Wrongly Convicted Database

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John Watkins

Years Imprisoned:	7.5
Charge:	Rape
Sentence:
Year Convicted:	1993
Year Cleared:	2010
Location of Trial:	Arizona
Result:	Judicially Exonerated Released
Summary of Case:	John Watkins was wrongly convicted in 2003 of rape that occurred in 2003 when he was 19. The rape victim told police that her attacker wore a white t-shirt, and in a six person lineup Watkins was the only person that the police had wear a white t-shirt. Both the victim and an eyewitness separately picked Watkins out of the line-up, and Watkins confessed to the crime after being continuously interrogated for four hours and told that he failed a DNA test. To get a reduced sentence Watkins pled guilty, although he asserted his innocence of the crime. In the fall of 2010 DNA testing of the victim's rape kit conducted under a program overseen by the Arizona Justice Project excluded Watkins as the woman's attacker. Watkins filed a motion to overturn his conviction based on the new exculpatory DNA evidence, and he was released on December 16, 2010, after 7-1/2 years of wrongful imprisonment.
Conviction Caused By:	The victim and an eyewitness erroneously identified Watkins, and he falsely confessed to the crime.
Innocence Proved By:	Watkins filed a motion to overturn his conviction based on the new exculpatory DNA evidence, and he was released on December 16, 2010, after 7-1/2 years of wrongful imprisonment.
Defendant Aided By:	Arizona Justice Project
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Found?
Age When Imprisoned:	19
Age When Released:	27
Information Source 1:	DNA Test Frees Convicted Arizona Man of Rap, KPHO (Phoenix), December 22, 2010
Information Location 1:	http://www.kpho.com/valleynews/26213605/detail.html
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Ethnicity/Skin:	White
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John Watkins

Years Imprisoned:

7.5

Charge:

Rape

Sentence:

Year Convicted:

1993

Year Cleared:

2010

Location of Trial:

Arizona

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

The victim and an eyewitness erroneously identified Watkins, and he falsely confessed to the crime.

Innocence Proved By:

Watkins filed a motion to overturn his conviction based on the new exculpatory DNA evidence, and he was released on December 16, 2010, after 7-1/2 years of wrongful imprisonment.

Defendant Aided By:

Arizona Justice Project

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Found?

Age When Imprisoned:

19

Age When Released:

27

Information Source 1:

DNA Test Frees Convicted Arizona Man of Rap, KPHO (Phoenix), December 22, 2010

Information Location 1:

http://www.kpho.com/valleynews/26213605/detail.html

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Ethnicity/Skin:

White

Book About Case:

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Movie About Case:

Comments About Case:

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