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: 41
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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
Anderson, David Pennsylvania Venango 2001 2011 Sexual Assault Term of Years 5 to 15 years 0 34 White Male 2001 11-24-2014 Official Misconduct NC, SA No PR, NW, WT No
Bilger, George Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1938 1940 Murder Death 2 19 White Male 1940 10-25-2021 Mistaken Witness ID, False Confession, Official Misconduct No No
Carnevale, Daniel Pennsylvania Allegheny 2007 2020 Murder Life without parole 13 29 White Male 2020 03-25-2020 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense A, H, IO, JI, NC No PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, PL No
Daidone, Albert Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1984 1999 Murder Life without parole 15 38 White Male 1999 11-17-2014 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H No PR, NW, PL No
DiNicola, Louis Pennsylvania Erie 1980 1994 Murder Life 3 29 White Male 1984 07-15-2012 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct A, CV, H, NC No PR, OF, WH No
Dubbs, Charles T. Pennsylvania Lancaster 2002 2007 Sexual Assault Term of Years 12 to 40 years 5 36 White Male 2007 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID SA No No
Ferber, Neil Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1982 1986 Murder Death 4 34 White Male 1986 Mistaken Witness ID, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct No No
Fogle, Lewis Pennsylvania Indiana 1982 2015 Murder Life without parole 33 24 White Male dk 2015 09-16-2015 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, CV, H, IO, JI, SA Yes OF, WH, NW, WT Yes
Fritz, Judith Pennsylvania Lehigh 1995 1997 Manslaughter Term of Years 3 years 0 35 White Female 1997 1995 05-29-2013 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Inadequate Legal Defense F, H Yes No
Gainer, Donald Pennsylvania Allegheny 1985 1992 Arson Term of Years 22 to 45 years 8 31 White Male 1985 1992 10-14-2014 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct A, CDC, JI, NC Yes OF, NW, WT No
Godesky, Scott Pennsylvania Allegheny 1997 2019 Murder Life without parole 23 24 White Male 2008 2019 09-03-2019 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H Yes PR, NW No
Godschalk, Bruce Pennsylvania Montgomery 1987 2002 Sexual Assault Term of Years 10 to 20 years 15 25 White Male 2002 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False Confession, Perjury or False Accusation IO, JI, SA No Yes
Handley, Zachary Pennsylvania Northampton 2008 2015 Arson Term of Years 6 to 12 months 1 13 White Male 2009 05-15-2015 False Confession, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct A, CV, JV No OF, NW, INT No
Hintz, Marcia Pennsylvania Philadelphia 2009 2014 Drug Possession or Sale Term of Years 5 to 10 years 4 44 White Female 2013 04-08-2021 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct F, NC No OF, WH, NW, PJ No
Hopkins, Gregory Pennsylvania Beaver 2013 2022 Murder Term of Years 8 to 16 years 7 33 White Male 2020 05-26-2022 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Inadequate Legal Defense H, SA No No
Jones, Hayden Pennsylvania Allegheny 1949 1968 Child Sex Abuse Term of Years 15 to 30 years 19 25 White Male 1968 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct No No
Kauffman, Carl Joe Jr. Pennsylvania Bedford 2001 2004 Robbery Term of Years 5 to 15 years 3 21 White Male 2002 2004 08-30-2013 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC Yes PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT No
Kelly, Donald Pennsylvania Cambria 1990 1993 Murder Life 3 26 White Male 1993 07-31-2013 Perjury or False Accusation, Inadequate Legal Defense H No No
Kelly, William M. Jr. Pennsylvania Dauphin 1990 1993 Murder Term of Years 10 to 20 years 3 28 White Male 1992 1993 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False Confession H, P, SA Yes Yes
Kimbell, Thomas Pennsylvania Lawrence 1998 2002 Murder Death 4 32 White Male 2002 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation CV, H, JI No Yes
Kirkwood, Justin Pennsylvania Lawrence 2003 2006 Robbery Term of Years 3 1/2 to 7 years 2 22 White Male 2005 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct IO No PR, NW No
Laughman, Barry Pennsylvania Adams 1988 2004 Murder Life 15 24 White Male 2003 08-29-2011 False Confession, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence H, SA No Yes
Lazar, Steven Pennsylvania Philadelphia 2010 2023 Murder Life 13 22 White Male 2023 04-10-2023 False Confession, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CIU, H No PR, OF, WH, NW, PJ No
Martorano, Raymond Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1984 1999 Murder Life without parole 15 53 White Male 1999 11-17-2014 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H No PR, NW, PL No
McCracken, Terence Pennsylvania Delaware 1983 1995 Murder Life 3 18 White Male 1990 1987 05-01-2013 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H Yes PR, WH, NW, WT No
Munchinski, David Pennsylvania Fayette 1986 2013 Murder Life 25 25 White Male 1992 2011 06-14-2013 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H, IO, SA Yes PR, WH No
Ogrod, Walter Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1996 2020 Murder Death 24 23 White Male 2020 06-25-2020 False Confession, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CIU, CV, H, JI, SA No PR, OF, FA, WH, NW, KP, INT, PJ, PL Yes
Pacek, Jerry Pennsylvania Allegheny 1959 1991 Murder Term of Years 10 to 20 years 10 13 White Male 1968 08-29-2011 False Confession, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Official Misconduct H, JV, SA No PR, OF, WH, NW, INT No
Purtell, Daniel Pennsylvania Centre 2002 2004 Sexual Assault Term of Years 3 1/2 to 6 years 2 21 White Male 2004 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation NC, SA No No
Ruby, Donald Pennsylvania Perry 1987 1993 Murder Life 6 39 White Male 1993 10-28-2014 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Inadequate Legal Defense H No Yes
Rusnak, George Pennsylvania Allegheny 1891 1897 Murder Death 7 20 White Male 1897 Mistaken Witness ID No No
Sabol, Michael Pennsylvania Allegheny 1891 1895 Murder Death 4 White Male 1895 Mistaken Witness ID No No
Schaaf, David Pennsylvania Bucks 2003 2006 Attempted Murder Term of Years 14 to 28 years 3 40 White Male 2006 07-11-2013 Perjury or False Accusation NC No No
Sheeler, Rudolph Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1939 1951 Murder Life 12 23 White Male 1951 False Confession, Official Misconduct No No
Siehl, Kevin Pennsylvania Cambria 1992 2016 Murder Life without parole 24 35 White Male 2016 10-29-2016 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H, IO No PR, FA, WH, NW, KP, PJ No
Smith, Jay C. Pennsylvania Dauphin 1986 1992 Murder Death 6 50 White Male 1992 08-29-2011 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CV, H, JI No PR, OF, WH, NW, PL No
Stonehouse, Carol Pennsylvania Allegheny 1983 1990 Murder Term of Years 7 to 14 years 7 41 White Female 1990 03-11-2013 Inadequate Legal Defense F, H, NC No No
Toth, Andrew Pennsylvania Allegheny 1891 1911 Murder Life without parole 20 41 White Male 1911 Mistaken Witness ID No No
Weimer, Crystal Pennsylvania Fayette 2006 2016 Murder Term of Years 15 to 30 years 9 23 White Female 2015 2015 06-29-2016 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct BM, CDC, F, H, IO, JI Yes PR, OF, FA, WH, NW, KP, WT, PJ, PL No
Wilkinson, Robert Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1976 1977 Murder Not Sentenced 1 26 White Male 1977 False Confession, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct No No
Yarris, Nicholas Pennsylvania Delaware 1982 2003 Murder Death 21 20 White Male 1983 2003 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False Confession, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H, JI, SA Yes PR, OF, WH, NW, WT Yes