A Hesperia man was released from jail last week after serving 23 years for a crime he did not commit. On Tuesday, June 21st Bill Richards a Hesperia man wrongfully convicted and incarcerated for the August 1993 murder of his wife, 40-year-old Pamela Richards.
Richards testified that he had just returned from work as a swing shift electrical engineer in Corona at around midnight on August 11, 1993 to find all the lights in his trailer out. He went to turn on the generator and his wife of deceased in the yard of their Summit Valley area home. Coroner’s officials determined that her cause of death was strangulation and a blow to her head.
After a brief interview, Richards are arrested for the murder of his wife. After three mistrials, two hung juries and one with leaked information a 1997 jury found Richards guilty. He was sentenced to 25 years to life. No one, not even the family of the victim believed that
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Richards, still devastated with the death of his wife vowed to prove his innocence. In 2001 he contacted the California Innocence Project who took on his case.
The conviction was overturned by a San Bernardino County Judge in light of new evidence and information leading him to believe that an expert witness provided false information during trial. Still Richards remained in jail due to a prosecution appeal and the fact that he was financially unable to post bail. The California Supreme Court ruled to uphold the conviction in a 4-3 decision.
Richards, who was released finally on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, walked out of the doors of the West Valley Detention Center as the first convicted murderer in California to be freed with the help of the California Innocence Project.
Upon his release, California Innocence Project officials said on Facebook, “Bill Richards asked us for ribs after 23 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit so we got him
Bath, N.Y. (WENY) -- In a few days Thomas Clayton will be sentenced for his role in orchestrating his wife 's death. However on Thursday, the attorney for the convicted murderer made his first motion for a new trial. Thomas Clayton appeared in a dark green prison jumpsuit, shackled at his hands and feet, as his attorney Ray Schlather argued against the expert testimony of cell phone analyst Sy Ray. Schalther said the jury got it wrong
In the film, Will Kane says, “I sent a man up five years ago for murder. He was supposed to hang, but up north they commuted it to life. Now he’s free—I don’t know how. Anyway, it looks like he’s coming back” (Foreman 295).
In 1971, William Henry Furman was charged with murder in the person’s household. This crime was committed in Georgia. The resident had awoken in the middle of the night to find Furman in action of committing robbery. Furman claimed he was fleeing the scene and accidently discharge his weapon, which killed the victim.
Rollinson v. State, 743 So. 2d 585 (Fla. App. 4 Dist. 1999) Procedural History The Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court convicted and sentenced the defendant for crimes he committed pursuant to the Prison Releasee Reoffender Act (PRRA).
The Innocence Project has been able to lend aid to many individuals, who without their help, would not have seen life outside of prison again. The most well-known client of The Innocence Project is Steven Avery, whom is essentially famous due to a documentary series which followed his struggle for freedom. (Thesis) The Innocence Project is a national and international public organization committed to absolving wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and dedicated to the reconstruction of the criminal justice system, in order prevent any further injustice of innocent men or women. Many have been freed with the help of The Innocence Project and the advances in DNA testing, one of the most well-known clients being Steven Avery whom at the age of 22 was wrongfully convicted of
R. V. Bann - Verdict Rationale In the case of R. V. Bann, Bobbie Bann, the defendant, was charged with second-degree murder. Around the 14th day of June, the year 2015, in the City of Mariposa in the County of Missinaba, Mr.Bann committed second-degree murder on Fallon King, who was in the bathroom when she killed by gunshots. During the trial, it was a little confusing, the defense side was making objections almost the entire time, and it is a little difficult to follow, however, I did manage to found some evidence that indicates that Mr.Bann has murdered and caused the death of Ms. King.
But, this was only through the word of Priscilla Grinder, the only known witness of the event. However, there are new clues. A ballistics test and an autopsy report show that it would have been impossible for Merriweather Lewis’ death to have been a suicide, but rather, murder by conspiracy.
They couldn’t prove it now. They can’t talk to my secretary because she is dead” (Black Dahlia). With all this evidence pertaining to Dr. George Hodel it’s easy to see why some people say he was the killer. To sum up people believed that George Hodel used his medical experience to kill and dissect her and left her for dead then other people believed he killed more people and decompose them in his
The state of Texas also provided work for the unethical man. He was put under investigation in Texas as well, however, in his work it Texas, the statue of limitation allowed him to walk. This was in 1997, in 1995, Fred Zain was acquitted in West Virginia. Time and time again this man managed to portray a man of innocence. In his mind, he truly believed he was innocent.
“But the evidence will show he directed her off the highway to a dark, secluded where he strangled her with a rope and threw her body off a bridge.” Desloup stated (pg 1). As stated in the case, the murder weapon was a rope, as she died because of strangulation. After the murder,
An estimated 26 percent of juveniles sentenced to prison for life were convicted of a felony murder, that is, for participating in a robbery or burglary during which a co-participant committed murder, in some cases without the knowledge of the teen. Fifty-nine percent of youth sentenced to Life without parole sentences are serving time for a first-time offense. In 26 states, the sentence of life without parole is mandatory for anyone, even a juvenile, who is found guilty of committing first degree murder. Lolita Barthel she was seventeen at the time when she robs Richard Menendez on August 18th, 1995. She was arrested on September 14th, 1995 just seven days after her birthday, she was a few weeks from turning 18 when she shot and killed the Temple Terrace floral supply salesman in August 1995, during a robbery as the victim begged for his life.
Pamela Foddrill: Examining the Investigation Introduction The tragic abduction and death of Pamela Foddrill beginning on August 18th, 1995, relied on investigators from the Indiana State Police, FBI, multiple Greene County police agencies, and Greene County Prosecutors to arrest and convict the five individuals who committed this heinous act. Those who were arrested and eventually convicted for different criminal offenses are Roger Long, Jerry Russell Sr., John Redman, Wanda Hubbell, and Plynia Fowler. One could look at the investigations these agencies completed and evaluate them in two phases, forensic evidence and investigative processes.
“ Those who have been exonerated each spent an average of 14 years in prison, and some even up to 35 or more years...but they also usually have to wait a few more years if and before they are exonerated (Innocence Project).” This Explains that to be able to become free you have to still be in for years . The perpetrators and or suspects who were caught, “148: True suspects and/or perpetrators identified. Those actual perpetrators went on to be convicted of 146 additional violent crimes, including 77 sexual assaults, 34 murders, and 35 other violent crimes while the innocent sat behind bars for their earlier offenses(Innocence Project).” DNA statistics, and no evidence that showed he
Roy Brown Through the Innocence Project The Innocence Project frees people from jail that were wrongly convicted of a crime. That is what happened to Roy Brown. Through the help of the Innocence Project, he was released from jail. Brown was convicted of a horrific crime that included murder, even though the evidence that was provided was analyzed and presented wrongly.
The very first murder he was linked to would have been the first one he would of committed. This murder took place in Santa Barbara on June 4th, 1963. The young victims were couple Robert Domingos and his betrothed Linda Edwards. The couple had decided to participate in their senior ditch day, so they went sunbathing at a beach near Gaviota State Park. When they didn’t return by the next morning, Robert’s father went looking for them.