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Cleared by DNA
In his drive to prove his father innocent using results of DNA
analysis, Sam Reese Sheppard is not alone. Indeed, the sheer
number of inmates who have gained their freedom since the
advent of forensic DNA testing in the late 1980s may surprise
you. Below is an up-to-date list of those freed inmates, most
of whom were incarcerated for murder or rape. The list is
maintained by the Innocence Project at the Benjamin N. Cardozo
School of Law in New York City. For information on the
Innocence Project, see
Resources.
Name of Defendant
|
Location
|
Date of Conviction
|
Date of Release
|
Length of Incarceration
(years)
|
|
|
Kenneth Adams
|
IL
|
Oct-78
|
Jul-96
|
19
|
|
Gilbert Alejandro
|
TX
|
Oct-90
|
Jul-94
|
14
|
|
Kirk Bloodsworth
|
MD
|
Mar-85
|
Jun-93
|
8
|
|
Mark Diaz Bravo
|
CA
|
Oct-90
|
Jan-94
|
4
|
|
Dale Brison
|
PA
|
Jun-91
|
Jan-94
|
4
|
|
Ronnie Bullock
|
IL
|
May-84
|
Oct-94
|
10
|
|
Kevin Byrd
|
TX
|
Aug-85
|
Oct-97
|
12
|
|
Leonard Callace
|
NY
|
Mar-87
|
Oct-92
|
6
|
|
Terry Chalmers
|
NY
|
Jun-87
|
Apr-95
|
7.5
|
|
Marion Coakley
|
NY
|
Aug-85
|
Sep-87
|
4
|
|
Ronald Cotton
|
NC
|
Jan-85
|
Jun-95
|
11
|
|
Rolando Cruz
|
IL
|
Jan-85
|
Nov-95
|
11
|
|
Charles Dabbs
|
NY
|
Apr-84
|
Aug-91
|
9
|
|
Dewey Davis
|
WV
|
Jan-87
|
Jun-94
|
7.5
|
|
Gerald Davis
|
WV
|
Jul-86
|
Jul-94
|
8
|
|
Frederick Daye
|
CA
|
Aug-84
|
Sep-94
|
10
|
|
Gary Dotson
|
IL
|
Jul-79
|
Aug-89
|
8
|
|
Timothy Durham
|
OK
|
Mar-93
|
Jan-97
|
5
|
|
Dennis Fritz
|
OK
|
Apr-88
|
Apr-99
|
12
|
|
Anthony Gray
|
MD
|
Oct-91
|
Feb-99
|
7
|
|
Edward Green
|
DC
|
Jul-89
|
Mar-90
|
0.75
|
|
Kevin Green
|
CA
|
Oct-80
|
Jun-96
|
16
|
|
Ricky Hammond
|
CT
|
Mar-90
|
Oct-92
|
2.5
|
|
William Harris
|
WV
|
Oct-87
|
Oct-95
|
8
|
|
Alejandro Hernandez
|
IL
|
Jan-85
|
Nov-95
|
11
|
|
Anthony Hicks
|
WI
|
Dec-91
|
Jul-96
|
5
|
|
Larry Holdren
|
WV
|
Mar-84
|
Jun-99
|
15
|
|
Edward Honaker
|
VA
|
Feb-85
|
Oct-94
|
10
|
|
Vincent Jenkins
|
NY
|
Nov-83
|
not yet
|
U
|
|
Verneal Jimerson
|
IL
|
Dec-85
|
Jun-96
|
11
|
|
Jones Joe
|
KS
|
Feb-86
|
Jul-92
|
7
|
|
Calvin Johnson
|
GA
|
Nov-83
|
Jun-99
|
16
|
|
Richard Johnson
|
IL
|
Jan-92
|
Dec-95
|
4
|
|
Ronald Jones
|
IL
|
Jul-89
|
May-99
|
10
|
|
Kerry Kotler
|
NY
|
Mar-82
|
Dec-92
|
11
|
|
Steven Linscott
|
IL
|
Jun-82
|
Jan-85
|
3
|
|
Dale Mahan
|
AL
|
Jun-84
|
Dec-97
|
14
|
|
Ronnie Mahan
|
AL
|
Jun-84
|
Dec-97
|
14
|
|
Robert Miller
|
OK
|
Jan-88
|
Jan-98
|
9
|
|
Marvin Mitchell
|
MA
|
Jan-90
|
Apr-97
|
8
|
|
Perry Mitchell
|
SC
|
Jan-84
|
Aug-98
|
14
|
|
Vincent Moto
|
PA
|
Jan-88
|
Nov-95
|
9
|
|
Bruce Nelson
|
PA
|
Apr-85
|
May-91
|
9
|
|
Victor Ortiz
|
NY
|
Jan-84
|
Oct-96
|
14
|
|
Brian Piszczek
|
OH
|
Jun-91
|
Sep-94
|
4
|
|
Willie Rainge
|
IL
|
Oct-78
|
Jul-96
|
18
|
|
Donald Reynolds
|
IL
|
Feb-88
|
Nov-97
|
9
|
|
Fredric Saecker
|
WI
|
Jan-90
|
May-96
|
6
|
|
Ben Salazar
|
TX
|
Jan-92
|
Oct-97
|
5
|
|
Dwayne Scruggs
|
IN
|
May-86
|
Dec-93
|
8
|
|
David Shepard
|
NJ
|
Sep-84
|
Apr-95
|
11
|
|
Walter Smith
|
OH
|
Dec-86
|
Dec-96
|
10
|
|
Walter Snyder
|
VA
|
Jun-86
|
Apr-93
|
7
|
|
Steven Toney
|
MO
|
Apr-83
|
Jul-96
|
14
|
|
David Vasquez
|
VA
|
Feb-85
|
Jan-89
|
5
|
|
Billy Wardell
|
IL
|
Feb-88
|
Nov-97
|
9
|
|
Thomas Webb
|
OK
|
Jan-83
|
May-96
|
14
|
|
Troy Webb
|
VA
|
Apr-89
|
Oct-96
|
7
|
|
Dennis Williams
|
IL
|
Oct-78
|
Jul-96
|
18
|
|
Ron Williamson
|
OK
|
Apr-88
|
Apr-99
|
12
|
|
John Willis
|
IL
|
Sep-90
|
Feb-99
|
9
|
|
Glen Woodall
|
WV
|
Jun-87
|
May-92
|
4
|
|
Herman Kaglick
|
CAN
|
Jan-92
|
Jan-98
|
5
|
|
David Milgaard
|
CAN
|
Jan-70
|
Apr-92
|
23
|
|
Gordon Folland
|
CAN
|
Mar-95
|
Nov-96
|
3
|
|
Guy Paul Morin
|
CAN
|
Jul-92
|
Jan-95
|
2
|
|
Gregory Parsons
|
CAN
|
Feb-94
|
Feb-98
|
0.25
|
Chronology of a Murder
|
Science in the Courtroom
Create a DNA Fingerprint
|
3-D Mug Shot |
Cleared by DNA
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