This site is in the process of being updated, with new information being added soon, as there have been new developments in this case. We have not stopped fighting (and will not stop) for this innocent young lady's freedom!
The 'Justice for Tasha' Group - Houston, Texas
contact webmaster: TashaMShelby@aol.com
This was a 'Rush to Judgment'. The investigator zeroed in on Tasha as a 'killer' and made what 'evidence' he had, fit, and minimized and dismissed any evidence to the contrary. There was never any physical evidence produced linking Tasha to the so-called 'crime'. There was never a witness produced that said anything negative about the way she treated this child. On the contrary, people have repeatedly said how well she treated him, that she treated him as well as she treated her own three year old child. But these people were never even interviewed, let alone asked to testify.
Tasha's charge and arrest were based on the following (circumstantial) evidence:
1) 20 minute timeframe - Based on information that stated that the "injuries that ultimately killed this child were inflicted within 20 minutes prior to his arrival at the hospital" and she had been the only one with the him during that time. This information was nowhere to be found except in someone's handwritten notes. It is believed those notes belong to the investigating officer. This "20 minute timeframe" was only mentioned during her trial but was not proven. {In fact, Dr. Iopollo (defense witness) testified that the type of injury the prosecution was trying to prove could have been inflicted up to 48 hours before his death.}
2) Mongolian Spots: Bryan IV had an inherited skin disorder called "Mongolian Spots". They are abnormal skin pigment. This information is documented in his medical records. Bryan IV's father, Bryan III, and his 2-week old sister (at the time of Bryan IV's death) also have (or had) them. From the Textbook of Basic Nursing, 2nd edition, Thompson/Rosdahl, pg. 488, the definition is "Mongolian Spots are irregular dark blue-green areas which generally appear on the lower back. They are almost always present in infants of Asian extraction and occur frequently in Mediterranean and African peoples, but rarely in Caucasians." It was left to the jury that all these 'spots' were bruises on this child.
3) Approximately two months before Bryan IV's death, he had put himself in the bathtub, turned on the hot water, and was scalded on his buttocks and the back of his legs, apparently slipping into the hot water or sitting and waiting for the bath to fill, the water got hot and burned him. Tasha and Bryan III were both home at the time of this incident, arriving at the bathroom at the same time after they heard him scream. They took him to the emergency room, he spent several days in the hospital and a team of doctors, nurses and social workers made a joint decision that it was, indeed, an unfortunate childhood accident. This incident was not brought up during the trial, but was held against Tasha for her charge and arrest.
There are 4 jurors that should not have been chosen for the jury.
1) During jury selection, there was a man that Tasha asked several times not be chosen, that she was not comfortable with him. Her attorneys said he would be fine. He not only was chosen, but ended up being the jury foreman
2) A young lady that went to school with the assistant prosecutor, and apparently sees him on a regular basis (socially or children go to school together possibly). She was asked if their friendship would effect her ability to judge this trial fairly. She answered that it would not. She was chosen for the jury. A young man that Tasha went to school with was excused, not chosen.
3) During the trial, one of the jurors asked to approach the judge. He stated that he felt he might be related to the victim, as he saw his sister-in-law come into the proceedings, hug and kiss, and then sit with the deceased's family. He was left on the jury.
4) A lady who was set to testify for Tasha during the sentencing phase, sat in on the trial for the first time and realized that she knew one of the jurors - a woman who had worked for her that had come to work drunk, and the lady had had to fire her. The lady had been listed among the potential witnesses, but this juror never admitted she knew the lady during jury selection. The lady told Tasha's lead attorney about this, but this woman also remained on the jury.
email: TashaMShelby@aol.com
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