Instructions for Using the Registry

The table below shows all individual exonerations. By default, the table is set to show exonerations from 1989 through the present. Check "Pre-1989" in the Exoneration Era filter to view Pre-1989 exonerations. Use the filters on the left to search for exonerations with particular criteria. Hover over the symbols for explanations of filters or columns. Use the Keyword Search box to filter for cases that contain those keywords in the narrative summary.

If multiple keywords are entered, the search will show cases in which the narrative contains ANY of those words. Since the table is filtered to 1989 through the present by default, a search for the name of someone who was exonerated before 1989 will not produce results until the Date of Exoneration is adjusted, or the Pre-1989 filter is selected. Once filters have been set, select the column headings you wish to display, and sort the table by whatever column heading you choose by clicking on the column heading. For more detailed instructions, see Understanding the Registry, under "About" at the top right of the Home Page. Note: 1989 was the year of the first DNA exoneration and the dawn of a new era of wrongful convictions. The Registry used to separate the two - pre and post 1989 exonerations - into two separate and distinct databases. They are now synthesized to reflect the entire body of exoneration data. If you wish to view exonerations prior to 1989, check "Pre-1989" in the Exoneration Era filter. Read Less
Total records: 53
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Name State County Convicted Exonerated Crime Sentence Term of Years Years lost Age Race Sex Year of recantation Date of Release Posting Date Contributing Factors Display Case Characteristics Recantation OM Tags DNA
Adams, Laurence Massachusetts Suffolk 1974 2004 Murder Death 30 19 Black Male 2003 2004 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H, JI PR, WH, NW, KP, WT
Andrews, Herbert Massachusetts Suffolk 1914 1914 Forgery Term of Years 1.17 years 0 White Male 1914 Mistaken Witness ID
Bennett, Joseph Massachusetts Suffolk 1998 2024 Murder Life without parole 17 22 Black Male 2006 2015 12-17-2024 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H OF, NW, WT
Brown, Albert Massachusetts Suffolk 1987 2022 Murder Life without parole 35 32 Black Male 2022 05-01-2023 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H PR, WH
Cero, Gangi Massachusetts Suffolk 1927 1930 Murder Death 3 21 White Male 1930
Chambers, Anthony Massachusetts Suffolk 2009 2014 Manslaughter Term of Years 5 to 7 years 5 51 Black Male 2013 09-21-2016 H, NC
Chance, John H. Massachusetts Suffolk 1899 1911 Murder Life 12 31 Don't Know Male 1911 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation
Charles, Ulysses Rodriguez Massachusetts Suffolk 1984 2001 Sexual Assault Term of Years 80 years 17 30 Black Male 2001 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct SA PR, OF, FA, WH, NW, KP, PJ
Clay, Frederick Massachusetts Suffolk 1981 2017 Murder Life without parole 36 16 Black Male 2001 2017 08-15-2017 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CIU, H, IO, JV PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT, PL
Conley, Kenneth Massachusetts Suffolk 1998 2005 Perjury Term of Years 2 years and 10 months 0 27 White Male 1998 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct PR, WH
Cowans, Stephan Massachusetts Suffolk 1998 2004 Attempted Murder Term of Years 30 to 45 years 6 26 Black Male 2004 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence IO
Drumgold, Shawn Massachusetts Suffolk 1989 2003 Murder Life 14 23 Black Male 2003 2003 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CV, H PR, OF, WH, NW, WT
Dudley, Herbert S. Massachusetts Suffolk 1911 1912 Burglary/Unlawful Entry Term of Years 4 to 6 years 1 White Male 1912
Ellis, Sean Massachusetts Suffolk 1995 2018 Murder Life 20 19 Black Male 2015 12-31-2018 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct H, IO PR, OF, WH
Ellison, Ella Mae Massachusetts Suffolk 1974 1978 Murder Life 4 27 Black Female 1978 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct
Emory, Malcolm Massachusetts Suffolk 1970 1990 Assault Probation 0 19 Native American Male 1970 04-08-2013 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct NC OF, WH, NW, PJ
Fitzgerald, John Massachusetts Suffolk 1904 1904 Sexual Assault Term of Years 3 to 5 years 0 22 White Male 1904 Perjury or False Accusation
Foxworth, Robert Massachusetts Suffolk 1992 2021 Murder Life 26 23 Black Male 2008 2018 03-01-2021 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, CIU, H PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT
Frazier, Bryan Massachusetts Suffolk 2004 2009 Possession of Stolen Property Term of Years 2 years and 6 months 2 20 White Male 2006 03-19-2018 Mistaken Witness ID
Greco, Louis Massachusetts Suffolk 1968 2001 Murder Death 27 47 White Male 1970 1995 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H, PH PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT
Guzman, Humberto Massachusetts Suffolk 1992 1997 Drug Possession or Sale Term of Years 18 to 20 years 5 40 Hispanic Male 1997 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense OF, WH
