Mark Turner's Plea to Governor Charlie Crist Ignored

I have some information to share with you about Mark Turner and his family and friends - more of some of the bizarre events and behaviour surrounding his coming incarceration. Out of desperation, Mark contacted Governor Charlie Crist's office. That story is below. If you are not up-to-date on this case, Mark's Appeal was denied and he attempted to take his life. He is in a hospital, awaiting transfer to the County Jail in about a week. Read background on the criminal case here.

Mark and Nancy Turner and their Children

Some months ago, Mark contacted the office of Florida's Governor, Charlie Crist. He was seeking help to investigate Pensacola's Special Prosecutor, who Mark believes targeted him for RICO charges. Mark spoke with Dustin Fusillo in the Governor's office. Read Mark's Appeal attorney's response to the Court.
Find the article index on everything I have written about Mark Turner in the sidebar at top right of this page.

If you are in a position to help Mark and Nancy Turner with legal advice, or toward the cost of a Post Conviction Appeal, with any portion of the $15,000.00 they need, or can help with the process of getting the paperwork ready, please leave a comment here, or send an email. You'll find my email address in the right-hand sidebar, or leave a comment on Mark Turner's  blog here. If you are an attorney and want to read Turner's Appeal attorney's response to the court, read it here. Read every court document here. 

We are looking for a miracle for this man who has spent every dime he has, is supported by his wife and is now close to indigency. Your prayers are so appreciative. So many of you have told us you are praying for this family.

To bloggers: if you are interested in this story and will cross-post it for us, please do so, and link back here. The Turner's will be appreciative of your help.

This from Mark's wife Nancy:

Mr. Fusillo had told Mark that his case was being referred to Drew Atkinson, [who] would handle the complaint against the District 1 that Russ Edgar represents.  He called it an "Executive Investigation" and stated that his prior responses to Mark's request for help did not specify "Executive Investigation" and that he could not act unless it was specified. 

Mark has videotapes of himself attempting numerous upon numerous times to speak with Drew Atkinson but his secretary always had some excuse.  She would give him a time frame for Atkinson to respond and Mark would call back on that day and get another future timeframe.  

Mark finally got so upset after 3 months of waiting that he videotaped himself speaking to her about how the press was going to be involved and that he could not hold this story off any longer, she changed her tune and said "why didn't you say the press was involved."  

Atkinson called Mark back and told him that he had reviewed the information and that this was not the only complaint made on Russ Edgar and that there was already an Executive Investigation started on Edgar prior to Mark.  We were so hopeful.  

Recently Mark received a letter from Atkinson's office stating the Executive Investigation found no grounds to continue and that the case was closed.  Two other men currently being prosecuted with the same RICO charges that Edgar is famous for, had their charges dropped by the state.  The lesser charges were individually tried instead of combining all of them into one trial and they won their cases!  Good for them but not retroactive for Mark! 

Recently a friend of the Turners, Brenda Johnson, sent a letter to the Governor's Office with a plea for help. On September 7th she received this following email message from Dustin Fusillo, Office of Citizen Services.

Dear Ms. Johnson, 

Thank you for contacting Governor Charlie Crist on behalf of Mark Turner. The Governor asked me to respond on his behalf.  

The Florida Constitution limits the Governor's intervention in criminal investigation and prosecution. Each state attorney is an elected official charged with certain discretionary duties, including the duty to determine whether or not to prosecute any particular crime committed within his or her jurisdiction. This decision is based on the quality and quantity of the evidence of guilt shown, and in the best interest of justice. The state attorneys operate independently, and as elected officials, they answer only to the voters of their individual jurisdictions.  

Questions about guilt or innocence, or the procedural fairness of convictions must be addressed in the courts. Those who wish to contest judicial rulings may wish to speak with an attorney about what appellate procedures may be available. Those who need assistance in locating an attorney may wish to contact the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service. The Bar can be contacted by calling toll-free at (800) 342-8011, or by writing to 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2300. 

The Office of Executive Clemency is the appropriate authority to provide information regarding pardons. The Governor has no independent ability to pardon someone. The clemency function is a power to grant full or conditional pardons, restore a felon's civil rights, or commute punishment. There are complicated rules for these lengthy procedures, and these powers are vested in the Governor only with the agreement of two Cabinet members who are also statewide elected officials. For more information, you can write the Office of Executive Clemency at 4070 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2450, or you can call 1-800-435-8286. You may also email the office at clemencyweb@fpc.state.fl.us, and you can reach the office by fax at (850) 488-0965.

Thank you again for contacting the Governor's office. 

Sincerely, Dustin Fusillo, Office of Citizen Services

Fusillo says the State Attorney General is officially charged with deciding whether a prosecution goes forward, but Mark told me many months ago, before contacting the Governor's office, that he did contact the Florida State AG, and was told the AG's office has the duty to support the prosecuting attorney. If I remember Mark's words clearly, the State AG said he would be upholding Russ Edgar, the prosecuting attorney's right to go to trial.

Nancy Turner sent this in an email:

I don't understand why Dustin Fusillo wrote this generic email back to Brenda Johnson.  I just read an article reporting that Governor Charlie Crist pardonned the dead lead singer to the Doors, Jim Morrison.  He was praised for stating that Jim Morrison probably ended his life with drug overdose because he was under duress from not receiving a fair trial and thus didn't think he would get a fair appeal.  Because he never got an appeal, the Governor was able to remove the charges in full and Jim Morrison was removed from the Florida law books.

Dustin Fusillo told Mark that the Governor does not get involved in litigation but the Charlie Crist stepped in and mediated a sexual harassment suit and settled it financially with the victims to avoid public exposure of the Miami sheriff's department.  My girlfriend Sandra was the victim.  How does he have the select ability to use his authority?

Is there anywhere a man or woman can go in Florida, and especially in Escambia County, to get a fair trial? Some people living in the area who do not know Mark Turner think it is not possible and I will publish those emails in the next few days.

If you live in the Pensacola area, have you noticed there is not a peep from the press about this story of a man involved with Pete Moore, the owner of Pete Moore Chevrolet. Nothing about Mark's suicide attempt. Nothing about a man who has many reasons to believe he has been framed or wronged from the lack of justice in Escambia Country, Florida. Please view two videos filmed by Turner just before he decided to take his life. Find them at the top of this page on the left.

This family needs help in financing and preparing for a Post Conviction Appeal. Are you the person who can help, or do you know someone who will be a miracle-worker for Mark Turner?

Maggie's Disclaimer: I do not live in the Pensacola area. I've done my best to represent this from what I'm reading, all of which has been made available to anyone wanting it - including all parties in all lawsuits, and a couple of recent emails from Nancy Turner. 

Read about the lawsuit a Turner friend just filed against Pete Moore 

Read my first article on Mark Turner. 

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook