TOO MANY WRONGFULLY CONVICTED - The Innocence Project

DAVID SHAWN POPE LESLY JEAN • 2001 KENNETH WATERS • 2001 DANNY BROWN • 2001 JEFFREY PIERCE • 2001200115 YEARS 9 YEARS 17.5 YEARS 18.5 YEARS 14.5 YEARST E X A S NORTH CAROLINA MASSACHUSETTS O H I O O K L A H O M ADavid Shawn Popewas convicted ofaggravated sexualassault based, in part,on voice print analysisof messages left onthe victim’s answeringmachine, a method nolonger used in courts.An anonymous callfirst alerted prosecutorsto Pope’s wrongfulconviction. DNA testingsubsequently matchedthe profile of aconvicted felon, andPope was pardonedby the governor.In 1982, Lesly Jean,a Haitian immigrant,was convicted offirst-degree sexualoffense and first-degreerape. Nine years later,it was revealed thatpolice and prosecutorshad failed to disclosepertinent evidencein his case, andhis conviction wasoverturned. DNAtesting exoneratedJean in 2001. Shortlyafter his release, hewas involved in anaccident that left himparalyzed.Two of KennethWaters’s ex-girlfriendstestified against him ina murder and robberytrial, saying that he haddrunkenly confessed tothe crime. One of themwould later recant hertestimony. Waters’ssister put herselfthrough law school inorder to take over hiscase and prove hisinnocence. Once shelocated the biologicalevidence in the case,she contacted theInnocence Project whohelped her secure DNAtesting that proved hisinnocence. Waterspassed away six monthsafter his release.Danny Brown hadbeen dating a womanfor several monthsbefore she wasmurdered. The victim’ssix-year-old son, whohad been in theapartment the night ofthe murder, testifiedthat Brown had beenthere that night andhad argued with hismother. When DNAtesting was eventuallyperformed, the resultsexcluded Brown andincriminated anincarcerated felon.Jeffrey Pierce’sinnocence wasuncovered during aninvestigation of JoyceGilchrist, formerly aforensic scientist atthe Oklahoma CityPolice Laboratory, forfalsifying testimonyand conducting shoddyforensic analysis.Pierce’s 1986conviction for rapeand robbery wasoverturned after DNAtesting excludedhim. After his release,Pierce moved toMichigan to live withhis teenage twin sonswho were infants whenhe was convicted.77% were convicted basedat least in part18 | Innocence Project