NOTE: There is a Free “Kit” Martin Facebook page started by Kit’s family at https://www.facebook.com/groups/398851894702589/; or, just click on the picture above. The page already has over 900 members! The family has asked to hold off on donations until it can be decided how best to collect them, probably through a GoFundMe type page, which will probably be managed by one of Kit’s attorneys. They’ve asked that all other fundraising efforts be stopped until then. We will provide additional information as we get it.
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On Thursday June 17, 2021, after a 2 ½ week trial in Hardin County Kentucky, NCFM Member Christian ‘Kit’ Martin was wrongly convicted of arson, burglary, tampering with evidence and murdering Calvin & Pam Phillips and neighbor Ed Dansereau.
Court TV covered the trial from start to finish. Thousands of people across the country followed the trial and commented on social media. A few of the comments at our website, www.ncfm.org (type Kit Martin in the search engine) are inserted in this article. No less than 80% of viewers and the majority of Court TV attorney commentators believe Kit is innocent.
“This has been a most disturbing outcome of any trial I have ever watched! Jody Arias was a shock but I felt like I had been sucker punched with Kit’s verdict!” K.M.
Exactly. Kit’s trial smacks of politics, misfeasance, incompetence, misconduct, dishonesty, malpractice, maybe even cronyism, outright lies by prosecution witnesses, and even corruption. And, it’s important to remember that Kit was looked at closely when the murders occurred, three and one half years before he was arrested. There was no evidence to tie him to the murders. No witnesses. No DNA. No anything. Moreover, his wife, step-daughter and step-son all testified under oath that he was home with them.
In a hearing before trial, Judge John Atkins denied a defense motion to dismiss the charges due to the political theater initiated by then Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear, who was running for Governor. Kit was indicted 11 days before the primary election. Beshear was polling neck and neck with two other candidates, including the current governor. Kit was a commercial airline pilot. Adding to the political folly, a heavily armed arrest team with a television camera crew in tow arrested Kit in the airport terminal waiting area full of people ready to board the plane he was about to pilot. Clearly a publicity stunt. Beshear, the tough on crime candidate, needed a win, a big one. An arrest in a salacious triple murder case might do the trick… Beshear squeaked by in the primary and subsequently was elected governor by .04 percentage points.
Subsequently, we learned that Lt. Scott Smith, an involved detective with the Christian County Sheriff’s department, misled the grand jury, we believe intentionally; that is, he lied, committed perjury. The defense rightly asked that the case be dismissed, which Judge Atkins also denied. Without Scott’s false testimony Kit would not have been indicted, had to stand trial, and been convicted, be in jail pending sentencing or be facing life in prison without parole.
Calvin was found murdered in his home. Police and forensic examiners twice scoured the house for evidence. Nothing was found tying Kit to the murder. Yet, five months later, Calvin’s sister, Diane, miraculously found a shell casing on the back porch. Understandably, the police were concerned the shell casing may have been planted. They asked Diane to take a polygraph exam, which she apparently failed. Mind you, it was the state not the defense that asked for the polygraph – the police, not Kit’s legal team. Judge Atkins allowed in as evidence the shell casing, the relatives testimony about finding it, but not the polygraph results that ostensibly showed she was lying. The jury had no clue.
At trial, prosecutors theorized Kit carried out a “precision military operation” because he went to Army Ranger School. Police confiscated the security videos from Kit’s home. The prosecution argued that the video, in part, confirmed Kit’s military intelligence and involvement in Calvin’s murder. But, the video had been manipulated to favor the prosecution. It showed Kit leaving and returning to the rear of his house, apparently to walk across the street to murder Calvin. However, under cross examination, Kit’s attorneys destroyed the argument while questioning investigating officer Detective Smith, who appeared rattled and attempted to deflect his involvement in the deception.
Judge Atkins allowed hearsay testimony by the prosecution, but not the defense. Three witnesses were allowed to testify that Calvin told each one of them that if anything happened to him to look at Kit. Yet prosecution witnesses were not allowed to tell the jury what they heard from other people, not even direct testimony about what was said directly to them. Other people like Joan Harmon, Kit’s bigamist ex-wife, who we believe orchestrated the murders and reportedly said self-incriminating things after the murders. Those witnesses could have given direct testimony about Joan’s behavior just after the murders, including comments she made that the jury would have found probative.