Haley, James Massachusetts Suffolk 1972 2008 Murder Life without parole 36 24 Black Male 2008 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H PR, WH
Hamilton, Tilfor Massachusetts Suffolk 2012 2016 Assault Term of Years 5 years 4 32 Hispanic Male 2016 04-09-2018 Perjury or False Accusation, Inadequate Legal Defense NC
Harding, Christopher Massachusetts Suffolk 1990 1998 Assault Term of Years 10 to 12 years 5 36 Black Male 1995 1995 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense OF, WH, NW, WT, PJ
Jenkins, Shaun Massachusetts Suffolk 2005 2021 Murder Life without parole 16 23 Black Male 2011 2021 01-13-2022 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CIU, H, IO PR, OF, WH, NW, WT
Johnson, Donnell Massachusetts Suffolk 1996 2000 Murder Term of Years 18 to 20 years 4 16 Black Male 1999 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CV, H, JV OF, WH, NW, PJ
Johnson, Lawyer Massachusetts Suffolk 1972 1982 Murder Death 10 20 Black Male 1982 Perjury or False Accusation
Jones, Milton Massachusetts Suffolk 1976 2022 Murder Life 14 23 Black Male 1990 01-03-2023 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CIU, H, IO PR, WH
Kamara, Barry Massachusetts Suffolk 1992 2023 Murder Life 17 17 Black Male 2009 03-30-2023 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct CIU, H, IO, JV PR, WH, NW
Leaster, Bobby Joe Massachusetts Suffolk 1971 1986 Murder Life 16 21 Black Male 1986 Mistaken Witness ID
Limone, Peter Massachusetts Suffolk 1968 2001 Murder Death 32 31 White Male 1970 2001 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H OF, WH, NW, WT
Lucien, James Massachusetts Suffolk 1995 2021 Murder Life without parole 26 21 Black Male 2021 12-22-2021 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CDC, CIU, H PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT, PJ, PL
Mazza, Anthony Massachusetts Suffolk 1973 2021 Murder Life without parole 47 25 White Male 1977 2020 06-13-2021 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H PR, WH
McManus, John Massachusetts Suffolk 1911 1912 Robbery Term of Years 3 years 1 Don't Know Male 1912 Perjury or False Accusation
Miller, Neil Massachusetts Suffolk 1990 2000 Sexual Assault Term of Years 26 to 45 years 9 22 Black Male 2000 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct IO, SA OF, WH, NW, WT
Mitchell, Marvin Massachusetts Suffolk 1990 1997 Child Sex Abuse Term of Years 9 to 25 years 7 21 Black Male 1997 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct CV, SA PR, WH
Montilla, Carlos Massachusetts Suffolk 1988 1990 Drug Possession or Sale Term of Years 3 to 5 years 1 22 Hispanic Male 1990 10-06-2016 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense OF, WH, NW, PJ
Passley, Marlon Massachusetts Suffolk 1996 2000 Murder Life 3 23 Black Male 1999 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence CV, H
Pope, Joseph Massachusetts Suffolk 1986 2022 Murder Life 35 30 Black Male 2021 11-09-2022 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H PR, WH, NW, PL
Powell, Anthony Massachusetts Suffolk 1992 2004 Sexual Assault Term of Years 12 to 20 years 11 23 Black Male 2004 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct SA OF, FA, WH, NW, WT
Qualls, Ronnie Massachusetts Suffolk 1993 2020 Murder Life 26 20 Black Male 2019 09-21-2020 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation CDC, CIU, H, IO
Randolph, Guy Massachusetts Suffolk 1991 2008 Child Sex Abuse Term of Years 10 years 10 33 Black Male 2001 03-30-2014 Mistaken Witness ID, Inadequate Legal Defense CV, P, SA
Reissfelder, George Massachusetts Suffolk 1967 1982 Murder Life 10 26 White Male 1977 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct
Salvati, Joseph Massachusetts Suffolk 1968 2001 Murder Life 29 31 White Male 1970 1997 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H OF, WH, NW, WT
Santos, Louis Massachusetts Suffolk 1985 1990 Murder Life 3 20 Black Male 1988 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct H OF, NW, WT
Shaughnessy, Eric Massachusetts Suffolk 1997 1998 Assault Term of Years 5 years 1 21 White Male 1997 10-07-2012 Mistaken Witness ID CV
Sprinkle, Keyon Massachusetts Suffolk 2002 2020 Murder Life 18 17 Black Male 2004 2020 05-22-2020 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H, IO, JV PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT, PJ
Tameleo, Henry Massachusetts Suffolk 1968 2001 Murder Death 17 63 White Male 1970 1985 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H, PH OF, WH, NW, WT
Taylor, Harold Massachusetts Suffolk 1927 1927 Robbery Term of Years 4 to 7 years 0 Don't Know Male 1927 Mistaken Witness ID
Toro, Angel Massachusetts Suffolk 1983 2004 Murder Life 1 30 White Male 2003 1984 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H OF, WH, NW, WT
Ward, Joseph Massachusetts Suffolk 1895 1896 Theft Term of Years 5 years 1 20 Don't Know Male 1896 Mistaken Witness ID
Watson, James Massachusetts Suffolk 1981 2020 Murder Life without parole 39 20 Black Male 2001 2020 11-25-2020 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CIU, H, IO PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT, PL
Williams, Clarence Massachusetts Suffolk 2002 2020 Murder Life 18 25 Black Male 2004 2020 05-22-2020 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT, PJ