Willie Crain says he shouldn't be on death row

Starke, Florida - As he sits on death row convicted murderer Willie Crain says investigators targeted him from the moment they started questioning him. Crain says detective Albert Brackett said to him, "I'm going to get you. I don't care what I have to do. I'm going to get you."

That's how Crain describes how investigators acted while he was being questioned about the murder of 7-year-old Amanda Brown.

Although the little girl's body was never found, prosecutors convinced a jury that Crain, a convicted pedophile, took Amanda's body and disposed of it in one of his crab traps.

We told Crain, "Everybody is saying you killed Amanda." Crain says he is aware of what everyone is saying. He told us, "I know what they're saying. I was found guilty of it."

However, Crain says, "I'm not guilty."

Crain, who has an evidentiary hearing in December, says there are several problems with his conviction including the Miranda Warning.

Crain says nobody advised him of his Miranda rights.

Although detectives had Crain initial and sign a form consenting to search his truck and boat, they never had him initial the form saying he had been read his Miranda rights. Detective Mike Hurley testified he read them to Crain, who he said understood them and agreed to talk.

Crain says that's not true and the court never heard that. According to Crain, his attorney never brought it up.

And while the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office has always maintained it handled the case by the book as it was looking for a missing girl who they hoped to find alive, Crain says at least three times he asked for an attorney and the request was denied.

Crain says,"They're coming for me, they're screaming and yelling at me and they've got me up against the wall."

"Their nose is touching my nose and spit is coming running out of their face, hitting me in the face. I can't move."

According to Crain, he screamed," I want an attorney. I ain't talking to you no more." However, Crain says investigators told him, "You ain't getting no attorney."

Crain also contends there is a problem with the testimony of former FDLE serologist Theodore Yeshion. In a deposition, Yeshion was asked if he had a way to determine if there was, in fact, Amanda and Crain's blood on a toilet seat and Crain's shorts. Yeshion said the test he did does not, in fact, tell him he had blood. Yeshion adds that he can't state that scientifically, conclusively, that it is blood without doing additional tests. But in Court, Yeshion testified that blood stains from the toilet and the shorts were consistent with DNA from Amanda and Crain.

Crain says investigators also ignored a note found at a construction site saying:

"I have known Willie Crain for several years and he is a no good bastard. " The note goes on to say, " I wanted to get his [Crain's] ass for several years, but sorry you have the wrong man."

The writer says he killed Amanda and that she was still alive when he put her in the water and she is now at peace.

Crain says he wants the real person in prison where he is.

And while most believe Crain is the real person who killed Amanda Brown, he says he hopes to convince a judge in December that the wrong man is on death row. Crain says he is innocent.

But guilty or innocent, it is likely Crain, who has colon cancer and two other spots on his lungs, will not live long enough to prove his case or meet his date with the executioner.

Then, the only one he has to convince is a higher authority.


Mike Deeson, Tampa Bay's 10 News