J4DB: News Update May 2nd, 2010 The Innocence Project Cardozo School of Law @ Yeshiva University 100 5th Avenue- 3rd Floor New York, N.Y. 10011 From: Stephen Sydebotham To whom it may concern @ The Innocence Project, My name is Stephen Sydebotham. I am a close personal, and family friend of Djinn Buckingham, a child who confessed, at the age of twelve, to arson and second-degree murder. Since the day he plead guilty, he has always maintained, to friends and family, that he did not set the fire, in which his cousin died in. Djinn was interrogated for three hours, in regards to the fire, and continued to state that he did not set the fire, until the authorities told him that they were going to give him a lie detector test. According to Djinn, he never made any confession, in the original interrogation. We have reason to believe, that a video recording of this interrogation exists, that will prove this, because the questioning took place in a room, at Children and Youth, which normally had video running. Also, the method described in the alleged confession, under interrogation, is contradicted by the testimony of the victims family members, as it has the fire starting in the wrong part of the home. To add more to this, the same interrogating officer, was found by the court, to have falsified a rape-of-a-child confession, in another case earlier the same year. Djinn's courtroom confession occured after the court repeatedly refused to allow him to change attorneys, specifically because the court appointed attorney would not allow him to plea innocent. Also, before Djinn's courtroom confession, Djinn had been held in isolation, and forcibly drugged, for several months, while incarcerated at the Monroe County Correctional Facility. Djinn had limited Social Skills, and many of the drugs prescribed to him, were not approved for use in any one under the age of 18. Since Djinn's courtroom confession, Djinn has been held in 2 firestarter programs, in which it is a very serious offense, to deny guilt. As you state with your own words, on the Innocence Project website: Confessions obtained from juveniles are often unreliable – children can be easy to manipulate and are not always fully aware of their situation. Children and adults both are often convinced that that they can "go home" as soon as they admit guilt. People with mental disabilities have often falsely confessed because they are tempted to accommodate and agree with authority figures. Further, many law enforcement interrogators are not given any special training on questioning suspects with mental disabilities. An impaired mental state due to mental illness, drugs or alcohol may also elicit false admissions of guilt. Mentally capable adults also give false confessions due to a variety of factors like the length of interrogation, exhaustion or a belief that they can be released after confessing and prove their innocence later. Regardless of the age, capacity or state of the confessor, what they often have in common is a decision – at some point during the interrogation process – that confessing will be more beneficial to them than continuing to maintain their innocence. Sometimes law enforcement use harsh interrogation tactics with uncooperative suspects. But some police officers, convinced of a suspect’s guilt, occasionally use tactics so persuasive that an innocent person feels compelled to confess. Some suspects have confessed to avoid physical harm or discomfort. Others are told they will be convicted with or without a confession, and that their sentence will be more lenient if they confess. We also believe the below to be true as well, in regards to Djinn's public defender: failed to investigate alibis failed to call or consult experts on forensic issues Djinn Buckingham has spent the past four and a half years, in forced treatment and incarceration for something that it is doubtful that he committed. Also supporting the fact that he did not start the fire are: 1. We have a notorized statement from an electrician, who was at the household 2 weeks before the fire that states, "The home was ripe for a fire". There was exposed wiring, and water leaks directly on electrical sockets. 2. There was a fire in another family members bedroom, several days before the fire in question, in which the fire was started accidentally, by having incense candles, too close to drapes. The girl who died in the fire in question, burned incense candles regularly in her room as well. 3. According to authorities, they stated that Djinn started the fire, using "Tiki Torch fluid", there was no accelerant found by sniffer dogs. Another firefighter, familiar with the home, has recently told us that, the burn patterns did not suggest that accelerant was used. He also has confirmed the victims families testimony, that the fire must have started in another area of the home, then was testified to by Djinn's interrogators under oath. Knowing that The Innocence Project investigates cases in which there is the likelihood of innocence, I would respectfully request, that you would consider this case for submission. Thank You for your time, and consideration of this matter, Stephen Sydebotham Update January 7, 2009. You are loved and missed by all of your friends and family. It is important for you to know that we are trying everything possible to get your case back into court and bring it to a positive resolution. You have been put through so much these past three years, we are trying to give you your life back, free from all this that is hanging over your head. There are many others who are in the same situation as you were, this website is intended to help those victims as well, by changing laws nationally which would make it illegal for authorities to question a child without an attorney present . Then what you have been through will have meaning and porpose, and will have been of benefit to all, helping others in need, which is what you are all about. My hope is that we can be together again soon. Love, Mom I would like to second everthing said in this letter plus add this. Djinn, I know this is hard for you, to have people say untrue things of you, especially when they know nothing about you and have never had access to you. Know that you are loved and cared about by a hundred times more people than the ones who say negative things about you. THREE YEARS LATER. December 28, 2008 was the 3rd anniversary of the arrest of Djinn Buckingham. He confessed to starting a fire at his families home on December 9, 2005. A fire in which his beloved cousin Sierra Carranza died. There was no physical proof showing that Djinn set the fire. Only his confession to authorities without an attorney, or family present with him, during questioning. Many people have come forward with new evidence. Evidence showing Djinn confessed to something he did not do. The work continues on Djinn's case as there has not yet been any resolution. I want to thank all of the people who have assisted me during this long process. The list is so long, it is impossible to name everyone but you all know who you are and what you have done to contribute. I am most grateful. Thank you, Update December 30, 2008. Update: December 5th, 2008. You can help us by either calling, faxing or writing to the Monroe County District Attorney's office, Governor Rendell and or Attorney General Tom Corbett. Tell them how dissatisfied you are with the handling of Djinn's case and you want an evidentiary hearing to be set-up, so new evidence can be presented and have his case possibly reopened and given a new trial. The more people who call, write or fax to them and tell them how you feel, the better chance we have of this coming to pass. Below are the addresses and phone numbers to contact the proper authorities involved in this case. To write the District Attorney please use this address: Monroe County District Attorney's Office
c/o E. David Christine Monroe County Courthouse, 7th & Monroe Stroudsburg, Pa. 18360 To call please use either of these numbers: (570) 517-3052, (570) 517-3056 or (570) 420-3420 To fax a statement to them please use this number: (570) 420-3482.
