Top 10 Biggest Miscarriages of Justice
Justice, we'd like to think, is a cornerstone of our society, a beacon guiding our actions and decisions, and a safeguard against anarchy. It's a system put in place to maintain order, fairness, and uphold the laws of the land. But what happens when the very system we entrust to do right by us falters? What unfolds when the scales tip unjustly, resulting in an unsettling outcome?
Now that's not a light-hearted topic, is it? But it's a vital one, and one that beckons exploration. It's about those heartbreaking moments when innocent lives were implicated, when the guilty walked free, or when truth was twisted and manipulated. We're talking about those occasions when justice, in all its solemnity, seemed to wear a blindfold not to guarantee impartiality, but to shut its eyes to the truth.
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Execution of Joe Arridy
Joe Arridy, who had an IQ of 46, was executed in Colorado in 1939 following a wrongful conviction for a crime he did not understand. He was posthumously exonerated in 2011. His case highlights the risks faced by defendants with intellectual disabilities.
A man with the mind of a 6-year-old was sent to the gas chamber for a murder everyone knew he was innocent of.
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Execution of George Stinney
George Stinney, the youngest person sentenced to death in the United States in the twentieth century, was executed in 1944 at age 14. His conviction was overturned in 2014. The exoneration came 70 years after his death.
Whether he's guilty or not, you're not supposed to put a 14-year-old in the electric chair.
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Conviction of Julie Rea Harper
Julie Rea Harper, an Illinois mother, was wrongly convicted in 2002 for the murder of her son. She was later acquitted in 2006 following an appeal and assistance from the Innocence Project. Her case is often referenced in discussions of wrongful convictions involving family members.
Wrongfully convicted of killing her son. When it was revealed to be Tommy Lynn Sells, they must've felt like idiots.
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Execution of Timothy Evans
Timothy Evans from the United Kingdom was wrongfully executed in 1950 for two murders committed by his neighbor John Christie. Christie's exposure as a serial killer in 1953 revealed Evans' innocence. Evans received a posthumous pardon in 1966.
His wife was killed by his neighbor, John Christie, and he paid for it.
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Conviction of Scott Hornoff
Scott Hornoff, a former Rhode Island police officer, was wrongly convicted in 1996 for a murder he did not commit. He spent more than six years in prison before the actual perpetrator confessed. Hornoff was released and fully exonerated.
Scott Hornoff was exonerated when the real killer confessed out of guilt.
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Conviction of The West Memphis Three
The West Memphis Three, composed of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, were wrongfully convicted as teenagers in 1994 for a triple murder in Arkansas. They were released in 2011 under an Alford plea after new DNA evidence came to light.
The officer who lost the Bojangles evidence should be fired. It was bad enough that the police never bothered to come and collect the Bojangles blood sample until the day after it was reported. A black male was reported bleeding in the ladies' bathroom, covered in blood and mud, and appeared to be mentally disoriented, not even a mile from the crime scene. Come on! And the police never bothered to come and get the blood samples until the next day. I wonder if anybody lost their jobs over this. I believe it was Mr. Bojangles.
1. Why would he be covered in blood? Why would he be covered in mud? It's a bit coincidental considering the bodies were found in a muddy creek.
2. If Bojangles is innocent, why has he never come forward so he could be eliminated as a suspect and help cooperate with the investigation?
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Conviction of Bill Macumber
Bill Macumber, an Arizona man, was wrongfully convicted in 1975 for a double murder. He spent nearly four decades in prison before new evidence led to his release in 2012. His case is cited in discussions of long-term wrongful incarceration.
Bill Macumber was framed for the crime by his wife.
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Conviction of Michael Toney
Michael Toney was wrongly convicted in 1999 for a 1985 bombing in Texas that killed three people. His conviction was overturned in 2008 due to prosecutorial misconduct. He died in a car accident a year after his release.
Michael Toney tragically died just one month after being exonerated.
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Conviction of Ray Krone
Ray Krone, an Arizona resident, was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death in 1992 for a murder he did not commit. DNA testing in 2002 proved his innocence. He became the 100th American to be exonerated and released from death row.
Some people still believe Ray Krone is the Snaggletooth Killer, even though he was wrongfully convicted.
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Release of Jimmy Lee Smith
Jimmy Lee Smith, one of the two "Onion Field" killers in California, was wrongly released in 1982 because of a clerical error despite serving a life sentence. He returned to criminal activity after his release. The incident highlighted a serious administrative failure in the system.
Cop-killer Jimmy Lee Smith was initially released after serving only 19 years, but he continued to commit crimes and was in and out of jail for the next 25 years.
