Michael Roy Toney
Encyclopedia
Michael Roy Toney in 1999 was falsely charged and convicted for a bombing
that killed
two males and one female in Lake Worth, Texas
in 1985. The incident also injured another male and female. He was sentenced to the death penalty
and served ten years on death row before being released on September 2, 2009, when the State of Texas dropped all charges against him. The conviction had been overturned earlier on December 17, 2008 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
. He died in an auto accident near Rusk, Texas
, just one month later on October 3, 2009.
, a small town in Shasta County
about 90 miles (144.8 km) north of Sacramento
. His father left the family early in his life, and his mother worked in local taverns. She would bring home a number of men who would beat her and her sons. To escape from this, Michael would often retreat to a shed. When Toney was 9 or 10 years old, one of her boyfriends strapped him to a chair, duct-taped his wrists down and set fire to his hands. When he was 15, another one of his mother's boyfriends attacked him with a fishing gaff and gouged a huge hole in his hip. He quit school before the 10th grade and left for Texas, settling down in Hurst-Euless, in the Bedford
area of Tarrant County
. He married a woman named Kim when he was 38 years old. On the Saturday morning of October 3, 2009, Toney lost control of a pickup truck he was driving, causing it to roll over and ejecting Toney from the vehicle. There was no one else in the car.
and Azle, Texas
, three members of the Blount family were instantly killed by an explosion
. Joe Blount, his daughter Angela, and Angela's cousin, Michael Columbus, were killed when a bomb that was in a briefcase exploded. The briefcase was reportedly found on or near the steps of their home. Joe Blount was a 44-year-old skilled mechanic. Angela Blount was only 15 years old and Michael Columbus was 18.
Joe Blount, Angela Blount, Robert Blount, Michael Columbus, Susan Blount and Carl "Ray" Blount celebrated Thanksgiving together in the Blounts' trailer in the suburbs of Fort Worth
. Robert was the son of Susan and Joe Blount. Carl "Ray" was the brother of Joe Blount. Michael Columbus was Carl's long-estranged son. After the family ate Thanksgiving dinner, Ray Blount went home around 5:00 p.m. Around 9:00 p.m., Susan Blount went to lie down for a nap. Joe Blount drove Robert, Angela and Michael to a convenience store
about half a mile away from the park where they bought snacks and beer. Susan Blount soon heard a knock at the front door. She looked out the window but did not see anybody she returned to her nap. When the rest of family returned from the convenience store, they discovered a briefcase
on the doorstep. The three teenagers were excited because they thought that the briefcase might have either money or jewels in it. After bringing the briefcase inside, Angela opened the latches and it exploded.
that happened in 1993. Here he was talking to Charles "Jack" Ferris in Parker County
Jail in Weatherford, Texas
. The two men began talking about the bombing. Ferris was then released from jail by telling the Parker County authorities that Toney had confessed to him. After Ferris told the authorities, the investigators questioned Toney's ex-wife. In the beginning, Ms. Toney told prosecutors, "Michael killing people in a bombing? You're nuts." But Ms. Toney decided to do some research on the case. When she realized what had taken place, she called federal agents and told her story. Soon after, Toney was indicted for capital murder
.
Months passed, and Ferris changed his story about Toney's alleged confession to the crime. Ferris explained how Toney had come up with the story in order to him out of jail earlier. He told investigators that "Toney and me made up the entire thing."
as to what happened that day. Then the testimony from his ex-wife, his ex-best friend and another cellmate occurred. His ex-wife, Ms. Toney, said that she, Toney and his best friend Chris Meeks went to a propane
shop that was adjacent to the Hilltop Mobile Home Park. She says that Toney got out of the truck with a briefcase and disappeared. She then said he returned without the briefcase and they then went to the Nature Center
and stayed for several hours. Her testimony also included that Toney shot a beaver
with a rifle while they were at the Nature Center.
