Innocent Convicts Organization Calls for Overturning of Dr. Terence Sasaki's Conviction: Seeking justice and Exoneration

    CLEVELAND, OH, September 08, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Innocent Convicts Organization, a national exoneration and litigation advocacy nonprofit, together with impassioned advocates, urgently appeals to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for the exoneration of Dr. Terence Sasaki, an Asian American neurologist who suffered nearly a decade of injustice. Dr. Sasaki was falsely accused of narcotic drug distribution and money laundering by an all-white prosecution team and jury. His case is a glaring example of systemic bias and procedural misconduct. (US v Hazelwood ND of OH #10-CR-0150-SO).

Dr. Sasaki's ordeal began with baseless allegations of authorizing narcotic prescriptions for paying customers over the internet. Despite his proactive reporting of misconduct to the DEA in 2007, he was inexplicably targeted. An examination of the evidence reveals glaring discrepancies in DEA Agent Tyler Parkison's testimony, multiple versions of notes, and a lack of administrative actions against Dr. Sasaki, even as his prescribing privileges were expanded in 2008.

Independent experts, including pharmacists, have affirmed that Dr. Sasaki was ensnared in a scheme of identity theft and forged prescriptions, supported by pixelated signatures lacking his "MD" designation. Shockingly, no handwriting analysis was ever conducted. DEA Agent Tyler Parkison's under-oath claim that these signatures were original further taints the prosecution's case.

Prosecutors cemented their case with perjury, alleging that Dr. Sasaki signed and "profited" from the prescriptions. Yet, court evidence obtained by TIC contradicts these claims, revealing that Dr. Sasaki derived no financial gain from the alleged conspiracy. Dr. Sasaki's own defense attorneys endorsed these false assertions, corroborating an approximate $100,000 earnings figure for Dr. Sasaki, despite bank records conclusively indicating that he made nothing. These defense attorneys shared confidential emails with the prosecution and testified against Dr. Sasaki, aiding his conviction and safeguarding themselves from potential malpractice and disbarment actions.

In contrast to his alleged co-conspirators, Dr. Sasaki never authorized narcotic prescriptions. Federal court personnel seemingly played a role in impeding his exoneration. The evidence shows that Dr. Sasaki blew the whistle in early 2007, urging the DEA to investigate prescription crimes. Despite this, he was arrested in 2010, raising questions about the delay and motive behind his arrest.

Tyler Parkison's testimony was the linchpin of the prosecution's case. However, the inconsistencies in his accounts, coupled with the absence of crucial server metadata, cast serious doubts on the credibility of his testimony.

Dr. Edward Chelsow, a co-defendant in this case, received a one-month prison sentence after testifying in favor of the government's case against Dr. Sasaki. It was alleged that Dr. Sasaki had recruited Dr. Chelsow to prescribe narcotics. However, during his sworn testimony, Dr. Chelsow admitted that he did not prescribe narcotics while associated with Dr. Sasaki. Instead, he acknowledged doing so afterward, despite Dr. Sasaki warning him of its illegality and advising against it.

Furthermore, Dr. Chelsow disclosed that doctors were required to press an "approve" button to authorize the narcotics. Importantly, DEA Agent Tyler Parkison had previously confirmed that Dr. Sasaki never logged on, thus making it impossible for him to have pressed the "approve" button. This revelation raised significant doubts about Parkison's initial notes, which contradicted his verbal account of the confession and indicated that Dr. Sasaki neither needed to approve the medications nor had used his DEA number for over a year.

The Innocent Convicts Organization tirelessly advocates for Dr. Terence Sasaki's exoneration. This case epitomizes the urgent need for a meticulous review of evidence and the restoration of justice. We implore the U.S. Department of Justice to expedite Dr. Sasaki's exoneration, emphasizing the necessity of reevaluating cases marred by procedural misconduct and inadequate representation.

Join the Fight for Justice: Stand with Dr. Sasaki. We invite all individuals, organizations, and concerned citizens to rally behind Dr. Terence Sasaki's cause. Together, we can rectify this grave miscarriage of justice and ensure that innocence prevails. For further information, visit: https://www.theinnocentconvicts.org and Dr. Sasaki: https://Dr.TSasaki.org

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