One of the infamous "Onion Field" killers and a career criminal before and after the murders. He admitted that he shot a cop in cold blood while the cop was tied up and begging for his life.
This is the famous "Onion Field" killing. The movie was pretty spot-on about this vicious killer, who was later released to roam among you.
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Police Corruption, Cover Up and Smearing the Dead of Hillsborough Disaster
The Hillsborough disaster in 1989, where 96 Liverpool football fans lost their lives, became a profound miscarriage of justice when South Yorkshire Police covered up their failings and falsely blamed the victims. The truth about the authorities' failures and the smear campaign against the victims emerged only years later. This episode is remembered as a notorious example of institutional corruption and injustice.
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Conviction of Damon Thibodeaux
Damon Thibodeaux, an innocent man from Louisiana, was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death in 1997 for a murder and rape he did not commit. After spending 15 years on death row, he was exonerated and released in 2012 following a DNA test that proved his innocence. His case underscores the grave consequences of wrongful convictions.
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Conviction of Josh Kezer
Josh Kezer was wrongfully convicted in 1994 for a murder in Missouri. He spent 16 years in prison before being exonerated and released in 2009. New evidence demonstrated his innocence.
Convicted with no evidence against him, but exonerated after almost 20 years in prison.
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Release of Sagon Penn
Sagon Penn, a man of color from San Diego, was acquitted in 1987 for the killing of a police officer after he confessed to the act. His release was surrounded by significant controversy. The case became associated with broader racial tensions of the time.
It was proven that the cop used a racial slur during an interrogation, so it was supposedly justified that Sagon Penn killed that cop. He also shot his partner, making him a quadriplegic, and shot a female civilian "ride-along" who was over 100 feet away, screaming, and trying to escape.
Infamous admitted San Diego cop-killer, also ran after and shot a civilian in an attempt to silence witnesses.
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Conviction of Steven Truscott
Steven Truscott was 14 years old when he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death in Canada for a 1959 murder. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. In 2007, he was declared not guilty.
Wrongfully convicted of murdering his classmate in 1959, he nearly received the death penalty. He was not acquitted until 2007!
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Release of Karla Homolka
Karla Homolka, convicted in Canada for her role in the murders committed by her and her husband Paul Bernardo, was released in 2005 after serving 12 years in prison. Her release resulted from a plea bargain later criticized as the "deal with the devil." It remains a widely discussed event in the Canadian justice system.
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Conviction of Brian Banks
Brian Banks, a promising high school football player, was wrongfully convicted of kidnapping and rape in 2002. He spent five years in prison and five years on parole before his conviction was overturned in 2012. His accuser later admitted that the allegations were fabricated.
Brian Banks served 10 years for the supposed rape of a 15-year-old girl on a school campus. The girl later admitted she made up the entire story so her mother could sue the school for $1 million. The money is long gone, and the woman is not being prosecuted.
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Conviction of Clarence Elkins
Clarence Elkins was falsely convicted in 1989 for rape and murder in Ohio. He spent more than 15 years in prison before DNA evidence proved his innocence. He was released in 2005.
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Conviction of Edward Lee Elmore
Edward Lee Elmore, an intellectually disabled man, was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in 1982 for a South Carolina murder. He spent three decades on death row before being released in 2012. His case is frequently referenced in discussions of wrongful convictions involving vulnerable defendants.
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Conviction of Joe D'Ambrosio
Joe D'Ambrosio was wrongfully convicted of murder in Ohio in 1989 and spent 21 years on death row. Evidence of his innocence later surfaced. He was exonerated and released in 2010.
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Conviction of Tyler Edmonds
Tyler Edmonds, a 13-year-old from Mississippi, was wrongfully convicted of murder in 2004 based on a controversial co-conspirator confession theory. His conviction was overturned in 2007. He was acquitted at retrial.
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Interrogation and Trial of Michael Crowe
Michael Crowe, a 14-year-old boy, was wrongly interrogated and tried for his sister's 1998 murder in California. The case was dismissed when DNA evidence identified a transient suspect. The incident is often cited in discussions about interrogation practices.
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Release of O.J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson, a former NFL player, was acquitted in 1995 for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. His acquittal was surrounded by significant public controversy. The case continues to be regarded as a major moment in American legal history.
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Conviction of Bruce Lisker
Bruce Lisker was wrongfully convicted in 1985 for the murder of his mother in Los Angeles. He spent 26 years in prison before evidence proving his innocence emerged. He was released in 2009.