All articles tagged with #wrongful conviction
Originally Published 17 days ago — by CNN
Emel McDowell served over 19 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit, based on a letter from the actual gunman that was ignored during his trial. After a long legal fight and eventual exoneration in 2023, he received a settlement and is now pursuing justice for wrongful imprisonment and forced labor, while aiming to rebuild his life and advocate for others.
Originally Published 17 days ago — by CNN
Emel McDowell served 19 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit, based on a letter from the actual gunman that was ignored. His conviction was finally vacated in 2023 after the gunman's confession, leading to a wrongful conviction settlement, but he continues to fight for justice and recognition, reflecting on lost opportunities and ongoing struggles faced by exonerees.
Originally Published 4 months ago — by ABC News
Bryan Hooper Sr., wrongfully convicted of murder in 1998, was released after a key witness, Chalaka Young, confessed to the crime, leading to the vacating of his conviction after 27 years in prison.
Originally Published 4 months ago — by NBC News
A Minnesota man, Bryan Hooper Sr., was released after 27 years in prison for a murder he did not commit, following a recantation by the key witness who confessed to the crime, leading to the vacating of his conviction and an apology from prosecutors.
Originally Published 4 months ago — by The Daily Beast
Bryan Hooper Sr. was wrongfully imprisoned for 27 years for a murder he did not commit, based on false testimony from a star witness who later confessed to the crime, leading to his release and a reevaluation of the case.
Originally Published 4 months ago — by The Guardian
A Minnesota man, Bryan Hooper Sr., wrongly convicted of murder in 1998 and serving nearly 27 years, has been released after a woman confessed to the crime and recanted her testimony, leading to the vacating of his conviction.
Originally Published 4 months ago — by NPR
Amanda Knox, once wrongly convicted of murder in Italy, is producing an eight-part Hulu series about her experience, teaming up with Monica Lewinsky, who also shares her story of public scrutiny and shame. The series aims to humanize Knox's story and challenge misconceptions, with Knox and Lewinsky reflecting on their shared experiences of vilification and resilience.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by CNN
Two men, Dominique Moore and Cedric Warren, were released after their 2009 double homicide convictions were overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct involving a key witness's mental health issues. The case was overseen by discredited detective Roger Golubski, who faced allegations of misconduct and died by suicide before his trial. Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree decided not to retry the men, citing fairness concerns. The case highlights ongoing investigations into Golubski's involvement in other wrongful convictions.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by WJXT News4JAX
A 61-year-old man, Erik Kristensen Sparre, has been arrested and charged with the 1985 murders of Harold and Thelma Swain at a Camden County church, following new DNA evidence linking him to the crime. This development comes after Dennis Perry, previously convicted for the murders, was exonerated in 2020 due to DNA evidence excluding him as the perpetrator. Perry, who spent over 20 years in prison, was awarded $1.23 million by the state after his release.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by NBC News
A Texas judge has declared Melissa Lucio, a death row inmate convicted of murdering her toddler daughter, "actually innocent" and recommended her release. Lucio's case, which has gained attention from Kim Kardashian and other advocates, is now under review by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. New evidence suggests that her daughter's death was accidental, caused by a fall, rather than murder. Lucio's conviction and death sentence are being challenged, with support from various public figures and legal advocates.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by The Associated Press
Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, dismissed an apology from the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) after it twice turned down his attempts to have his conviction referred to the Court of Appeal. Malkinson, whose conviction was quashed last July after DNA evidence linked another suspect to the crime, felt the apology was "too little too late" and called for new leadership at the CCRC. He had been found guilty of a 2003 rape in Salford, northwest of Manchester, but always maintained his innocence, spending an additional 10 years behind bars before his release in 2020.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by The Associated Press
Amanda Knox, who was previously acquitted of the murder of her British roommate Meredith Kercher, faces a new slander trial in Italy this week. Despite her exoneration, doubts persist about her role in the case, particularly due to a previous slander conviction for wrongly accusing a bar owner. Knox, now 36 and a mother of two, continues to advocate for criminal justice reform and raise awareness about forced confessions. The upcoming trial will examine a handwritten statement to determine if it supports slander against the bar owner. The legal proceedings continue to cast a shadow over Knox's life and work, despite her efforts to move forward.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by The New York Times
Charles Rice, who had been serving a 30- to 60-year sentence for a 2011 shooting in Philadelphia, was cleared of all charges after spending about a dozen years in prison. The decision came after officials acknowledged weak evidence and ineffective assistance from his original lawyer. The District Attorney's Office stated that it would not meet the burden of proof for the charges, effectively exonerating Mr. Rice.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by The Philadelphia Inquirer
Prosecutors have dropped the case against C.J. Rice, a South Philadelphia man who was convicted of attempted murder in 2013. This decision comes after a federal court ordered his release or retrial, citing unlawful conviction. The case gained national attention after a cover story in The Atlantic by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who highlighted the incompetence of Rice's initial defense. Rice's release brings an end to a 12-year ordeal, during which he was incarcerated despite lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by KRON4
Attorneys from the Los Angeles Innocence Project appeared in court to demand specific police reports in the case of convicted killer Scott Peterson, who has maintained his innocence for two decades. The project aims to overturn wrongful convictions and has filed motions for post-conviction discovery and DNA testing. Peterson, convicted in 2004 of murdering his pregnant wife and unborn son, watched the proceedings via Zoom from prison. The judge set future hearing dates, and the project was given a 6-month deadline to complete its investigation.