reversed conviction

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He Wrongfully Spent 45 Years in Prison in 'Weak at Best' Case

Now 65-year-old Wilbert Jones is free after his rape conviction was overturned

(Newser) - A 65-year-old Louisiana man arrested at 19 and sentenced to life without parole walked out of prison Wednesday, saying "God is so good" after his rape conviction was overturned. Authorities withheld evidence that could have exonerated Wilbert Jones decades ago, and their case against him was "weak at...

Sheldon Silver's Corruption Conviction Tossed

Federal appeals court cites Supreme Court ruling on Bob McDonnell

(Newser) - The corruption conviction of former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was overturned Thursday by a federal appeals court that cited a recent Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the definition of what it takes to convict a public official. The three-judge panel of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals...

Ex-Zookeeper Cleared of Love-Triangle Assault

A meerkat handler, monkey expert, and llama-keeper, oh my!

(Newser) - Finally, legal closure in a tumultuous zookeeper love triangle across the pond—and perhaps the best lead-in sentence you'll read all week: "A former meerkat expert at London Zoo was cleared Tuesday of assaulting a monkey handler in a love spat over a llama-keeper" is how the AP...

Man Jailed Decades Without Conviction Is Convicted

Texas jury has found Jerry Hartfield guilty in slaying of bus station worker

(Newser) - A 59-year-old mentally ill Texas man imprisoned for more than 35 years despite his original murder conviction being overturned was found guilty a second time yesterday in his retrial . Jerry Hartfield, 59, was convicted of murder in the September 1976 slaying of 55-year-old Eunice Lowe, who sold tickets at a...

Man's Retrial Thanks to Bad Fire Science Ends in Shocker

Ed Graf's retrial for murdering 2 stepsons in shed fire based on new arson science

(Newser) - In 1988, Ed Graf was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for killing his stepsons Joby, 9, and Jason, 8, in 1986 by locking them in a shed, dousing it with gasoline, and setting it on fire. Everything was there to prove the case against the Texas man, per...

Man in Prison 35 Years Without Conviction Gets New Trial

Jerry Hartfield says he doesn't hold a grudge—he just wants to get on with life

(Newser) - For more than 35 years, a Texas man has been in prison even though an appeals court threw out his conviction on a 1976 murder charge that initially had him on death row. Today, 59-year-old Jerry Hartfield returns to court for a retrial, facing a life sentence if convicted of...

24 Years Later, Science Overturns Arson Conviction

Han Tak Lee imprisoned for allegedly murdering daughter

(Newser) - In 1990, Han Tak Lee was convicted of murdering his daughter. Now, almost a quarter-century later, a judge says the 79-year-old's conviction rested on a scientific inaccuracy—and the former New York businessman is finally out of prison, the AP reports. According to a review of his case finished...

Whitey Bulger's FBI Pal Has Murder Verdict Tossed

Justices say that because he didn't pull the trigger, John Connolly couldn't be tried

(Newser) - Whitey Bulger's longtime FBI handler might be on the verge of freedom, after an appeals court threw out his murder conviction yesterday. In a 2-1 decision, the Miami judges ruled that because John Connolly Jr. hadn't actually pulled the trigger, he should never have been tried for the...

Woman on Death Row Has Conviction Overturned

Detective in case has history of perjury

(Newser) - Debra Milke has spent 22 years on death row for orchestrating the murder of her 4-year-old son, but the Arizona woman may be on the verge of freedom, after a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judge overturned her conviction yesterday. Milke's roommate and a friend shot Milke's son...

Court Throws Out bin Laden Driver's Conviction

Salim Ahmed Hamdan's activities weren't a war crime at the time: US court

(Newser) - Osama bin Laden's former driver is off the hook in his conviction for supporting terrorism. A federal appeals court in Washington has overturned Salim Ahmed Hamdan's conviction in a 3-0 ruling, the AP reports. Its reasoning: When Hamdan was involved in the activities that landed the conviction, material...

Blago Asks Judge to Undo Conviction

Lawyers ask judge to override jury on lone 'lying to FBI' charge

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich wants a judge to nullify the only conviction the jury returned in his mostly deadlocked corruption trial. In a motion filed in federal court late yesterday, defense lawyers called on the judge to override the jury's decision and acquit the former Illinois governor of lying to the FBI....

Ex-Qwest CEO's Conviction Overturned

Exclusion of expert testimony nets Nacchio new trial

(Newser) - A federal appeals court overturned Joe Nacchio’s guilty verdict today and ordered a new trial for the ex-Qwest CEO before a different judge, the Denver Post reports. The court ruled that the district judge who presided over Nacchio's trial on insider trading charges erred in excluding testimony from an...

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