On August 14, 2014, police in Houston, Texas arrested 22-year-old China Chavez after they confiscated several pills from her that they suspected were Xanax, a controlled substance for which she had no valid prescription.
On August 22, 2014, Chavez pled guilty in Harris County Criminal District Court to possession of a controlled substance. She was sentenced to 45 days in Harris County Jail.
The Houston Police crime laboratory tested the pills on November 24, 2014-six weeks after Chavez was released-and determined the pills were a sedative that did not require a prescription and contained no controlled substances.
The laboratory notified the Harris County District Attorney's Post Conviction Review Unit which informed Chavez's attorney and joined in the filing of a state petition for a writ of habeas corpus requesting that the conviction be set aside.
On December 18, 2014, the petition was granted and the charge was dismissed.
- Maurice Possley
Posting Date: 01-13-2015
Case Details:
State:
Texas
County:
Harris
Most Serious Crime:
Drug Possession or Sale
Reported Crime Date:
2014
Convicted:
2014
Exonerated:
2014
Sentence:
Term of Years
Race / Ethnicity:
White
Sex:
Female
Age at the date of reported crime:
22
Did DNA evidence contribute to the exoneration?:
No