A cellmate of Michael Toney, Finis Blankenship, testified that Toney told him that he was paid $5,000 for the murders. Blankenship also said that the murders were part of a drug-related hit, but the bomb was put on the wrong doorstep. His testimony came in the second phase of the trial. This helped the jury decide whether Toney deserved to be executed. This testimony showed the jury that Toney had a motive for the crime. At the current time, Blankenship was facing two counts of indecency with a child and habitual-criminal charges, so he says that he agreed to testify against Toney in exchange for having the charges dropped. Blankenship now says that his testimony was a lie. Chris Meeks' testimony didn't coincide with all of Ms. Toney's testimony in many ways. Meeks changed his story four times. At first he told investigators that he knew nothing about the bombing as well as the grand jury
. He also failed a polygraph
test. In 2001, he signed an affidavit
taking back the things he said during his testimony. He said, "My testimony about the events that happened on Thanksgiving day, 1985, may not have happened on that day."
of Texas.
Explosion
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...
that killed
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
two males and one female in Lake Worth, Texas
Lake Worth, Texas
Lake Worth is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,584 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to, and named after, Lake Worth, a popular recreational lake in the northwestern portion of Tarrant County.-Geography:...
in 1985. The incident also injured another male and female. He was sentenced to the death penalty
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
and served ten years on death row before being released on September 2, 2009, when the State of Texas dropped all charges against him. The conviction had been overturned earlier on December 17, 2008 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for all criminal matters in the State of Texas, United States. The Court, which is based in the Supreme Court Building in Downtown Austin, is composed of a Presiding Judge and eight judges....
. He died in an auto accident near Rusk, Texas
Rusk, Texas
Rusk is a city in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,085 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cherokee County.-Geography:Rusk is located at ....
, just one month later on October 3, 2009.
Early life
Toney grew up in Cottonwood, CaliforniaCottonwood, California
Cottonwood is a census-designated place in Shasta County, California, United States. The population was 3,316 at the 2010 census, up from 2,960 at the 2000 census. Cottonwood is a stagecoach town founded in 1882. Cottonwood is equidistant between Redding and Red Bluff , in both directions...
, a small town in Shasta County
Shasta County, California
Shasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...
about 90 miles (144.8 km) north of Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. His father left the family early in his life, and his mother worked in local taverns. She would bring home a number of men who would beat her and her sons. To escape from this, Michael would often retreat to a shed. When Toney was 9 or 10 years old, one of her boyfriends strapped him to a chair, duct-taped his wrists down and set fire to his hands. When he was 15, another one of his mother's boyfriends attacked him with a fishing gaff and gouged a huge hole in his hip. He quit school before the 10th grade and left for Texas, settling down in Hurst-Euless, in the Bedford
Bedford, Texas
Bedford is a suburban city located in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, in the "Mid-Cities" area between Dallas and Fort Worth. It is a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 46,979 at the 2010 census...
area of Tarrant County
Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 1,809,034. Its county seat is Fort Worth. Tarrant County is the sixteenth most populous county in the United States and the third most populous in Texas. The county is named in honor...
. He married a woman named Kim when he was 38 years old. On the Saturday morning of October 3, 2009, Toney lost control of a pickup truck he was driving, causing it to roll over and ejecting Toney from the vehicle. There was no one else in the car.
Case
On the evening of Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1985, in the Hilltop Mobile Home Park between Lake WorthLake Worth, Texas
Lake Worth is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,584 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to, and named after, Lake Worth, a popular recreational lake in the northwestern portion of Tarrant County.-Geography:...
and Azle, Texas
Azle, Texas
Azle is a city in Parker and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,947.Popular tourist attractions include marine sports at Eagle Mountain Lake such as swimming, fishing and boating.-Geography:...
, three members of the Blount family were instantly killed by an explosion
Explosion
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...
. Joe Blount, his daughter Angela, and Angela's cousin, Michael Columbus, were killed when a bomb that was in a briefcase exploded. The briefcase was reportedly found on or near the steps of their home. Joe Blount was a 44-year-old skilled mechanic. Angela Blount was only 15 years old and Michael Columbus was 18.
