Kim Kardashian Slammed for Lobbying to Free Death Row Inmate

Kim Kardashian came out in support of a death row inmate last week, but prosecutors say she is [...]

Kim Kardashian came out in support of a death row inmate last week, but prosecutors say she is insulting the victims in the case.

Kardashian tweeted about the case of Kevin Cooper last Sunday, asking California Governor Jerry Brown to to order advanced DNA testing on the evidence. According to a report by TMZ, Cooper was found guilty of four murders back in 1983. However, he has insisted on his innocence for 35 years, claiming that he was framed, and now, new developments in DNA testing technology could shed more light on the murders.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos spoke to reporters about Kardashian's call to action. He said that he has no doubts about Cooper's guilt, adding that each additional appeal has only made him more certain that Cooper had committed the crimes. Ramos thought that Kardashian's tweet focused on the wrong person in Cooper's case.

"It's time that we start talking and 'tweeting' about the victims who were brutally murdered in the sanctity of their home," he said.

Kardashian's tweet included a link to a recent New York Times article, arguing for a re-examination of Cooper's case. In it, columnist Nicholas Kristof directly called out Governor Brown for having "refused to allow advanced DNA testing that could free Cooper or confirm his guilt." Kardashian appealed more kindly to the governor in her own post.

"Governor Brown, please add Kevin Cooper to your legacy of smart, fair and thoughtful criminal justice reforms," she wrote.

Naturally, the post brought all kinds of replies, including two people who claimed to be linked to the case personally. Both of them begged Kardashian to do more research before posting about such a complex topic.

"If you truly believe this despicable man is not guilty please look into the [trial] and don't take an article written several decades later as gospel," one person wrote. "My mother was a juror on that case and all the jurors were dogged for years following. After the verdict was read."

"And the Ryens were my husband's good friends," added another. "He was with them the day before they were slaughtered. Kevin is guilty beyond a doubt."

Still, for all those questioning Kardashian's methods and motives, many more thanked her for speaking out about prison reform. The reality star has been advocating for the release of certain non-violent drug offenders and and prison reform in general all this year.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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