The Innocent and the Death Penalty

Eighteen people have been proven innocent and exonerated by DNA testing in the United States after serving time on
death row. They were convicted in 11 states and served a combined 229 years in prison including 202 years on
death row for crimes they didnt commit.
Kirk Bloodsworth served eight years in Maryland prison including two years on death row for a murder and rape he
didnt commit, before he was exonerated in 1993.
Rolando Cruz, and his co-defendant Alejandro Hernandez, served more than 10 years on Illinois death row for a
murder they didnt commit before DNA testing proved both men innocent in 1995.
Verneal Jimerson and Dennis Williams were sentenced to death in the infamous Ford Heights Four case in Illinois for
a pair of 1978 murders they didnt commit. Jimerson was cleared in 1995 after a decade on death row and Williams
served more than 17 years on death row before he was freed in 1996.
Robert Miller spent nine years on Oklahomas death row for a murder and rape he didnt commit before he was
cleared by DNA testing in 1998.
Ron Williamson spent a decade on Oklahomas death row for a murder he didnt commit before DNA testing secured
by the Innocence Project proved him innocent in 1999. His co-defendant, Dennis Fritz, was sentenced to life and spent
11 years in prison before DNA cleared him as well.
Ronald Jones, an Innocence Project client, served a decade on Illinois death row for a murder and rape he didnt
commit before DNA testing proved his innocence and led to his release in 1999.
Earl Washington, a Virginia man with limited mental capacity, was sentenced to death after he allegedly confessed to
committing a 1982 murder he didnt commit. He served a decade on death row, once coming within nine days of
execution before receiving a stay. He would serve a total of 17 years behind bars before DNA testing obtained by the
Innocence Project cleared him in 2000.
Frank Lee Smith died of cancer on Floridas death row after serving 14 years for a murder and rape he didnt commit.
He was cleared by DNA testing obtained by the Innocence Project 11 months after his death.
Charles Irvin Fain served more than 17 years on death row in Idaho for a murder and rape he didnt commit before
DNA testing proved his innocence in 2001.
Ray Krone served a decade in Arizona prison including four years on death row for a murder and rape he didnt
commit before DNA testing proved his innocence in 2002.
Nicholas Yarris served more than 21 years on Pennsylvanias death row before DNA testing proved his innocence and
led to his release in 2003.
Ryan Matthews served five years on Louisianas death row for a murder he didnt commit before he was exonerated
by DNA testing in 2004. His co-defendant, Travis Hayes, was sentenced to life in prison and served eight years before
he was cleared in 2007.
Curtis McCarty served 21 years in Oklahoma prison including nearly 18 years on death row for a murder he didnt
commit before DNA tests secured by the Innocence Project led to his exoneration in 2007. He was convicted twice and
sentenced to death three times based on forensic misconduct.
Kennedy Brewer, an Innocence Project client, served 15 years behind bars including seven years on death row for
a murder and sexual assault he didnt commit before DNA testing from 2001 finally led to his exoneration in 2008.
Michael Blair served 13 years on death row for a murder he didnt commit before DNA testing obtained by his lawyers
at the Innocence Project proved his innocence and led to his exoneration in 2008.
Damon Thibodeaux spent 15 years on death row in Louisiana before he was exonerated in 2012. A prosecution expert
who aided in the reinvestigation of his case concluded that the threat of the death penalty contributed to why he falsely
confessed to the murder of his cousin.
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Affiliated with the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University
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