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Feb 18, 2021 · Since 1973, more than 8,700 people in the U.S. have been sent to death row. At least 182 weren’t guilty—their lives upended by a system that nearly killed them.
- Phillip Morris
- 8 min
- Cameron Todd Willingham—In 1992, Willingham was convicted of arson murder in Texas. He was believed to have intentionally set a fire that killed his three kids.
- Ruben Cantu—Cantu was 17 at the time the crime he was alleged of committing took place. Cantu was convicted of capital murder, and in 1993, the Texas teen was executed.
- Larry Griffin—Griffin was put to death in 1995 for the 1981 murder of Quintin Moss, a Missouri drug dealer. Griffin always maintained his innocence, and now, evidence seems to indicate he was telling the truth.
- Carlos DeLuna—In 1989, DeLuna was executed for the stabbing of a Texas convenience store clerk. Almost 20 years later, Chicago Tribune uncovered evidence that shows DeLuna was likely innocent.
Sep 8, 2023 · Nevertheless, when the U.S. Supreme Court held the administration of the death penalty to be unconstitutional in 1972, there was barely any mention of the issue of innocence in the nine opinions issued. Although mistakes were surely made in the past, the assumption prevailed that such cases were few and far between.
It is now broadly accepted that the judicial review provided to death-penalty cases in the United States has been inadequate to prevent the execution of at least some prisoners who were wrongly convicted and sentenced to death. Some cases with strong evidence of innocence include: Carlos DeLuna (Texas, convicted 1983, executed 1989)
- Ernest (Shujaa) Graham and 186. Eugene Allen
- Joe Cota Morales
- Charles Lee Bufford
California — Conviction: 1976, Acquitted: 1981 In November 1973, while incarcerated in a state prison facility, Ernest Graham and co-defendant Eugene Allen were charged with killing a state correctional officer. Their first trial resulted in a mistrial when the jury could not agree on a verdict. They were sentenced to death in 1976 after their seco...
Arizona – Conviction: 1976, Acquitted: 1981 Joe Cota Morales was convicted and sentenced to death in 1976 for the murder of Tony Calistro in Glendale, Arizona. His co-defendant, Ruben Melendez, was also convicted and sentenced to death. A third co-defendant, who was 15 years old at the time of the crime, was tried in juvenile court. The Arizona Sup...
Alabama — Conviction 1978, Acquitted: 1981 Charles Lee Bufford was convicted for the April 1977 murder of a prominent local politician. Bufford’s conviction was overturned on appeal as a result of the trial court’s consideration of improper aggravating factors. On retrial, the defense raised questions about the accuracy of Bufford’s statement to po...
Mar 21, 2021 · Ohio has executed 56 people since 1976. Currently, Ohio has 141 people on death row that include 79 Blacks, 56 Whites, four Latinos and one Asian, according to the DPIC. The state is 81% White, 13 ...
Feb 10, 2009 · The Innocent and the Death Penalty. Eighteen people have been proven innocent and exonerated by DNA testing in the United States after serving time on death row. They were convicted in 11 states and served a combined 229 years in prison – including 202 years on death row – for crimes they didn’t commit. Kirk Bloodsworth: served eight ...