Two of those prosecution witnesses who provided testimony were later proved to have lied when one person’s fabrications were refuted by forensic electronic phone records, and another was refuted by defense witness testimony supported by phone records.
Another probable suspect, Joan Harmon’s live-in boyfriend at the time, Williams Stokes, is the brother of Sergeant Ed Stokes of the Sheriff’s Department. Ed stokes testified that while at the house scene, he was ordered by superiors to remove himself from the investigation due to a possible conflict. Who told Ed to leave? How did they know there may have been a conflict?
William Stokes apparently avoided several attempts to serve him with a defense subpoena. So, he did not testify either. What are Joan and William Stokes hiding? Did William act in concert with Joan, pull the triggers, help move the bodies, attempt to burn down Cal and Pam’s house and set fire to the car in which were found the burnt beyond recognition bodies of Pam and Ed Dansereau, all because William was infatuated with manipulative Harmon?
Another Stokes brother, Dorris Ray, a firefighter, was a first responder to the car fire. How was it in a county with 50 or so volunteer firefighters that another Stokes brother would be one of three volunteer firefighters who first appeared on the second murder scene? Coincidence?
“We agree and believe both should have been more closely looked at by the police and DA. We have always wondered about the cozy relationship between Joan and the Stokes.” G.C.
Kit’s defense lawyers subpoenaed both Joan Harmon and her son Elijah, and it appeared from the prosecution’s protests, even they wanted Joan to testify. However, something extraordinary happened. Judge Atkins ordered the jury removed from the courtroom, an unknown attorney or attorneys representing Joan and Elijah called the court, and the call was put on speaker phone. Harmon and Elijah had been counseled to invoke their 5th Amendment Right not to testify because they might incriminate themselves. Usually, in such situations witnesses still have to come to court, be sworn in, be questioned by attorneys, then claim the 5th to each question asked, one after another. Judge Atkins ruled that they did not have to come to court at all, be sworn in in front of the jury and be given the opportunity to take the 5th question by question. He also prohibited any discussion of his order before the jury. So the jury never knew.
Judge Atkins allowed highly questionable, if not planted, evidence with no chain of custody. He severely restricted defense efforts to introduce evidence and testimony of the true nature of the character and history of lies and manipulations of Joan Harmon.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony of countless lies Joan Harmon told military authorities in her quest for revenge against Kit.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony that Joan Harmon told everyone in the neighborhood and military prosecutors that the father of her son EJ, had been decapitated in a logging accident before EJ was born. Defense investigators located EJ’s father, Michael Atkins in Oregon, his head still attached, obtained a recorded statement and even facilitated a recorded interview with military prosecutor Major Jacob Bashore. Atkins spoke candidly about the endless stream of lies told by Joan and that she fled Oregon shortly after the birth of EJ and while he searched for a while, he was never able to find them. At the conclusion of the recorded interview, Major Bashore asked Atkins if he had anything else to add. Atkins response, “what can I tell you, she’s the devil.”
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony or evidence of convicted bigamist Joan telling the entire neighborhood and military authorities that her real husband, Carlos Guerra, who she claimed she had divorced, was a Guatemalan Special Forces soldier who specialized in killing people with a knife. No, again not true. Defense investigators located him in Tennessee where he worked as a forklift driver in a chicken plant. A far cry from a highly trained Guatemalan assassin.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony or the recorded interview with Joan’s sister in California where she stated that while growing up, Joan was a frequent runaway, a heavy drug user, a commensurate liar, sometimes lying just to lie, and once falsely accused her own father of molesting her.
Jurors were never able to hear testimony from at least two defense witnesses, uninvolved third parties, in two different scenarios and locations, where they accidentally walked in while Cal Phillips and Joan Harmon were naked and having sex.
