September 21th, 2008 - Marks One year!

This past September 21st marked one year since Reggie was arrested. He spent 4 months in Central Juvenile Hall, 2 months in Juvenile Hall Sylmar, 3 months in Solitary Men's Central and is currently housed in general population in Pitcher's Detention Center in Castaic, California.

Trial has been set for November 3rd, 2008 and due to the love, support and generosity of so many people over $6,500.00 has been raised toward Reggie's defense fund.

 

Thank you for you donations. Please click below to donate.

Contact Reggie
Click here
   
   
Who is Reggie?
Reggie is an amazing person. He’s been through so much and yet remained so pure and good in his heart. He’s into girls, music and more girls. Sometimes he’ll say something or I'll hear a lyric in one of his songs and it will just blow me away that it came from him and that he’s able to think and feel that way. He’s charming and liked by everyone. I miss him.

Who Am I?
Michael Laurie Oughton. I love being a dad. I do. It’s the most important thing in my life, which is why the current situation is so difficult. No parent should have to see their child locked up particularly for something they didn’t do. It’s heartbreaking.

Who Are We?
I became Reggie's foster parent when he was 5 years old. He came to me with a small plastic bag of clothes (all he owned) and a mouth full of rotten teeth. I remember undressing him to give him a bath and the shock of seeing how many bruises and marks he had on his tiny body broke my heart. Reggie left me when he was 7 and came back to me in 2003 at the age of 13. I became his guardian in 2005 and finally adopted Reggie in June of this year. It was such an incredible day for everyone in that courtroom including the judge who had been with us from day one in 1995. I feel very lucky and proud to be able to call him my son.

What Happened?
On September 21st while picking up a friend Reggie was unwittingly in the area of a robbery and shooting and even though he wasn’t involved and didn’t fit the suspects description he was cuffed, subjected to a field identification and subsequently charged with attempted murder, armed robbery and discharging a firearm. All of the charges include gang enhancements, which means even though Reggie isn’t in a gang and has no history of gang involvement the penalty in the state of California would equate to three life terms if convicted of all three charges.

For myself and so many others that have become involved in Reggie's case, the only apparent reason for Reggie to have been stopped, put through a field identification, arrested and ultimately, charged is that he’s black and in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Why $10,000?
 Through a friend I found Jennifer Cannino a Nationally recognized public speaker on the problems of eyewitnesses ID’s. She travels the country on behalf of those who have been wrongfully convicted.

Jennifer was raped in 1984 at the age of 22 and identified the man she thought was her attacker, who was subsequently convicted and spent 11 years behind bars before a DNA test proved he was not her attacker. Since his release, they have teamed up and are writing a book together (due out in 2008).

His attorney feels very confident that Reggie will be exonerated of all charges and freed. It’s just a matter of time. I have been extremely lucky to retain an excellent trial attorney, Michael Artan. Michael has been a angel to Reggie and myself and is only charging a fraction of what he would normally charge for a case with charges this severe.

The critical need right now is for a thorough investigation by a professional investigator who can go through all the reports, contact the witnesses and find the crucial piece of evidence that will prove Reggie’s innocence but, that costs money. Money that I just don't have.

I'm asking for your help. I’m trying to get 1,000 people to each donate $10 towards Reggie’s defense fund and keep an innocent 17 year old boy from going to prison for the rest of his life. If you want to donate more, of course I would gladly welcome that as well. All of the donations will go straight to help pay for Reggie's defense team. Please help if you can by simply clicking on the donation button below and help save a young innocent boy's life. Thank you!


If you would like to make a donation by check or M/O.
Please send it to:
Michael Oughton
345 South Cloverdale Ave #406
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Please do note stop the letters, notes and cards. They are making him feel very special and not so cut off and forgotten.

Reginald Oughton-Black
BKG# 9948833
Care of: PDC
29300 The Old Road
Castaic, CA 91384

or

It is possible to send
Care Packages
to Reggie via website:
www.lasdpackages.com
Register and use Booking # 9948833
to identify Reggie and get the package to him.

For a receipt and an opportunity for us to thank-you for your support and keep you updated on our progress, please email michaellaurieus@yahoo.com
Thank you,
Mike