Wrongful Conviction

  • Missouri Supreme Court Blocks Deal to Spare Marcellus Williams from Execution Amidst Battle Over His Innocence

    The Missouri Supreme Court has halted an agreement that would have saved death row inmate Marcellus Williams from execution. Williams, who was convicted for the 1998 murder of Lisha Gayle, now faces a scheduled execution on Sept 24, 2024. The court’s decision came just hours after a St. Louis County judge approved a plea deal…

  • 71-Year-Old Man Awarded $7 Million After Nearly 50 Years in Prison Due to Police Misconduct

    A 71-year-old man who spent nearly five decades in prison for a murder he did not commit has been awarded $7.15 million in a settlement after it was revealed that police falsified witness statements to secure his conviction. Glynn Ray Simmons, the longest-serving inmate in U.S. history to be exonerated, was wrongfully imprisoned for 48…

  • Innocent Missouri Woman Freed After 43 Years In Prison Following Court Order

    Sandra Hemme, a Missouri inmate wrongfully convicted of murder, was released from prison on Friday after a protracted legal battle with the state’s attorney general. Hemme’s release marks the end of a 43-year ordeal, stemming from a conviction based on withheld exculpatory evidence. Legal Battle for Release The process leading to Hemme’s release involved a…

  • Isaiah Andrews: The Man Who Spent 45 Years In Prison For A Crime He Didn’t Commit

    A Cleveland man, Isaiah Andrews’ life was marked by a wrongful conviction that saw him spend 45 years behind bars for a crime he always insisted he did not commit. Although he passed away at the age of 83 in 2022, his story leaves a legacy of resilience and unwavering determination. Andrews’ wrongful conviction stemmed…

  • From A Wrongfully-Accused Death Row Inmate To A College Graduate! This Is The Story Of Ryan Matthews

    Ryan Matthews, once wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit, has defied the odds to earn his Master’s degree in business analytics from Texas Woman’s University. His journey from death row to academic achievement serves as a testament to resilience and the pursuit of justice! Matthews’ ordeal began in…

  • Chicago Man Sues City, Police Department After Being Convicted Based On Testimony From Blind Witness

    Darien Harris, a Chicago man whose murder conviction was overturned after serving 12 years in prison, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and the police department. The lawsuit comes after a Cook County judge vacated Harris’s conviction upon discovering that a key witness, who testified against him, was legally blind. Harris…

  • Family Of Wrongly Executed Black Teen Seeks Damages After 2022 Exoneration

    The family of Alexander McClay Williams, the youngest person ever executed in Pennsylvania, is suing Delaware County for his wrongful conviction and execution in 1931. Williams, a 16-year-old Black teenager, was exonerated by the governor in 2022. Williams was convicted of the October 1930 murder of Vida Robare, a white woman found stabbed 47 times…

  • Kansas Prosecutor Surrenders Law License Amidst Framing Innocent Man Controversy

    Terra Morehead, a former Kansas prosecutor under intense scrutiny for her role in framing an innocent man, has agreed to surrender her law license as part of a disciplinary agreement with the Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys. Morehead’s actions, which contributed to the wrongful imprisonment of Lamonte McIntyre for 23 years, have prompted calls…

  • 3 Retired Detectives To Stand Trial For Perjury Stemming From 2016 Exoneration

    Three former Philadelphia police detectives, now in their 70s, are facing trial after being accused of lying under oath during the 2016 retrial of Anthony Wright, who was exonerated of a 1991 rape and murder. The case marks a rare instance of law enforcement officials facing criminal charges for alleged misconduct leading to wrongful convictions.…

  • Harvard’s Prof Dehlia Umunna Discusses Powell v. Alabama (Video)

    In the inaugural installment of “Cases in Brief” two years ago, Harvard Law Professor Dehlia Umunna delves into the landmark case Powell v. Alabama (1932), famously known as the “Scottsboro Boys” case. This pivotal case marked the U.S. Supreme Court’s seminal ruling, establishing defendants’ rights to adequate legal representation in capital cases under the 14th…