Jurors were never able to hear testimony from neighbors that Pam Phillips confided in them that she was deeply hurt by Cal’s philandering, having extra-marital sexual affairs with multiple women, including Joan. The judge allowed hearsay testimony by the prosecution but not the defense.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony or see evidence of the true nature of the circumstances leading up to the highly questionable allegation that Kit Martin had mishandled classified information, nor did they hear that after a six-month investigation by Army counterintelligence and a four-hour polygraph that Kit Martin passed, that they concluded that the whole laptop/classified information debacle was a big nothing burger.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony or see evidence that the photographs depicting abuse which led to one of the charges Kit was convicted of in the court martial, and the time of the photographs actually had been altered by Joan Harmon, which was validated by the Army’s own crime lab forensic report.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony or see official filed complaints to the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, nor the state bar complaints involving military prosecutors for their unethical and unlawful conduct, nor did the jurors hear about a special hearing in the court martial proceedings regarding prosecutorial misconduct.
Jurors were never allowed to hear testimony or even see the defense’s motion to dismiss due to the political theater of then Attorney General Andy Beshear.
“I don’t know Chris Martin or his family, but I feel I do a little now. He has not been treated fairly at ALL. No evidence and he gets life with no parole. Really!! Who is running the Courthouse… I will pray Kentucky will do the right thing and go after the person that did it.” Pam M.
At least two prosecution witnesses appear to have committed perjury. One witness said he saw Kit near the murder scene of Pam and Ed Dansereau. Phone records provided by the prosecution conclusively proved otherwise. Forensic examination of phone records further confirmed Kit was not anywhere near Pam and Ed Dansereau when they were murdered as alleged by the prosecution.
These are just a small sampling of some of the truths that have been kept hidden and/or suppressed that the jurors did not hear. Jurors were allowed to hear only a small sampling of facts favoring Kit. Regardless, that sampling was more than sufficient to cause a correct verdict of innocent or not guilty by reasonable doubt.
In sum, there was no valid evidence tying Kit to any of the murders. None. There was however all the above, which without question raises reasonable doubt. Had Judge Atkins allowed the defense to put on the evidence favorable to kit he would have never been convicted? Never… Not even by this jury.
“I cannot believe that not one out of twelve people found reasonable doubt, it’s beyond unbelievable, here’s a man who fought for our freedom for 30 years, and we take away his. I don’t for one minute believe he is guilty…” Peggie Ann
“Here in the UK, we don’t get to see trials live on TV, so watching Court TV over the past few months has been fascinating. Seeing live the “American system of Justice” in action has been a revelation. Until, of course, we watched the Kit Martin case and saw the “American System of Justice” unravel and produce, what seems to us, a miscarriage of justice of horrible proportions. I had honestly expected the jury to be back within the hour with a unanimous not-guilty verdict. The hugely suspicious discovery of a shell casing, a failed polygraph test, the downright ridiculous business of the dog-tag left at the scene of this supposed “military operation’ – why didn’t someone just spray paint saying, ‘Kit Martin was here’ at the scene. It would have made every bit as much sense! And as for a key figure having the victim’s phone and being allowed not only to plead the 5th (acceptable) but not have to do it in front of the jury (totally unacceptable) – words fail me! In the UK, the jury is allowed, not only to hear defendants / witnesses say “No comment” but, if they wish, to take their silence into account when they assess the evidence. I hope that Kit Martin’s defence team are successful in their appeal and that the case is kept in the forefront of public thinking and does not become just a sad memory. Only constant media will scrutiny and publicity will do that, I believe. As Christians, we work with prisoners in the UK, building relationships etc., and we occasionally come across horrible miscarriages of justice and, if they are not challenged and fought against, they can destroy whole families. I sympathise with the victim’s families, of course, but my heart goes out to Kit Martin, his friends and his family. We shall continue to pray into the whole situation. May true justice prevail and quickly.” Allan K.
“Kentucky should make an effort to find out who actually committed the murders…” Pam M.
We agree, and will continue to support our good friend Kit and his wonderful family in any and all ways possible. The System abused them all.
Harry Crouch
President, NCFM
What does any of this have to do with Biden AND Harris sucking so bad?
