Exonerations Increasing in the U.S., Three Freed in Kansas and Missouri Last Year

In a progressive move towards judicial rectitude, the United States witnessed a slow yet steady rise in the number of criminal exonerations in the past year. Notably, Kansas and Missouri contributed to this upward trend as they cleared three individuals wrongfully convicted of their crimes.

Lamar Johnson, a symbol of hope and justice, walked out of the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis in February 2023, putting an end to his unjust imprisonment that spanned close to three decades for a murder he did not commit.

Appalling Statistics

According to a report released by the National Registry of Exonerations, 153 innocent individuals regained their freedom in 2023. The registry is a collaborative venture of three esteemed universities and maintains detailed records of recognized exonerations in the United States since 1989. Highlighting the egregious miscarriages of justice, the report revealed that official misconduct perpetrated by those in the criminal justice system was responsible for 77% (118 of the 153) of the exonerations recorded in 2023 alone.

Thrust into the harsh confines of wrongful imprisonment, the victims collectively lost a staggering 2,230 years, with 84% of the wrongfully convicted identified as people of color.

The Positive Side

Intertwined with these grim statistics, however, is a silver lining. The study credits the relentless efforts of innocence organizations and conviction integrity units for securing the liberty of 67 exonerated individuals, constituting 63% of last year’s total exonerations.

Kansas and Missouri Exonerations

In Kansas, Christopher Lyman regained his freedom, having been wrongfully convicted of murder in 2013 in a Geary County “shaken baby” case. After ten long years behind bars, his case was summarily dismissed in July 2023.

Missouri, on the other hand, witnessed two exonerations last year. A St. Louis Judge overturned Lamont Campbell’s erroneous murder conviction in January 2023, liberating him after 12 years of wrongful incarceration. In an equally moving event, Lamar Johnson was declared innocent in February 2023, bringing to a close nearly 30 years of his unjust imprisonment for the murder of a friend.

Growing Compensation

According to the George Washington University Law School professor and special contributor to the registry, Jeff Gutman, state and local governments’ compensation toward exonerees has nearly doubled since 2019, exceeding $4 billion.

Gutman augurs a rapid increase in exonerations in the coming years. “The number of states that pay compensation to exonerees is growing, many exonerees have claims that are still pending, and we’ll keep seeing more exonerations of innocent people who spent decades in prison, probably at an accelerating rate,” he commented.

In addition to the leading cause of official misconduct, factors contributing to exonerations included ineffectual counsel (59 cases), mistaken witness identification (50 cases), false or misleading forensic evidence (43 cases), and false confessions (32 cases).

Conclusion

In the face of these stark numbers, the importance of advocacy organizations and the expanding roles of conviction integrity units is undeniable. A review of the disturbing history of wrongful convictions demands an aggressive pursuit of justice, rectitude, and a relentless quest for truth. While the pace may be slow, the rise in exonerations signals a progressive movement toward eradicating wrongful convictions in the U.S.