To write Governor Rendell, asking him to reopen Djinn's case: Governor Edward G. Rendell 225 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, Pa. 17120 To call, please use this number: (717) 787-2500 To fax, please use this number (717) 772-8284 To write Attorney General Corbett, asking him to reopen Djinn's case: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General 16th Floor Strawberry Square Harrisburg, Pa. 17120 To call, please use this number: (717) 787-3391 To fax, please use this number: (717) 787-8242
Update: November 15th. Several more local bands have signed on to the "Benefit for Djinn" concert. Those of you in the Frederick, Md area if you want to have a good time Saturday night November 22nd, please come on over to Krug's Place, you won't be disappointed! Update: October 3rd, 2008 The "Benefit Concert for Djinn" will be held Saturday night, November 22nd, 2008 in Frederick, Maryland. The name of the venue and address are as follows: Krug's Place 906 North East Street Frederick, Md. 21704 Doors to the concert will open at 5pm and the concert will begin promptly at 6pm. Ticket prices will be $8 at the door and this is an ALL AGE event. The artists and bands who are generously giving of their time to help Djinn and are performing at tis concert are: D&J The Deadnecks Cobra Clutch Pie Jammers Danny K & the Nightlifers
Update September 16, 2008. Update July 30, 2008 Djinn has finally been transferred from the Abraxas Youth Center in South Mountain, Pa. to Stevens Treatment Facility in Swansea, Ma. This transfer is long overdue, now ho[efully Djinn can start to bea normal teenager again and not the Djinn everyone else wants him or expects him to be.
Today we embark on a new phase, in regards to our handling of Djinn's case. I have contacted the Innocence Project, about his case, plus, have also contacted the Pocono Record, to try and get some help with this. Djinn has gone through this for over four years, and deserves this to be over with. He and his family have been lambasted by the press, and most of all individuals, who didn't know the whole story, and just wanted to shoot their mouths off, to get some publicity, and make Djinn look bad.
Well, that time has come to an end!
Update March 19, 2010
Today is Djinn's 17th Birthday. Let's all wish him a happy one, and Filet Mignon for dinner!
Djinn,
This has been a long ordeal for you, and I hope that it will be over with soon. Can't wait to spend some time with you, and jamming with you on guitar, and bass.
Stephen
Justice for Djinn.org webmaster
Update March 19,2009
Today is Djinn's 16th Birthday. Let's all wish him a very warm one.
I can now say that there will be many positive changes upcoming, in his case. I cannot divulge those changes, but stay tuned, as they will all be made public soon, on this website and in the media.
Djinn
Always,
Stephen Sydebotham
Stephen Sydebotham, Rainbow Buckingham, Katrina Buckingham, Kyla Buckingham
The past several weeks have been rough on Djinn, as he has had several anniversary dates hit him all at once again in the same month. The anniversary of the fire, the date that he and his sisters were forcibly taken away by C&Y services, his questioning and arrest. That's a lot for anyone to take in, throw in not having much of a Christmas again for the third year in a row, it's not difficult to understand or sympathise with someone in his situation. Djinn was also promised that his social worker through C&Y was going to go see him and give him some of the gifts we were told that he could have, but she never showed up or called the facility or let us know either. C&Y has shown how little they care about Djinn or his family on several occasions, I don't want to be overly critical but they have broken his heart time and time again and it's sounding like a broken record.
Djinn we will always be here for you!
"The Love Concert for Djinn" will be held Velentine's Day, February 14th, 2009, once again at Krug's Place. The tickets for this event will go fast. Several bands once again have signed on to perform at this concert, several more are looking into it. Please come if you can, times and bands will be posted here shortly. For more information on the event or your band would like to perform at this fund raiser for Djinn's Attorney Fees, please contact me at 
Update December 1, 2008.
It appears that Steven 's Treatment Center is treating Djinn well. He says he likes the curriculum there and that they were hard on him in the beginning but now they are givng him an opportunity to use the recreational facilities and to be himself, not what everyone else thinks or wants him to be. We arew with you in spirit Djinn, and we send you our love and support.
Update March 19, 2010Today is Djinn's 17th Birthday. Let's all wish him a happy one, and Filet Mignon for dinner!Djinn,This has been a long ordeal for you, and I hope that it will be over with soon. Can't wait to spend some time with you, and jamming with you on guitar, and bass. StephenJustice for Djinn.org webmaster Update March 19,2009Today is Djinn's 16th Birthday. Let's all wish him a very warm one.
