4:00 am", which I say is foolishness. It's purely a manufactured time! The motel receipt, signed by Bryan (remember that Bryan assumed the identity of Mr. Bravence and signed all credit cards/travelers' checks "Robert M. Bravence") did not have a time listed.

Two: Sheepcreek to Summit Flat is listed at, driving slowly, about 40 minutes. (Bryan did not drive this slowly.) So, say, up and back is about one hour, 15 minutes. Grangeville to Pendleton is about 225 miles, which can be driven at about 55 miles per hour in about four hours, 15 minutes.
(Bryan did not drive 55 and stopped for gas only once.) Ergo, about five hours, 30 minutes in this timeline scenario on their (prosecutor's) alleged speed. If you were at Sheepcreek at even 10:00 pm, you could make the entire trip in less than six hours! Albers lied to the jury, which is illegal and unethical!

So, Bryan killed the Bravences at about 9:15 pm, found me on Highway 14 at about 9:30 pm. We went up to Summit Flat at about 10:20 pm, back down the mountain and to Grangeville at about 11:45 pm. Drove from Grangeville to Pendleton at Bryan's speed and arrived before 4:00 am.! All these times are amorphous, as no one knows the "exact" times, not one solitary soul! Is this not cause for "Reasonable Doubt"? It's so simple when you tell the truth! But my trial was, as Kovis told the jury, tainted and infected with the prosecution's "lies, deception and speculation"! Is this any way to seek justice, fairness and truth?!

These lies and deceit do not honor Mr. and Mrs. Bravence, nor do they bring them back. The state is now working to have Bryan freed for his inhuman crimes, which sickens the collective conscience of us all.

Thank you for your help and paying attention to the truth. I do need much help, especially a bunch of zealous attorneys and journalists to take an investigative interest. I bid you peace and go with God!

Mark Lankford

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