Innocence Database

Instructions: This database can be searched using any combination of the search filters below. All columns are sortable by clicking the title at the top of the column. To find out more about a case in the list, click on the name of the individual.
| Terms: # - Refers to the chronological order in which the defendants were exonerated. State - Place of capital conviction Years Between - The difference between the year of exoneration and the year of capital conviction Reason - Normally, when a conviction is overturned by an appellate court, the state has the option of re-trying the defendant. If the state does not seek a re-trial, charges are dismissed. If a re-trial occurs and the defendant is found not guilty, the case is listed as an acquittal. DNA evidence - refers to whether DNA evidence played a major role in exonerating ("yes") the defendant or not ("no"). |
For more information on the criteria for inclusion on DPIC's Innocence List click here.
142 exoneration(s) match your current filters:
| # | Name | State | Race | Convicted | Exonerated |
Years Between |
Reason | DNA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Troy Jones | CA | Black | 1982 | 1996 | 14 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 74 | Curtis Kyles | LA | Black | 1984 | 1998 | 14 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 77 | Steven Smith | IL | Black | 1985 | 1999 | 14 | Acquitted | No |
| 88 | Frank Smith | FL | Black | 1986 | 2000 | 14 | Charges Dismissed | Yes |
| 126 | Glen Chapman | NC | Black | 1994 | 2008 | 14 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 128 | Michael Blair | TX | Other | 1994 | 2008 | 14 | Charges Dismissed | Yes |
| 135 | Yancy Douglas | OK | Black | 1995 | 2009 | 14 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 68 | Ricardo Guerra | TX | Latino | 1982 | 1997 | 15 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 127 | Levon Jones | NC | Black | 1993 | 2008 | 15 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 141 | Damon Thibodeaux | LA | White | 1997 | 2012 | 15 | Charges Dismissed | Yes |
| 52 | James Robison | AZ | White | 1977 | 1993 | 16 | Acquitted | No |
| 76 | Anthony Porter | IL | Black | 1983 | 1999 | 16 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 86 | Earl Washington | VA | Black | 1984 | 2000 | 16 | Pardoned | Yes |
| 102 | Madison Hobley | IL | Black | 1987 | 2003 | 16 | Pardoned | No |
| 104 | Stanley Howard | IL | Black | 1987 | 2003 | 16 | Pardoned | No |
| 105 | Rudolph Holton | FL | Black | 1986 | 2003 | 16 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 120 | Harold Wilson | PA | Black | 1989 | 2005 | 16 | Acquitted | No |
| 138 | Anthony Graves | TX | Black | 1994 | 2010 | 16 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 62 | Dennis Williams | IL | Black | 1979 | 1996 | 17 | Charges Dismissed | Yes |
| 91 | Oscar Morris | CA | Black | 1983 | 2000 | 17 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 101 | Aaron Patterson | IL | Black | 1986 | 2003 | 17 | Pardoned | No |
| 111 | Joseph Amrine | MO | Black | 1986 | 2003 | 17 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 114 | Gordon Steidl | IL | White | 1987 | 2004 | 17 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 118 | Ernest Willis | TX | White | 1987 | 2004 | 17 | Charges Dismissed | No |
| 139 | Gussie Vann | TN | White | 1994 | 2011 | 17 | Charges Dismissed | No |