Nothing actually. That is unless Harris picks Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, for her VP choice. With respect to legal corruption Kentucky tops the list. We believe Beshear exploited and capitalized on Kit’s case by staging his last arrest along with the press just to show he was tough on crime a few weeks before he was elected governor. In fact, that arrest may have propelled Beshear into the governors office. Whether that contributes or not to Biden and Harris sucking so much we’ll leave up to you.
This veteran was persecuted at the hands of a vengeful, criminal bigamist “wife”, clearly she should be in prison, not him. Could not believe how the military and then the Courts failed him. What a despicable railroading! How could not the Kentucky Supreme Court free him?
What is being done now? His life is destroyed, an Army hero, a fantastic husband and father!
Pleading the fifth? Getting away with triple murder? Cannot believe my eyes!
This veteran was persecuted at the hands of a vengeful, criminal bigamist “wife”, clearly she should be in prison, not him. Could not believe how the military and then the Courts failed him. What a despicable railroading! How could not the Kentucky Supreme Court free him?
What is being done now?
Pleading the fifth? Getting away with triple murder? Cannot believe my eyes!
He was set up
I just watched the Dateline on this case and I am horrified at how Kit Martin was railroaded! The police are guilty of shitty police work. A shell casing found weeks/months after a murder should be inadmissible. Especially if it was found in an unsecured area like on a porch. An ex-wife with the victim’s cell phone, who pleads the 5th?! Really?! Fake dog tags, conveniently left at the scene? Who brings an item with their full name on it to leave at the scene of the crime?! No one!! This was so upsetting, I hope Mr. Martin gets to appeal this travesty.
Yes, we agree. And, we hope all of those who conspired against him eventually go to prison.
Just watched this on dateline. I feel he is innocent. Praying for him and his family.
People who have nothing to hide, hide NOTHING, Joan.
Pled the 5th, how many times? I will NEVER understand how 12 people were able to overlook the fact that the ONLY other person with a possible motive in this case outright said she was refusing to answer THEIR questions on the grounds SHE may incriminate herself. Incriminate herself in what? The murder of 3 people, perhaps?
Free Christian “Kit’ Martin
I never heard explanation on how Kit got home after torching the car. There were just tire tracks of property owner. How is that possible being it rained so hard on 11/18
Excellent question. We’ll pass it on…
Kit never ‘got home’ after supposedly torching the car because he was not there. There were comparisons made of tire tracks and NONE were matched to Kit’s vehicles or any other vehicles in his household. The lying corrupt prosecutors did not present an actual timeline of what happened but created a timeline based on Kit’s actions or his actions that they invented in their own minds.
Where can we sign up to hear updates and help?
I can believe how this man was set up as I have seen it before, for Joan Harmon to show up with Mrs. Phillips cell phone after the murder was enough reasonable doubt for me, at alone no physical evidence. Hope this miscarriage of justice will be corrected soon. Typical small town politics….
Just watched the episode and I have to say I would love to talk to the jurors on this case. There is no way the cops missed his dog tags and the 45 casing. If they did they should be fired… sounds to me like he was framed.
Exactly…he was framed. But why?
I was shocked at the verdict. I believe he was innocent.
I just watched this trial on Dateline and could not believe my ears when I heard the judge say guilty. This absolutely wreaks of a frame up.! It is so blatantly obvious that Kit Martin is innocent and the real culprit is the ex-wife Joan. Kit Martin needs to be released from prison immediately! Please keep us updated as to what we can do to help free Kit!
Agree. This case is just crazy to me. Right down to them saying his door was not nailed shut. Even if it wasn’t broken even a guilt person would nail it shut to avoid detection. I do not normally think someone is guilty but in this case I really do think he being framed.
An innocent man once again has lost everything because of the ignorance of police investigations & the system that’s failed many
I’m so thankful for the people supporting Kit. This is so wrong, and there is so much evidence to back it up that wasn’t used. I could go on and on why this is a injustice, but it’s just to obvious that he’s innocent it makes me sick.
Just watched Dateline on NBC Kit Martin was WRONGFULLY Accused. This is a terrible Mistake made by the JURY!!!!!! He should be Free
This is so wrong. Don’t understand why someone didn’t have reasonable doubt. Especially the family.
