Judges for Justice to hold open house on 1996 Tapp conviction
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IDAHO FALLS — Radio personality Jolyn Thomas is fighting to fix what she believes is a failure in the judicial system.
Thomas has teamed up with non-profit organization Judges for Justice, to help shed more light on the Christopher Tapp murder conviction of Angie Dodge. Judges for Justice aims to release those who are wrongfully sentenced. Tapp was sentenced for the murder of Angie Dodge in 1996.
Thomas and Judges for Justice believes that conviction to be in error. They are holding an open house tonight at the Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls, at 6 p.m.,to help raise awareness about the case.
A video will be presented at the open house which highlights Tapp’s interrogation, and investigation done by the Idaho Falls Police Department. It reasons Tapp was coerced by police into admitting to a crime he didn’t commit.
Co-founder of the organization, Judge Michael Heavey (Ret.), Carol Dodge, mother of Angie Dodge, and Vera Tapp, mother of Christopher Tapp will answer questions at the event.
“This case matters because we have two mothers, one is heart broken because she’ll never be able to hug her daughter again. The other mother is losing years and years with her only son,” Thomas said.
Dodge was 18-years-old when she was murdered. She was found stabbed, and partially disrobed in her apartment. The experts from Judges for Justice, and many others believe Tapp is not the murderer, including the victims mother, Carol Dodge, Thomas said.
“At the end of the day it’s about really finding justice,” Thomas said. “The evidence does not fit. There is no DNA that matches him.”
Thomas said she hopes the event will open the eyes of the community. She says she isn’t trying to put a negative light on local law enforcement. She thinks city leaders, law enforcement and the community should all be on the same page.
“I hope that as a community people will watch this video, they will see that there have been some fundamental mistakes made, and that it’s time to right those wrongs,” Thomas said.