Overview of #584 Jason Flom with Tysheem Crocker
This episode of Wrongful Conviction tells the story of Tysheem Crocker and Melvin Bethune, two young men from the Bronx who were convicted in Pennsylvania for the 1997 murder of Raymond “Skip” Clark based largely on the testimony of a highly incentivized witness, Danny Steele. The episode argues that the case against them was built on false or misleading testimony, undisclosed evidence, and a prosecution strategy that pushed a narrative of gang conspiracy despite major factual holes. It also highlights how Pennsylvania post-conviction rules make it extremely difficult to obtain relief even when evidence of innocence emerges years later.
The Case Against Tysheem Crocker and Melvin Bethune
What happened in 1997
- Tysheem Crocker and Melvin Bethune were part of a group of friends from New York living in York, Pennsylvania.
- On October 5, 1997, there was a dice game on Maple and Duke in York.
- Gunfire broke out at the game; no one was immediately hurt.
- Roughly five to ten minutes later, Raymond Clark was shot and killed about two blocks away.
The prosecution’s theory
- The state argued that Tysheem, Melvin, and others met beforehand at a Super 8 motel to plan a retaliatory shooting.
- The key witness was Danny Steele, who claimed:
- Tysheem and Melvin were part of a conspiracy.
- Tysheem allegedly pointed a gun at Kendu Smith, but it jammed.
- Another man, including a fictionalized “Corleone” figure, chased and shot Clark.
- Based on this account, Tysheem and Melvin were convicted of murder via conspiracy and accomplice liability, even though neither was alleged to have fired the fatal shots.
Why the Episode Argues They Were Wrongfully Convicted
Danny Steele’s testimony was deeply compromised
- Steele was the state’s star witness despite:
- Receiving a deal that reduced his exposure dramatically.
- Having prior credibility issues, including perjury-related history.
- Later recanting his testimony.
- He ultimately admitted he had been pressured and that parts of his story were false.
The motel timeline undermines the conspiracy theory
- The state claimed the alleged planning meeting at the Super 8 happened before the shooting.
- But later evidence showed:
- The motel clerk, Terry Flinchbaugh-Syler, checked Tysheem in after the shooting.
- Her records indicated the prosecution’s timeline was impossible.
- Telephone call logs from the room were never properly introduced, and the state appeared to avoid time-stamped records that would have contradicted its story.
Other witnesses later backed away or contradicted the state
The episode describes multiple later statements that support innocence:
- Kendu Smith said Tysheem never pointed a gun at him.
- Tucker Redmond said the prosecution lied about a phone call allegedly used to show a conspiracy.
- Nikki Rhodes denied knowledge of the alleged phone conversation.
- Kalonda Chance said prosecutors tried to tie her into a fabricated story she knew nothing about.
- Additional witnesses recanted claims that had helped support the original conviction.
The Legal Problem: Pennsylvania Post-Conviction Rules
Why strong innocence evidence still hasn’t freed them
The episode spends significant time explaining that Pennsylvania’s PCRA (post-conviction) system is extremely restrictive:
- Evidence is not considered “new” if it could have been discovered earlier with due diligence.
- Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel can be procedurally barred if not raised at the right stage.
- Prior issues raised by one defendant can block similar claims later.
- Deadlines were historically very short, though later extended.
Why that matters here
- Even if later evidence strongly supports innocence, the court can still refuse to hear it if it deems the claims untimely or previously available.
- The episode argues this creates a system where finality beats truth, even when the original conviction may be unreliable.
Current Status and Fight for Relief
What Tysheem and his team are doing
- Tysheem’s case is now being handled with help from the Pennsylvania Innocence Project.
- Investigator Kitty Haley gathered key new statements and records.
- The team has pursued post-conviction relief and is also exploring York County’s Conviction Integrity Unit.
- If courts do not grant relief, clemency/pardons may be the only remaining path.
Public support requested
The episode ends by urging listeners to:
- Sign the petition supporting Tysheem Crocker’s release.
- Share his story and help bring attention to the case.
- Support his books and advocacy efforts, which he has used to fund his legal fight.
Broader Themes
Finality vs. justice
- The episode asks whether legal finality should matter more than correcting a wrongful conviction.
- It argues that once a system has locked in a flawed narrative, it can become nearly impossible to reverse.
Race, poverty, and outsider status
- Tysheem and Melvin were described as young Black men from New York living in Pennsylvania during the crack era.
- The episode suggests they were treated as disposable outsiders by police and prosecutors.
Survival and self-advocacy
- Tysheem describes teaching himself the law in prison and fighting for decades.
- He says he wants:
- His freedom
- To reunite with family
- To turn his books into movies
- To help others who were wrongfully convicted
Key Takeaways
- The conviction depended heavily on one incentivized witness, Danny Steele.
- Later evidence and recantations seriously undermine the original prosecution story.
- The alleged motel conspiracy timeline appears impossible based on later records.
- Pennsylvania’s post-conviction rules can block relief even when innocence evidence grows stronger over time.
- The episode presents Tysheem Crocker and Melvin Bethune as men still imprisoned despite a substantial claim of innocence.