Ryan Ferguson is an American who spent nearly a decade in prison for the 2001 murder of Kent Heitholt. Kent’s murder remained unsolved for two years after he was found beaten and strangled in the parking lot of the Columbia Daily Tribunewhere he worked as an editor.
A break in the case occurred when Ferguson’s friend, Charles Erikson, told police that he believed he and Ryan were somehow involved in the murder. Charles was drugged and intoxicated that night and couldn’t remember anything that happened, but through his testimony, the prosecution convinced the court to sentence Ryan to 40 years in prison for Kent’s murder.
Ten years after his conviction, the Court of Appeals for the Western District of Missouri vacated Ryan’s sentence. Ryan is a Certified Personal Trainer and False Conviction Advocate.
Contents
- 1 Ryan and his high school friend, Dusty Harris, take part in season 33 of The Amazing Race.
- 2 Ryan’s mission is to help wrongfully convicted people get out of prison.
- 3 Ryan began dating meteorologist Brigit Mahoney after breaking up with his girlfriend Myka Cain.
- 4 Ryan has vowed to fight for the release of the friend who helped send him to prison.
Ryan and his high school friend, Dusty Harris, take part in season 33 of The Amazing Race.
Ryan and his high school friend, Dusty Harris, will compete against ten other teams for victory in the amazing race
“I’m lucky to have spent this time with Ryan and can’t wait to carpool,” Dusty wrote alongside a photo of the couple.
“The true meaning of making up for lost time,” Harris said People. “Being able to see the whole world and see through it. I think that’s important to both of us.”
Ferguson told the columbia missouri that Dusty was the first person that came to mind when the amazing race asked him to enter the contest. Dusty was one of the few people who stood by Ryan during his trial and incarceration.
the amazing race presents a welcome change for Ryan, whose previous television appearances have focused on his wrongful conviction. He said:
“‘The Amazing Race’ is just going out there and being yourself, being a goofball and racing around the world, and you get to show your personality and be ridiculous.”
Harris is of the opinion that he would not have been on the show as someone else’s teammate. He helped Ferguson get through the prison and it’s Ferguson’s turn to guide him through the reality shows. Harris said:
“We’ve been through hell and back together, and hell has brought us back and we have to join forces again. We tried to wreak havoc and do the best we could for everyone who was going to watch, and we hope everyone likes it.”
Ryan’s mission is to help wrongfully convicted people get out of prison.
Immediately after his release, Ryan stated that “it takes an army” to get a person out of prison. Ferguson, with a positive smile, greeted a crowd of supporters during a press conference held after changing out of his prison outfit for a sweater and shirt.
Ryan’s conviction came to the attention of advocacy groups soon after it was handed down, such was the unusual nature of his trial. Kathleen Zellner took over the case pro bono and gradually helped expose the loopholes in the prosecution’s case.
The prosecution had failed to disclose crucial information to the original defense team, information that the defense could have used to prove Ferguson’s innocence. Key prosecution witnesses, a building supervisor and Erickson, recanted testimony they had given under oath.
Janitor Shawna Ornt testified that the prosecution tried to force her to testify that she saw Ferguson in the parking lot the night of the murder. At trial, the prosecution refused to ask her to identify Ferguson because they knew her answer would ruin her case, Shawna added. The court found that there was sufficient evidence to overturn the conviction.
“This is not an anomaly,” Ryan told the audience after his release. “I think we have to look at other cases and be aware that this is part of our justice system and that there are more innocent people in prison. So keep your eyes open and support them too.”
Ryan began his defense by letting the media tell his story. His father, Bill Ferguson, began putting together the documentary dream killer during Ryan’s trial and appeals. The documentary premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015 and later appeared on Netflix. In 2016, Ryan hosted MTV’s unlocking the trutha series about wrongfully convicted prisoners.
“You have to do everything you can to get stronger, faster and smarter to survive,” Ryan’s father told Ryan after his arrest. His words inspired Ryan’s book, ‘Stronger, Faster, Smarter’, about overcoming life’s trials. Ryan began lifting weights in prison, and after his release, became a certified personal trainer.
Ryan began dating meteorologist Brigit Mahoney after breaking up with his girlfriend Myka Cain.
Myka Cain couldn’t hide her joy after the court released Ryan. She had been heavily involved in getting him out of prison, but Ryan’s friends were initially skeptical of his intentions. Cain learned of Ryan’s case in the summer of 2012 after watching a news show detailing Ferguson’s wrongful conviction.
The pair started talking after Cain sent Ryan a birthday card. Ryan then allowed Cain to visit him at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. Ferguson’s close friend, Hamrah, said The Daily Mail that it was strange to him that Ryan had agreed to a prison visit from a person he had never met. Hamrah and most of Ryan’s friends feared that Myka had bad intentions. Hamrah said:
“Myka searched for him like many people. Someone who reciprocates and develops a relationship with someone who hasn’t spent a lot of time with, I mean, I was looking for the craziness of him. Like waiting for the ‘Ah, that’s it. That is why she is there. But it never happened.”
“She came to visit him and right after he knew instantly there was more.” Eventually, Ferguson’s friends and family learned to trust Myka. Bill Ferguson was the face of Ryan’s exoneration, while Cain worked in the shadows, like a fierce foot soldier, protecting anyone who dared to doubt Ryan’s innocence.
Ryan and Cain appeared arm in arm for a while after Ryan’s release, but they are no longer together and the reason for their breakup remains unclear. Ferguson is currently dating FOX 2 Meteorologist Brigit Mahoney. Brigit enjoys posting occasional photos of the couple on Instagram. In mid-December 2020, she posted a photo of the couple kissing at sunset by the sea.
Ryan has vowed to fight for the release of the friend who helped send him to prison.
Ryan’s ordeal in ten-year prison ended quite well: He was awarded $11 million in compensation by a federal court for his wrongful conviction, landed a lucrative book deal and became the host of an MTV show, and You are living a full life surrounded by loved ones. However, his friend, Charles Erickson, is not so lucky.
Authorities offered Charles Erikson a 25-year plea deal in exchange for his testimony against Ryan. After his exoneration, Ryan vowed to fight for Charles’s release. “I know that he [Charles] It was used and manipulated and I feel sorry for the guy,” Ryan said. “He needs help, he needs support, he doesn’t belong in jail.”
A Pike County circuit court denied Charles’s first request to be released from prison, stating that he “freely, knowingly, and voluntarily” pleaded guilty to the crimes. His lawyers filed an appeal in June 2020, alleging that Ryan is innocent and that he did not plead voluntary because the police withheld and fabricated evidence.
“This petition was a long time coming,” said Charles’ attorney, Landon Magnusson. to BC. “We are very excited to have another chance to obtain justice for Charles Erickson after sixteen years in prison as an innocent man.”
The Ferguson family has offered a $10,000 reward for tips that may help solve the case.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn