Several years ago, a Police Report in the bronx was whited out. He would this was a race from the report and the Police Report was given to an attorney representing a man on trial for murder. This week, that man was released. The District Attorney released realized he did not receive a fair trial. He lost six years of his life. Amy and then to the streets of berkeley, california, where a fight broke out this weekend between White NationalistTrump Supporters and antifascist supporter protesters. People were arrested. We will get the latest. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. U. S. Defense secretary james mattis arrived in saudi arabia tuesday for the first stop on his weeklong trip to the middle east and north africa. Speaking on the plane to reporters, mattis hailed the u. S. Saudi arabia relationship. Way to firstour stop is saudi arabia. As you know, this is a nation that has been a key security i since 1994. They remain a pillar of our Security Framework for the region and for american interest. Amy in riyadh, secretary mattis called for a political solution to the ongoing war in yemen, where the u. S. Backed Saudiled Coalition has been fighting houthi rebels. More than 10,000 people have been killed, the majority killed by the saudi bombing campaign. While in riyadh, mattis also called north koreas recent failed missile test reckless. The guardian is reporting the u. S. Military is considering plans to shoot down future north Korean Missile tests, and that mattis has briefed congress on the possible escalation. Meanwhile, in somalia, the United Nations says 25,000 people have become sick with cholera, as a severe Drought Forces people to drink water infected with the deadly bacteria. The u. N. Is warning somalia is on the brink of widespread famine. In 2011, more than 250,000 people died during severe famine in somalia. In syria, residents say an airstrike killed at least 30 civilians, including women and children, in the syrian province deir alzor on monday. Reuters reports the airstrike was believed to be launched by the u. S. Led coalition. Isis controls most of the province. U. S. Air force colonel john dorrian said the coalition had carried out strikes around the town where multiple homes were reportedly destroyed, but he said he could not confirm the veracity of allegations of civilian casualties. The journalistic Monitoring Group airwars says nine civilians were reportedly killed by u. S. Led Coalition Airstrikes thursday and friday in raqqa. Meanwhile, the u. S. Led coalition and the u. S. Backed Iraqi Air Force continue to carry out airstrikes in mosul, iraq. The journalistic Monitoring Group airwars says between 20 and 50 civilians were reportedly killed by airstrikes on neighborhoods across west mosul monday. The iraqi observatory for human rights says on saturday, another 42 civilians were reportedly killed after airstrikes hit a 16room home in old mosul, killing members of a large extended family, including children. On tuesday, the United Nations warned that the battle to oust isis militants from the old city of mosul could turn into the battles worst humanitarian catastrophe. The u. N. And iraqi officials are rushing to build more camps to house people displaced by the battle. This is issam abo mohammed, who was displaced from mosul by the fighting. Mat have been sleeping on a for 17 days. My back is hurting me now. I am 50 four years old and i am ill. My son was hit and killed while we were escaping, and i buried his body in the street. If the senior officials do not help me, my family will die. Amy the Associated Press is reporting sales of ivanka has three new trademarks in china. It was very same day President Trump met with chinese president xi jinping at trumps private maralago resort in florida. The china trademarks give her company the exclusive rights to sell ivankabranded jewelry, bags, and spa services in china. The New York Times reports japan also approved new trademarks for ivanka for branded shoes, handbags, and clothing in february, and she has trademark applications pending in at least 10 other countries. Ivanka trump no longer manages her 50 million company, but she continues to own it. Ivanka also serves in the Trump Administration as an adviser to the president , along with her husband, trumps soninlaw jared kusher. The ap says sales of training trumps merchandise have surged since her father was elected president. Reuters is reporting the Philippine Police are receiving cash rewards for extra judicially killing drug suspects, based on interviews with two unnamed senior Philippines Police officials. The officials also told reuters that majority of the nearly 9000 killings carried out since president duterte took office have been orchestrated by the Philippine National police. In late november, a buzzfeed investigation revealed the u. S. Has continued to fund and provide equipment for the Philippine National police, despite the mounting death toll of dutertes socalled war on drugs. A new Harvard University report says unaccompanied child refugees in greece are being forced to sell sex in efforts to try to pay human traffickers to take them further along their journey across europe. The report authors describe a the report comes as refugees continue to risk their lives to reach europes shores. The International Organization for migration says 9000 refugees were rescued in the mediterranean this weekend alone. Almost 9000 migrants have been rescued over the weekend by individual ngos and international flotilla. The figure is 8360. Mostly africans, but also a large number of bangladeshis. What is significant, when we look at the deaths at sea so far, we have 900 migrants dying so far at sea this year. Libya to italy stretch. Amy the wall street journal is reporting that fox news star bill oreilly may be ousted from the network amid multiple accusations of Sexual Assault against oreilly. Over 50 advertisers are already boycotting concordia Oreilly Factor over revelations oreilly and fox paid 13 million to settle lawsuits by five women who accuse oreilly of Sexual Harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior. A sixth woman, dr. Wendy walsh, has also accused oreilly of harassing her and then retaliating against her when she refused to have sex with him. On tuesday, a seventh woman, who remains anonymous, accus oreilly of harassing her for months with sexually and racially offensive comments and actions. The woman is an African American clerical worker who worked near oreilly. Her lawyer, lisa bloom, said oreilly wouldnt speak to her, other than to say things like, mmm hmm, make grunting noises like an animal, she alleges, leering at her, looking at her cleavage and her legs, and he would call her hot chocolate, which she found to be very offensive. 21st century fox is holding a Board Meeting on thursday. Fueling speculation of oreilly will not be returning to air next week after his vacation. Oreillys team is denying he is in talks with the network about his exit. To see our full interview with attorney lisa bloom, go to democracynow. Org in georgia, democrat jon ossoff, Whose Campaign slogan was make trump furious narrowly missed winning tuesdays special election today to fill the seat of former Congress Member tom price, who is now the secretary of health and human services. In the heavily republican district, ossoff won 48 of the vote, meaning hell face off against republican candidate karen handel in june. A 30yearold documentary filmmaker, ossoff had raised 4 times more money for his campaign than any other candidate. This is ossoff speaking tuesday night. We have shattered expectations. And there is no amount of dark money, super pac, netted negative advertising that can overcome the Grassroots Energy like this. Amy massachusetts prosecutors are throwing out more than 20,000 criminal drug cases over scandal involving a former state chemist who admitted faking tests for years. Annie dookhan pleaded guilty in 2013 to falsifying evidence in tens of thousands of cases during her nine years working at a state crime lab in boston. Many of the cases, she identified the evidence as illegal narcotics without even testing the turtles. We will have more on this case later in the broadcast. 23yearold dreamer Juan Manuel Montes is suing the Trump Administration for deporting him to mexico, even though he had been granted Legal Protection to live and work in the United States until 2018 under president obamas deferred action for childhood arrivals program, known as daca. He had been living in the United States since he was nine years old. He was deported after he was approached by ice agents in california and didnt have his wallet on him, which contained his id and proof of daca, since hed left it in his friends car. Within three hours, he was deported to mexico. Trump has previously said he would not go after dreamers with daca. The department of homeland dacaity claims his expired, even though his lawyers have proof that he had protection through 2018. In alabama, hundreds of people protested against a speech by White Nationalist injured spencer at Auburn University tuesday night. In the latest run a protest against the racist and xenophobic leader of the movement. Altright spitzer spoke against the wishes of the university after federal judge ruled the university did not have the power to cancel his beach. Spencer said the speech was sponsored by the White Nationalist website altright. Co m. And longtime migrant justice activist hugo castro has been found alive in mexico city. He had disappeared five days ago after calling for help on a Facebook Live video, saying his life was in danger. Castro works with the group border angels, and he was en route to join a caravan of Central American refugees en route to apply for asylum in the United States when he disappeared. