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Facing a Second Trial, Ernie Lopez Takes Plea Deal
An Amarillo man whose conviction for sexually assaulting a child was reversed after experts questioned forensic evidence used against him, pleads guilty to a reduced charge.
California Governor Commutes Sentence in Shaken Baby Case
Shirley Ree Smith, who was convicted in 1997 of shaking her infant grandson to death, has always maintained her innocence.
New Questions About Evidence Used to Convict Grandmother in Shaken Baby Case
Shirley Ree Smith lives with her daughter Tomeka in Alexandria, Minn., a quaint town of approximately 11,000 people located about … Continue reading
Free, But Not Cleared: Ernie Lopez Comes Home
After nearly nine years in prison, Ernie Lopez has returned home to Amarillo, Texas, where a throng of family members … Continue reading
One Hospital’s New Plan to Catch Questionable Cases of Child Abuse
FRONTLINE recently caught up with Dr. Michael Laposata, a pathologist and blood-clotting expert out of the Vanderbilt University, who co-published landmark study in 2005 on diseases that can mimic abuse. …
Texas DA Will Re-Try Ernie Lopez on Sexual Assault Charges
Days after the Texas state appeals court threw out his 2003 conviction, a district attorney has decided to re-try Ernie Lopez on charges that he sexually assaulted a six-month old girl.
Texas Court Voids Conviction in Child Death Case
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals today set aside the conviction of Ernie Lopez, an Amarillo man found guilty in 2003 of sexually assaulting six-month-old Isis Vas. The baby died shortly after the purported attack.
Posted June 28, 2011
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