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: 27
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Name State County Convicted Exonerated Crime Sentence Years lost Age Race Sex Year of recantation Date of Release Posting Date Contributing Factors Display Case Characteristics Recantation OM Tags DNA
Abbitt, Joseph North Carolina Forsyth 1995 2009 Child Sex Abuse Life 14 31 Black Male 2009 09-01-2011 Mistaken Witness ID CV, IO, SA
Armstrong, LaMonte North Carolina Guilford 1995 2013 Murder Life 17 38 Black Male 1995 2012 03-19-2013 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H, IO, JI OF, WH
Blackmon, James North Carolina Wake 1988 2019 Murder Life 32 26 Black Male 2019 09-03-2019 False Confession H, P
Bridges, Timothy North Carolina Mecklenburg 1991 2016 Sexual Assault Life 25 22 White Male 2015 03-07-2016 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct IO, SA OF, WH, NW, WT
Carver, Mark North Carolina Gaston 2011 2022 Murder Life 8 39 White Male 2019 2019 08-23-2022 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H, IO PR, FA, WH, NW, PJ
Clark, Carey North Carolina Avery 1996 1998 Murder Life 2 37 White Male 1998 1998 09-14-2015 Perjury or False Accusation H
Cotton, Ronald North Carolina Alamance 1985 1995 Sexual Assault Life 10 22 Black Male 1995 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence SA
Dail, Dwayne Allen North Carolina Wayne 1989 2007 Child Sex Abuse Life 18 17 White Male 2007 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence CV, IO, JV, SA
Dudley, Howard North Carolina Lenoir 1992 2016 Child Sex Abuse Life 24 34 Black Male 1992 2016 05-18-2016 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CV, IO, NC, SA PR, OF, CW, WH, NW, WT
Grimes, Willie North Carolina Catawba 1988 2012 Sexual Assault Life 24 41 Black Male 2012 10-08-2012 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence IO, SA
Hunt, Darryl North Carolina Forsyth 1985 2004 Murder Life 18 19 Black Male 2003 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H, JI, SA PR, WH, WT
Jean, Lesly North Carolina Onslow 1982 1991 Sexual Assault Life 9 22 Black Male 1991 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, Official Misconduct SA PR, WH
Kelly, Robert North Carolina Chowan 1992 1997 Child Sex Abuse Life 3 40 White Male 1995 08-29-2011 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CSH, CV, NC, SA PR, OF, CW, WH, NW, WT, PJ
Lamb, Larry North Carolina Duplin 1993 2013 Murder Life 20 36 Black Male 2007 2013 08-15-2013 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CDC, H, IO OF, WH
Long, Ronnie North Carolina Cabarrus 1976 2020 Sexual Assault Life 44 20 Black Male 2020 09-14-2020 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct IO, SA OF, FA, WH, NW, WT, PJ
McEachern, Toney North Carolina Robeson 1993 1998 Child Sex Abuse Life 5 34 Black Male 1994 1998 09-02-2015 Perjury or False Accusation CV, NC, SA
McInnis, Edward North Carolina Scotland 1988 2015 Sexual Assault Life 27 27 Black Male 2015 08-15-2015 False Confession, Perjury or False Accusation, Inadequate Legal Defense IO, P, SA
Parker, Michael North Carolina Henderson 1994 2014 Child Sex Abuse Life 21 35 White Male 2010 2014 08-25-2014 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CSH, CV, IO, NC, SA PR, CW, WH, NW, WT
Pierpoint, Jonathan Scott North Carolina Madison 1992 2010 Child Sex Abuse Life 18 28 White Male 1996 2010 08-29-2011 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation CV, NC, IO, SA
Sharpe, Dontae North Carolina Pitt 1995 2019 Murder Life 24 18 Black Male 1995 2019 09-12-2019 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H, IO PR, OF, WH
Slade, Parrish North Carolina Moore 1989 2012 Child Sex Abuse Life 22 21 Black Male 2011 09-14-2015 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense CV, NC, SA PR, OF, WH, NW, PJ
Sledge, Joseph North Carolina Bladen 1978 2015 Murder Life 36 34 Black Male 2013 2015 01-23-2015 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct H, IO, JI, SA PR, WH, NW, WT
Small, Johnny North Carolina New Hanover 1989 2016 Murder Life 27 15 White Male 2012 2016 09-15-2016 Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CDC, H, IO, JV PR, OF, WH, NW, KP, WT
Smith, Sylvester North Carolina Brunswick 1984 2004 Child Sex Abuse Life 20 32 Black Male 2004 2004 08-29-2011 Perjury or False Accusation CV, SA
Taylor, Gregory North Carolina Wake 1993 2010 Murder Life 17 29 White Male 1998 2010 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID, False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct, Inadequate Legal Defense H, IO, JI PR, FA, WH, NW
Waters, Leo North Carolina Onslow 1982 2003 Sexual Assault Life 21 30 White Male 2003 08-29-2011 Mistaken Witness ID SA
Wilson, Kathryn Dawn North Carolina Chowan 1993 1997 Child Sex Abuse Life 3 22 White Female 1995 08-29-2011 False or Misleading Forensic Evidence, Perjury or False Accusation, Official Misconduct CSH, CV, F, NC, SA PR, OF, CW, WH, NW, WT