Sal's case

Sal is wrongfully convicted of murder

 

Michael Salerno is actively challenging a wrongful; Michigan first degree murder conviction, is imprisoned in Ohio for the self-defense killing of the man responsible, and seeks comments on and help with this case.

(The article is taken from The Idaho Observer dated Sept. 15 2008, pg.25)

Mr. Salerno stayed with the McClanahan family for about four months in the early 1990's. After he left their home he had no contact with any of them until Larry McClanahan hired an investigator to find him in the year 2000. At the time of trial, no one knew why the McClanahan family would want to locate Salerno after all these years. Only lately, a recent, unreported case, Howard vs. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (2003) WL21359356, was located and it answers that question.

Apparently, members of the McClanahan family were convicted of federal crimes. Detective reports state McClanahan had sexually abused his children and the fact that he was a convicted sexual offender was published in local media. "Howard vs. Ohio" shows that Mr. Howard also stayed at the McClanahan residence, had knowledge of the McClanahans' criminal activity, and had sex with McClanahan's wife, Pam. Detective reports show that this information applies to Salerno as well.

When McClanahan and his son David were released form prison, the McClanahans' places a contract on Mr. Howard. Howard was located in prison and stabbed multiple times. After the Howard contract, the McClanahans' sought after Mr. Salerno. Apparently the McClanahans wanted to silence, or teach a lesson to persons who could have played a role in their conviction and those having knowledge of their crimes.

Salerno was not easy to find as he had moved when transferring to a new colledge. The Salernos' college apartment was in East Lansing, Mi, where they attended Michigan State University. McClanahan contacted Salerno's wife Michelle, through letters addressed to Salerno that were forwarded to their new address. Salerno and his wife were arguing, and he was now at the apartment they shared when a letter for McClanahan was forwarded from and old address the investigator had provided. She met with McClanahan, met again, and was killed. McClanahan then met with and tried to kill Salerno, but died with his own knife.

Salerno was convicted for the death of his wife based on the testimony of Thomas J. Huff, who was in the Wood County Jail with Salerno for about 11 days; he claims he and Salerno spoke about the murders. Huff traded testimony for the release of his 14-month Ohio fraud sentence. He claimed Salerno murdered his wife in Lansing, and drove around for hours with her in the trunk of his car, then went to exit 5 on I-75 in Michigan and dumped her into the lake with blocks on her feet.

The story by Huff is false. Salerno had a van and Michelle had a Reliant K wagon, neither of which has a trunk. There was no testimony of Michelle ever having been in water or of blocks being tied to her when she was found a year later in Ohio. Huff clearly manipulated the system to gain his release at the cost of an innocent man being convicted and sentenced to serve the rest of his life in prison for a murder he did not commit.

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Phone records indicate McClanahan had called information numerous times, called numbers in various states listed to Salerno families and his son David stated that he looked through phone books while on his trucking runs. Phone records also show Michelle and McClanahan were in contact, and records show that McClanahan had hired an investigator from Kentucky to locate Salerno and was given old addresses. He had maps of Ohio and Michigan, had stayed in a Bowling Green hotel on the weekend of Michelle's birthday when she was in the Bowling Green-Toledo area visiting friends and family and had often spoken of killing people and burying them. He had even given his attorney an envelope with a map and information where he claimed two bodies could be found- to be opened upon his death.

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ATM evidence shows Salerno was at the casinos during the time the state contends he committed the murder. This, combined with the fact that Michelle was found in Ohio, a block from the Bowling Green hotel where McClanahan had stayed-not at exit 5 on I-75 in Michigan as Huff testified- is enough to disqualify Huff's testimony. Combined with the fact that there was no water burial, no blocks on Michelle's feet, no trunks in either vehicle, questionable soil evidence, as well as McClanahan's history, bring the question of how Salerno was ever convicted. In fact, ordered soil testing from the Exit 5 area was not carried out. Had it been, it would have been another mark against the tale of Thomas J. Huff. In addition, the facts presented in Howard vs. Ohio, support and are probative of Salerno being innocent of Michelle's murder.

Mr. Salerno has no access to the Michigan legal material, and the State of Ohio has so far refused assignment of legal aid. He draws his own legal work with no outside support or advice. As of July 2008, Mt Salerno is pursuing a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court and an appeal from the denial of a Michigan trail court post-conviction motion. Nearly all court documents and partial discovery materials are in his possession.

Mr. Salerno understands the history and prejudicial nature of the Presumption of Correctness-the honest reality, though, is he did not kill Michelle. No evidence connects him to her murder. He will continue to battle against the State's injustice. Any advice, assessment or assistance offered would be appreciated, as well as a suggestion of someone to contact, or a reference of this correspondence.

NOTE: The original Michigan trial judge, Houk and the prosecutor Smith, are now retired

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Dennis Sal Salerno may be contacted at :

Dennis Salerno #412224

ODRC North Central CI Complex
670  Marion - Williamsport Road
Marion, Ohio 43301

OR

GTL (Gettingout)

Please you need to give money for Sal for reply

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