Petition to Free Darak Williams

Darak Williams, a devout member of the Black Jewish and Hebrew Israelite communities sits in a Scranton Pennsylvania jail awaiting trial for a murder he did not commit. The charges issued against him are without merit and were issued in a climate of racism, bigotry, media hype and religious intolerance. We believe that were he not a young Black male of the Hebrew Israelite faith residing in a predominantly white Pennsylvania province he would not have been charged with this crime.

Darak Williams, age 28, stands wrongfully accused of murdering Kavannah Salvador his girlfriend’s three-year-old daughter. Despite heroic efforts to resuscitate the child and preserve her life, Darak Williams has been charged with first-and third-degree murder.

The Black Jewish and Hebrew Israelite communities have undertaken the task of promoting an international campaign to free Darak Williams and achieve true justice for Kavannah Salvador.

The Facts:

•Darak Williams is a third generation Hebrew Israelite born and raised within a religious family/community that does not condone violence against women and children.

•Darak Williams attempted to save Kavannah Salvador's life by performing CPR and taking the child to the hospital emergency room for treatment. Kavannah Salvador died at the hospital.

•After the child’s death was confirmed by hospital officials, Darak Williams voluntarily reported to the precinct for questioning. He left the state only after being informed by local police that he was free to go. He was advised by police officials that while he was free to leave he could not return to his Scranton home. Having no family or friends in the area he left town with police consent. His home was rendered a crime scene days after his departure and he was not identified as a suspect or placed under arrest at the time of the child’s death.

•Darak Williams had only met Kashema Reddish five months prior to the child’s death and had only recently moved into the home.

•Darak Williams has no prior criminal convictions, no history of violence against women, and no history of violence against children.

•Medical records on file since the child’s birth indicate prior poor health, low weight, and no history of immunizations, evidence of parental neglect. The Medical Examiners report confirms that Kavannah Salvador weighed slightly more than 20 pounds at the time of her death. The report also confirms bruises and fractures found on the child’s body were more than five months old, the result of trauma experienced months prior to the child’ death and well before Mr. Williams was introduced to Kashema Reddish and her family.

•Darak Williams has consistently maintained his claim of innocence and unlike Kashema Reddish has refused to cut a deal with prosecutors.

•Kashema Reddish accepted a manslaughter plea from the DA office in exchange for testimony against Darak Williams. While her plea guarantees her a maximum sentence of five to ten years, Mr. Williams faces life imprisonment or a death sentence.

•Kashema Reddish has not been charged with first and third degree murder though she has prior violent criminal convictions and a family history of child abuse and neglect.

•The child’s biological father Ivan Salvador has interacted with the child over the past three years, has a lengthy criminal history of violence against women and children and has not been questioned.

•The child’s grandparents Brenda and Ronald Reddish resided with the children for years prior to the child’s death and also have a history of violence/neglect against children. They have not been identified as murder suspects.

•As a result of the case being aired on America’s Most Wanted, the internet and national news channels, Scranton police officials are now under extreme duress to prosecute Mr. Williams for a crime he did not commit. Requests for a change in venue have consistently been denied.