A horrible miscarriage of justice. I hope the appeals court give VERY careful consideration to this case and ultimately rule that Chris’s constitutional rights were violated, and therefore rule an appropriate measure is to grant a new trial.. The very reason for appeal courts are for cases like this.
I wish Chris and his family all the best. I was going to say luck, but I don’t think luck is required here. Just some fairness and I hope with all my heart, the Kentucky Supreme Court will be that opening. The tide will turn.
Chris, never stop fighting. We’re right behind you.
Ryan.
I believe that Mr. Martin is guilty. I remember that there was a couple of gas/kerosine containers in M. Martin’s home with blood on them. Enough for me. Besides when have you ever had anyone not say that they were innocent when they were convicted. Never happens.
Mr. Kowalski,
You might want to read the other comments here. Moreover, the vast majority of those who know this case believe Kit was a scapegoat. There is no – as in none, nada, nothing evidence against Mr. Martin. In fact, it is well established that the information used to indict him was false, fabricated, a lie. In other-words, there should never have been a trail.
Harry Crouch
President, NCFM
Your so right Mr. Crouch. All the details and evidence wasn’t presented in this case by the defense because it wasn’t allowed, so he was convicted.
It’s so obvious that Kit shouldn’t have even been brought to trial if the local law enforcement agencies used logic instead of biased opinions and the urge to hold someone accountable.
I believe in prayer 🙏. I believe this man is innocent. After you do all you can do, then pray, pray and pray, for justice……
Mr. Crouch,
I am a civil defense litigator who dabbles in watching Court TV trials. The trial of Kit Martin was mesmerizing and I didn’t miss a minute of it. The entire arguments regarding the 5th Amendment decision outside of the presence of the jury screamed reversible error in and of itself. While I believe in the jury system, the jury is only as good as the evidence presented and the jury was not only denied critical evidence, they were provided with testimony that never should have been considered evidence. I generally believe that juries get it right, but not in this case. The jury was mislead and came to the wrong conclusion! The verdict was astounding wrong and has troubled me since. The appellate court needs to expedite the review of this case and reverse and remand for a new trial ASAP to free an innocent man. Hang in there Kit. Justice is coming 🙏
Hope nobody ever puts a gas can at your house with blood on it, because that might be enough for me to convict you.
Obviously you didn’t watch the whole trial & review the police investigation. You’re a dumbass & that’s enough for me
Apparently Jimi didn’t watch the “whole trial” either. It appears Jimi has the same mentality as the jurors. The best he can offer, “You’re a dumb ass…” Well, that’s enough for me.
Really? Guess anyone having kerosene containers helped, huh? Are you going by Lt Smith’s testimony that he smelled kerosene when he walked up to the smoldering car? That was just another ridiculous lie the judge should not have allowed in Kit’s trial. No way could he smell kerosene after the car burned completely and was smoldering. Very convenient he screwed up the sample to be tested for accelerants. Lt Smith is the one who presented false evidence to the grand jury to obtain an indictment. I believe Smith is being sued by someone who did decades in prison due to Smith’s lies although this man was innocent. How does he even have a job in law enforcement after all the illegal acts he has done? Unbelievable!
I couldn’t believe I heard a guilty come out of that judges mouth. There wasn’t know evidence pointing to kit. When that shell casing was found 5 mouth later after homicide detective searched that place with a fine tooth comb and the sister of Calvin finds it knowing they all use to shoot in backyard..and she also failed a polygraph no..kit Martin is innocent. He deserves a new trial period.
Who is now handling Kit Martin’s case concerning an appeal or retrial application? I’d like full contact details please, in order that I can provide invaluable & compelling written notes that I guarantee will get Kit acquitted….. I’m absolutely disgusted, & furious with the vile duplicity that brought about the perverse trial & verdict. Heads need to roll
I am a former reporter for a New Jersey daily newspaper who covered the Bergen County courthouse for two years and I was greatly disturbed at the jury’s ruling after watching Kit Martin’s trial on Court TV. Since when does a judge have the right to deny the 6th Amendment right to a fair trial simply because his exwife claims her 5th Amendment right to not give self incriminating evidence. She should have gone before the jury and stated several times “I refuse to answer on grounds it may incriminate me.” She should have been compelled to say where her boyfriend dodging subpoenas was located.
