June 2010 Message From Ajay

Dear Family, Friends and Well Wishers:

This June 25, 2010 marks one year since the worst miscarriage of justice that has occurred against me and my family. It has been tremendously difficult as the wounds of betrayal, injustice and the loss of my freedom are still very fresh.

In the midst of our tragedy, Peggy, our families and many of you are resolute and continue to stand beside me. Thank you! Many of you have labored tirelessly to pursue justice. You have all been a great strength of love and encouragement. I could not have survived this past year without you. As you know, Peggy and I now have two beautiful sons. The prison authorities will not let me have contact visits with my children due to the type of conviction. This has been devastating. I miss my older son tremendously and I have not even seen or held my little 4 month old son . I guess it’s fair to say I am missing my sons terribly.

I have asked God to forgive the people who have inflicted this suffering on me and my family. Although they turn a blind eye to the terrible harm they have inflicted, they equally don’t understand how badly they are hurting themselves.

Sometimes I think the injustice resulting from lies built upon lies is impossible to untangle, especially for those far and removed from the reality of the situation, like the jury.  Let the record be clear, I am innocent of all charges and was wrongly convicted. The Truth keeps me strong and is within my heart. It helps me persevere.  But for how long I don’t know. Every man has his moments.  I know that the strength of one’s heart comes from the soundness of one’s faith.  Thus, I must cling to my faith and not lose hope that the lies will be untangled. I continue to look ahead for that day when I will come home as a free man and complete the circle of my family.

The fight for the truth and exposing the gross miscarriage of justice that has occurred in Yolo County is an uphill battle. In spite of all the hurdles we have to overcome, people are taking notice. We are making progress up that hill and we will overcome, but we still have a lot of work to do . Some of you have asked about the status of my appeal. We are hopeful for a short appeal process. However, the reality is it will take 2 to 3 years. Unfortunately, the appeal process is complex and takes time. The appellate court is only concerned about procedural errors and if the defendant had an unfair trial. We all believe there were errors and prejudice throughout the trial, causing this injustice. It has taken many hours to read and analyze the court transcript. Although, reading the transcript was extremely emotional and difficult, it confirmed our belief.

The battles to expose the injustice and win the appeal are very real and essential, for which I need your continued help. The more personal battle to survive prison, the challenge to defeat loneliness, and the agonizing daily struggle of being without my wife and sons has to be fought deep inside me. Everything strong and good in me – my faith, hope, and courage – is vulnerable in this dark place, prison. The loneliness of this place can worm its way into the heart and undermine the foundation of my faith. If I lose my faith, I know I would not be able to survive. I rely on God to help me fight. I pray and meditate daily. When I meditate, I touch the source of my faith and strength – the core of my soul. Even as my body weakens, my soul is nourished through my deepening relationship with God.

One way or another all of you have nourished my soul. I want to thank you all for your continued support and unfailing belief in my innocence. Every letter, every good thought, prayer and act of love and kindness means so much to me and my family. May God grant you and your family peace, the most precious gift of all. And may you be blessed with good health, laughter and with grace.

Yours truly,
Ajay Dev