We've written quite a bit about Raquel Nelson over the past week or so, but now, we'll let her speak for herself. The Today Show devoted an eight-minute segment to her case this morning, including an interview with Raquel.
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Nelson's lawyer, David Savoy, also contacted me this morning to respond to my inquiries about how people can help. (He wouldn't answer questions about the case itself until sentencing is over.)
Savoy says that while the petitions that are circulating are an important show of support, what really counts are letters to the judge from residents of Cobb County, Georgia -- the judge's own constituents. He emphasized that people should not contact the judge directly, but if Cobb County residents want to email me at tips@usa.streetsblog.org today, I will send the emails on to Savoy and he will present them by hand to the judge. Time is of the essence, because sentencing is tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. This is your chance to respectfully ask the judge for leniency. And remember, she's not the one who convicted Nelson in the first place -- a jury did that. Please include your address on the letter.
Nelson's aunt, who appears next to her on the Today Show, is setting up a legal defense fund. Many readers expressed interest in contributing to such a fund. I spoke to Nelson's aunt myself, in between their appearances on the Today Show and MSNBC. She thanks people for their generosity and says they can send contributions to Chase Bank, 1050 E Piedmont Rd, Suite Y, Marietta, Georgia 30062. You can make the check out to Raquel Nelson Legal Defense Fund.
