In FL, a man sits on death row. He could be executed as early as Jan. 2020.
The key witness in his case is a con artist, convicted child predator and “jailhouse snitch” named Paul Skalnik — who’s offered info on 40+ defendants
Would you believe him?
Let’s review the evidence:
The key witness in his case is a con artist, convicted child predator and “jailhouse snitch” named Paul Skalnik — who’s offered info on 40+ defendants
Would you believe him?
Let’s review the evidence:
EDITOR’S NOTE:
We do a lot of Twitter threads. We’re trying something new with this one.
This story is a massive, unbelievable saga — truly too much to condense into a single string of tweets.
So we decided to give you some options.
Let us know what you think.
👇👇👇👇
We do a lot of Twitter threads. We’re trying something new with this one.
This story is a massive, unbelievable saga — truly too much to condense into a single string of tweets.
So we decided to give you some options.
Let us know what you think.
👇👇👇👇
One morning in 1985, the body of a 14 y/o named Shelly Boggio was found, nude, floating in an inland waterway near the town of Indian Rocks Beach, FL.
The facts pointed overwhelmingly to Jack Pearcy, a 29-year-old construction worker w/ a history of violence against women.
The facts pointed overwhelmingly to Jack Pearcy, a 29-year-old construction worker w/ a history of violence against women.
Pearcy admitted that he drove her to the lovers’ lane along the Intracoastal Waterway — and that he had stabbed her.
But he tried to shift blame to his housemate James Dailey, claiming to have picked him up before they went to the water, and that Dailey was the actual killer.
But he tried to shift blame to his housemate James Dailey, claiming to have picked him up before they went to the water, and that Dailey was the actual killer.
This was all that connected Dailey, a 38-year-old Vietnam veteran, to the crime:
There was no physical or forensic evidence, nor did he have any discernible motive.
So why was he found guilty?
There was no physical or forensic evidence, nor did he have any discernible motive.
So why was he found guilty?
Before the trial, police started pulling inmates aside. They wanted to know if Dailey had told them anything about the murder. Nobody had heard anything.
But after the questioning, the word was out among inmates in the Pinellas County Jail: The Boggio case needed a snitch.
But after the questioning, the word was out among inmates in the Pinellas County Jail: The Boggio case needed a snitch.
(Four inmates remember that newspaper articles about Boggio’s murder lay out conspicuously before them when they were questioned — the police have refuted this).
Days before Dailey was set to go to trial, an inmate named Paul Skalnik told police that Dailey admitted his guilt to him one morning as Skalnik was walking by his cell.
He testified at the trial and proved a convincing witness. After all, Skalnik had once been a police officer. And he testified that he wasn’t being offered anything in exchange for his testimony.
The jury found Dailey guilty and unanimously recommended that he be executed.
The jury found Dailey guilty and unanimously recommended that he be executed.
Five days later, Paul Skalnik was released from jail.
James Dailey is on death row and may be executed as soon as January, 2020.
He says he’s never spoken to Paul Skalnik in his life.
James Dailey is on death row and may be executed as soon as January, 2020.
He says he’s never spoken to Paul Skalnik in his life.
Dailey has always maintained his innocence.
While Skalnik, to this day, claims that he never lied on the stand.
A spokeswoman for the Pinellas County sheriff’s office declined to comment for the story, noting that the cases in question took place long ago.
While Skalnik, to this day, claims that he never lied on the stand.
A spokeswoman for the Pinellas County sheriff’s office declined to comment for the story, noting that the cases in question took place long ago.
Over the course of his career as a snitch, Skalnik would played a role in 40+ criminal cases across the states of Texas and Florida.
In jail, it's understood that helping prosecutors and the police can earn extraordinary benefits, from reduced sentences to dismissed charges.
Skalnik’s earnest and lurid testimonies proved to be exactly what prosecutors needed to win case after case.
Skalnik’s earnest and lurid testimonies proved to be exactly what prosecutors needed to win case after case.
These opportunities kept coming because Skalnik had a knack for ending up in jail time and time again — for a wide array of cons and crimes.
Nearly every time he got out of custody, he’d start up another scheme….
Nearly every time he got out of custody, he’d start up another scheme….
Which usually coincided with a new wife, many of whom were victims of his scams….
But the women he married and the men Skalnik helped convict were not the only victims he preyed on — and and money wasn't the only thing he was interested in.
And while Skalnik’s career as a snitch is notable because he was so prolific, he was part of a long and fraught lineage of jailhouse snitching.
Click below to see a timeline starting in 1980:
Click below to see a timeline starting in 1980:
James Dailey’s stay of execution will remain in place through Dec. 30.
After that, FL’s @GovRonDeSantis can set a new execution date for as soon as January.
When that day comes, here’s what will happen:
After that, FL’s @GovRonDeSantis can set a new execution date for as soon as January.
When that day comes, here’s what will happen:
@GovRonDeSantis Dailey will be asked to walk from his cell to the execution chamber, where he will lie down on the gurney.
Leather restraining straps will be fastened across his body, and an IV line will be inserted into his arm.
then...
Leather restraining straps will be fastened across his body, and an IV line will be inserted into his arm.
then...
@GovRonDeSantis The signal will be given to the executioner to begin the flow of lethal drugs.
@GovRonDeSantis At that moment, the state of Florida will be asking its citizens to trust that Dailey killed Shelly Boggio that night beside the dark water, and that he received a fair trial, and that justice has finally been served.
@GovRonDeSantis It will be asking them, as it has time and time again, to believe the word of Paul Skalnik.
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@GovRonDeSantis If you want to keep up with developments in Dailey’s case, sign up here: propub.li/33PXaCG
@GovRonDeSantis Also: click below to read @PamelaColloff’s account of meeting — and interviewing — Paul Skalnik:
@GovRonDeSantis @pamelacolloff Lastly: we’d like to issue a special thanks for inspiring the format for this experiment:
@GovRonDeSantis @pamelacolloff Read the full story on @ProPublica: propub.li/2Lpoz83
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