Please explain to me how his exwife had the cellphone of Mrs. Phillips who was murdered the night before. How do you get someone’s cellphone unless you were at the scene of the murders?
Oh, her boyfriend’s brother is with the local sheriff’s office.
Bob Podesfinski of Portland Oregon
rpodesfinski@gmail.com
I agree with you Mr. Podesfinski. Thank You.
Joan Harmon having one of the victims phones in her possession should have been one of the biggest red flags in this case, and should have been followed by a investigation. Then she should have been investigated even more when she used her 5th amendment right, as most of the time, there is something to hide.
That should have been the second biggest red flag and more than enough to exonerate Kit, because logically, that would be considered reasonable doubt that someone else may have been able to commit the crime, especially when she had the motive saying she would ruin Kit’s life.
I agree 100 percent. I think the state prosecutor was pressured as well as the jury. I hope those who went on to convict him look at themselves in the mirror and see that they will never have peace until they actually have justice done. God will be your judge.
Wow! Anyone can be charged with anything, EVEN if they had no involvement.!!! Really scary. Makes me not want to leave my house
I watched entire trial and there was NOTHING to substantiate a guilty verdict here! I hope on appeal “Miss Joan Harmon” is forced into the witness stand, even if she does claim her 5th Amendment privilege. At least the jury would be able to see her & read her body language. Kit PASSED his lie detector test & Joan flunked her’s but those were inadmissible, of course, in court. She is a bigamist & lied to Kit from the outset, marrying him even though she was already married & CONTINUED in her bigamist marriage (unbeknown to Kit!).
> Joan Harmon threatened to make Kit’s life miserable because he wanted a divorce;
> Joan Harmon was in possession of deceased’s cell phone & is on video with it;
> Kit had 3 witnesses verifying he was home with family at time of murders, how many more does he need?! Oh, & did I mention Kit is ON VIDEO AT HIS HOME AT THE TIME OF THE MURDERS!
FREE KIT!
THIS JURY GOT IT WRONG! Also watch Julia Jenae’s Court TV interview of Kit in prison, which aired September 1, 2021!
I watched this whole trial. I believe this man is innocent and they need to look at his ex-wife and her son. Clearly this man was set up….look at all the evidence it points at his ex-wife not him. This man should be freed!
I just watched a YouTube video made about Major Martin’s case by a YouTube channel called “That Chapter”. And having served 12 years in the US Army, seeing one of our hardcores get just completely shafted makes me incredibly angry. From what I saw and now have read, the Major is innocent of these charges. Just in case the Major gets to see our comments here… Sir, we got your six. Those of us who can do anything to clear you of all this, will do just that. Head on a swivel, sir. Stay focused. Keep your head in the fight. You got this sir.
Let’s get this gross miscarriage of justice overturned and get this innocent man home to his family where he belongs. No DNA/blood/fibers/hair/finger prints or ballistics to link Kit to the victims or crime scenes. Once the phone records used to get the indictment were proven to be bogus, the case should have been thrown out of court and never even gone to the jury. #FREEKITMARTIN #KITSARMY
He’s INNOCENT! I think the X set him up. Free KIT…..
I told my husband that if Martin was convicted, there is no justice in the justice system. While our country has the best system, it wasn’t in this case. Too many lies and coverups from the prosecutors to the Judge. I sincerely hope he gets another day in court.
Bs he should have never been held or found guilty with hearsay evidence I believe is innocent and free him
I feel there is potential for his innocence as well, and came to this site hoping to aid in support of its mission. However, as soon as I saw “Jodi Arias was a shock” you lost ALL credibility with me.
There is no justice in finding KIT Martin guilty. No evidence linking him to this crime. This man needs to be free. He is innocent.
FREE KIT MARTIN!
I am so glad everybody is getting behind kit this is such a travesty of justice and the real killers need to be brought to justice