Joe Blount, Angela Blount, Robert Blount, Michael Columbus, Susan Blount and Carl "Ray" Blount celebrated Thanksgiving together in the Blounts' trailer in the suburbs of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. Robert was the son of Susan and Joe Blount. Carl "Ray" was the brother of Joe Blount. Michael Columbus was Carl's long-estranged son. After the family ate Thanksgiving dinner, Ray Blount went home around 5:00 p.m. Around 9:00 p.m., Susan Blount went to lie down for a nap. Joe Blount drove Robert, Angela and Michael to a convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
about half a mile away from the park where they bought snacks and beer. Susan Blount soon heard a knock at the front door. She looked out the window but did not see anybody she returned to her nap. When the rest of family returned from the convenience store, they discovered a briefcase
Briefcase
A briefcase is a narrow box-shaped bag or case used mainly for carrying papers and other documents and equipped with a handle. Lawyers commonly use briefcases to carry briefs to present to a court, hence the name...
on the doorstep. The three teenagers were excited because they thought that the briefcase might have either money or jewels in it. After bringing the briefcase inside, Angela opened the latches and it exploded.
Conviction
In June 1997, Toney was in jail awaiting a hearing for a burglaryBurglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
that happened in 1993. Here he was talking to Charles "Jack" Ferris in Parker County
Parker County, Texas
As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
Jail in Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
. The two men began talking about the bombing. Ferris was then released from jail by telling the Parker County authorities that Toney had confessed to him. After Ferris told the authorities, the investigators questioned Toney's ex-wife. In the beginning, Ms. Toney told prosecutors, "Michael killing people in a bombing? You're nuts." But Ms. Toney decided to do some research on the case. When she realized what had taken place, she called federal agents and told her story. Soon after, Toney was indicted for capital murder
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
Months passed, and Ferris changed his story about Toney's alleged confession to the crime. Ferris explained how Toney had come up with the story in order to him out of jail earlier. He told investigators that "Toney and me made up the entire thing."
Trial
The trial started in May 1999, in Fort Worth, Texas. Susan and Robert Blount gave their testimonyTestimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
as to what happened that day. Then the testimony from his ex-wife, his ex-best friend and another cellmate occurred. His ex-wife, Ms. Toney, said that she, Toney and his best friend Chris Meeks went to a propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
shop that was adjacent to the Hilltop Mobile Home Park. She says that Toney got out of the truck with a briefcase and disappeared. She then said he returned without the briefcase and they then went to the Nature Center
Nature center
A nature center is an organization with a visitor center or interpretive center designed to educate people about nature and the environment. Usually located within a protected open space, nature centers often have trails through their property. Some are located within a state or city park, and...
and stayed for several hours. Her testimony also included that Toney shot a beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
with a rifle while they were at the Nature Center.
A cellmate of Michael Toney, Finis Blankenship, testified that Toney told him that he was paid $5,000 for the murders. Blankenship also said that the murders were part of a drug-related hit, but the bomb was put on the wrong doorstep. His testimony came in the second phase of the trial. This helped the jury decide whether Toney deserved to be executed. This testimony showed the jury that Toney had a motive for the crime. At the current time, Blankenship was facing two counts of indecency with a child and habitual-criminal charges, so he says that he agreed to testify against Toney in exchange for having the charges dropped. Blankenship now says that his testimony was a lie. Chris Meeks' testimony didn't coincide with all of Ms. Toney's testimony in many ways. Meeks changed his story four times. At first he told investigators that he knew nothing about the bombing as well as the grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
. He also failed a polygraph
Polygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
test. In 2001, he signed an affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
taking back the things he said during his testimony. He said, "My testimony about the events that happened on Thanksgiving day, 1985, may not have happened on that day."
Alibi
- He said that he did not hear about the crime until 1997 (8 years after it occurred).
- He said that he had never been to the Hilltop Mobile Home Park and that he didn't he even know it existed until just prior to his trial.
- Ms. Toney and Mr. Meeks said that Toney was driving a truck on the night of the bombing. However, Toney said that he didn't buy the truck until December 13, 1985 (a month after the incident).
Conviction overturned
The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office had withheld 14 pieces of evidence that were key to his defense. After this, Tarrant County prosecutors turned the case over to the Attorney GeneralAttorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of Texas.
See also
- List of revoked death sentences
- List of exonerated death row inmates