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. We turn now to the remarkable case of steven odiase, wrongfully convicted man who was released monday after a judge ruled he may not have received a fair trial because prosecutors withheld crucial evidence from his defense lawyer. The case has raised increased scrutiny of new york citys criminal Justice System and concerns about prosecutorial misconduct. In 2013, odiase was convicted for the shooting death of 15yearold juan perez in the bronx. At the time, the only evidence against the 31yearold man were the words of a lone eyewitness, who admitted to being intoxicated at the time of the murder. Odiase was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Then his younger sister, Kalimah Truesdale, set out to prove her brothers innocence. She scoured the scene of the crime and eventually found a woman who said that she saw the shooting. Most shockingly, the woman said she had already spoken to a detective at the time of the murder and described the shooter as a man not matching odiases description. However, there was no mention of the womans testimony in the version of the Police Report that was presented to the defense attorney. The original Police Report contained the witnesss description, but had been surreptitiously redacted in the doctored version. On monday, Justice Steven barrett quickly vacated the eerdict, ordered odaias released and called for a new , trial. Shortly afterwards, one of odiases Defense Attorneys, pierre sussman, spoke to ny1 we knew there was a lot that needed to be done. With thell charged underlying murder. We are hopeful that the District Attorney will see fit to dismiss his indictment for the grounds they vacated the conviction today. Amy judge barrett did not reverse odiases murder conviction and the District Attorneys office says that its investigation is ongoing. However, its unlikely prosecutors will decide to retry odiase in light of the previously withheld witness statement. Kalimah truesdale welcomed her brothers release and briefly spoke to reporters. I am very happy. Is this something that needed to be done . Absolutely. Amy Kalimah Truesdale told the new yorker magazine that she wants to keep investigating the mystery of the altered Police Report and find out why crucial information was redacted from her brothers case file landing him in jail more than three years ago. For over six years. Prosecutors are required by law to share with Defense Attorneys any evidence pertaining to a defendants innocence claim before the trial. For more were joined now by two , guests. Jonathan edelstein is an attorney focusing on criminal appeals and postconviction remedies. He is one of the lawyers who represented steven odiase. And were also joined by Jennifer Gonnerman, a staff writer for the new yorker magazine. Her most recent piece, a womans quest to prove her brothers innocence leads to a discovery. Welcome to democracy now talk about this piece you wrote so eloquently about in the new yorker. Covered it very well up top. This is a story of what appears to be a Police Report that is whited out. The yellow card on the screen was the part that was not shown to the Trial Attorney before trial. Essentially, that pertains to a witness that essentially vanished. The Trial Attorney did not know about that witness, and it appears this young man spent six years in prison and would have spent many more years in prison if not for the intervention of his family, his sister, his attorneys. He would have done at least 25 years. Yet at 25 to life sentence. Amy this is amazing. Describe what happens. There are just a few lines that are completely whited out so just looks like it is another paragraph. Though what was said in those three lines . The police had done a canvas of an Apartment Building near the crime scene, going apartment by apartment. Each person store they knocked on, they recorded what they said. People said they heard gunshots or i heard nothing or i heard five shots am a six shots, sounded like firecrackers. One woman told them she had seen the crime and see me shooter, and gave a description. It was three lines in the middle of the Police Report. Yet when that was handed over to the Trial Attorney, those three lines were erased. Consequently, they did not know about this witness before they went to trial. Now this week, the District Attorneys office, six years later, admitted this young man did not get a fair trial and set him free this past monday. Amy how long was he in jail for . But hely six years, could have done 25 if this mistake had nothing caught. Amy this is an astounding story, Jonathan Edelstein. Talk about from a lawyers perspective, what this means. Now is the prosecutor going to be tried . I mean, this is why did out information that led to a mans chilling for years. Jailing for years. Whether anyone responsible for this is indicted or tried would be up to the bronx District Attorneys office. There were certainly be difficulties bringing criminal charges after this long of time. Depending on when the reductions were made, they might even be barred by the statute of limitations. Historically, it is very rare for prosecutors to Face Criminal Charges as a result of withholding evidence or mishandling evidence. In the cases where charges have been brought and convictions have been obtained against prosecutors is very much the exception. Obviously, we dont know what investigation is going to reveal. It is ongoing at this time. We do not know whether the thection was made by District Attorney or Police Officer or where along the process this might have occurred. As theird expect that investigation unfolds, we might more we may find out about what is going to happen to the people responsible for this. , youJennifer Gonnerman write about the prosecutor in the case and how he has explained the whiting out of the statement that the eyewitness identified someone else. I called