Conviction review
Convictions that were overturned, and innocence claims courts are ruling on this week. Read what the evidence was and where it broke.
Khalil Islam
In 2021, more than 56 years after Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 in New York City, two men convicted of the shooting, Khalil Islam and Muhammad Aziz, were exonerated.
2015 · New YorkExonerated 2015Everton Wagstaffe
In 2014, DNA testing led to the vacating of Everton Wagstaffe and Reginald Connor's kidnapping convictions and the dismissal of charges.
2018 · KentuckyExonerated 2018Garr Keith Hardin
In 1997, Garr Keith Hardin and Jeffrey Clark were wrongly convicted of murder in Kentucky. They served more than two decades in prison before they were exonerated in 2018.
2020 · New YorkExonerated 2020Jaythan Kendrick
In 2020, more than 25 years after Jaythan Kendrick was convicted of murder in New York, he was exonerated based on DNA evidence and newly discovered witnesses.
2009 · MissouriExonerated 2009Joshua Kezer
In 2009, Joshua Kezer was exonerated of a 1992 murder in Scott County, Missouri based on the discovery of new evidence of innocence.
1999 · New YorkExonerated 1999Habib Wahir Abdal
Habib Wahir Abdal, then known as Vincent Jenkins, was convicted of rape in 1983 and spent 16 years in prison before he was exonerated.
2000 · CaliforniaExonerated 2000Herman Atkins
In 1986, Herman Atkins was wrongly charged, and later convicted, of robbery and rape. He served 12 years in prison before he was exonerated.
2019 · TexasExonerated 2019Steven Mark Chaney
Steven Mark Chaney spent more than 25 years in prison before he was exonerated in 2019 of a 1987 murder in Dallas, Texas.
2017 · New YorkExonerated 2017Mark Denny
In 2017, nearly 30 years after Mark Denny was convicted of the rape and robbery in Brooklyn, New York, he was declared factually innocent and released from prison.
2020 · FloridaExonerated 2020Robert DuBoise
In 2020, Robert DuBoise was exonerated of a 1983 murder in Florida, nearly 37 years after he was arrested for a crime he did not commit.
2019 · LouisianaExonerated 2019Archie Williams
Archie Williams was exonerated in 2019 of attempted murder and rape in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He had been convicted in 1983 at age 22.
2018 · ConnecticutExonerated 2018Alfred Swinton
In March 2018, Alfred Swinton was exonerated of a 1991 murder that he did not commit in Hartford, Connecticut.
1995 · New JerseyExonerated 1995David Shephard
In 1994, DNA testing exonerated David Shephard of a 1983 rape in New Jersey. He had spent nearly 10 years in prison.
2021 · West VirginiaExonerated 2021Philip Barnett
On Oct. 5, 2021, prosecutors in Cabell County, West Virginia, dismissed murder charges against Philip Barnett, his brother Nathaniel, and Justin Black.
2021 · MississippiExonerated 2021Eddie Lee Howard
In 2021, Eddie Lee Howard was exonerated in Mississippi for a 1992 murder he did not commit. He had spent 26 years in prison.
2019 · MichiganExonerated 2019Kevin Lackey
In 2019, Kevin Lackey was exonerated of a 1992 sexual assault he did not commit in Detroit. He had served more than 20 years in prison.
2019 · TexasExonerated 2019Stanley Mozee
In 2019, Stanley Mozee was exonerated of a murder he did not commit in Dallas. He had served 14 years in prison.
2014 · OklahomaExonerated 2014Michelle Murphy
In 2014, Michelle Murphy was exonerated of the murder of her 15-month-old son in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She had served 20 years in prison.
2018 · TexasExonerated 2018John Nolley
In 2018, John Nolley was exonerated of a 1998 murder in Tarrant County, Texas after spending more than 18 years in prison
2023 · New YorkExonerated 2023Norberto Peets
In 2023, Norberto Peets was exonerated of attempted murder and other charges arising from a 1996 shooting in Bronx County, New York.
2022 · IllinoisExonerated 2022Herman Williams
In 2022, Herman Williams was exonerated of the 1993 murder of his ex-wife in Waukegan, Illinois. He had spent nearly 29 years in prison.
2011 · OhioExonerated 2011Thomas Siller
In 2011, Thomas Siller was exonerated of the murder of a 74-year-old woman in Cleveland.
2020 · MichiganExonerated 2020Gerry Thomas
In January 2020, Gerry Thomas was exonerated of an attempted murder conviction in Michigan. He had spent nearly 30 years in prison.
2024 · VirginiaExonerated 2024Marvin Grimm, Jr.
In June 2024, Marvin Grimm Jr. was exonerated of a 1975 abduction, sexual assault, and murder of a three-year-old boy in Richmond, Virginia.