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Wrongly
Convicted Database
Record
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Years
Imprisoned:
|
6.5 |
Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Year Convicted: |
1989 |
Year
Cleared:
|
2010 |
Location
of Trial:
|
Mississippi |
Result:
|
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary
of Case:
|
Wrongly convicted in 1989 of the July 15, 1987 death of a man who was run over by a car as he was walking along a two-lane highway in Panola County, Mississippi. John Randall Alexander was convicted based on the testimony of three people, including a husband and wife, that he had confessed. Alexander was sentenced to life in prison. In June 1992 the Mississippi Supreme Court affirmed Alexander's conviction. Five years after Alexander's trial the woman admitted she lied and perjured herself because her abusive husband wanted her to testify against Alexander. She provided Alexander with an Affidavit that he relied on to file a state writ of habeas corpus. Based on the new evidence of the woman's recantation that also cast doubt on her husband's testimony, Alexander's conviction was overturned in June 1995 and he was granted a new trial. The prosecution did not act until 15 years after his release, when in March 2010 the murder charge was dropped and his indictment dismissed with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled. On March 29, 2010 Alexander filed a claim for compensation under Mississippi's wrongful conviction compensation statute enacted in 2009. As of September 2010 the State was opposing Alexander's claim, arguing he wasn't eligible for compensation under the law that provides for up to $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment. |
Conviction
Caused By:
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Perjured testimony by at least one of the prosecution's two star witnesses that she heard Alexander confess. |
Innocence
Proved By:
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In March 2010 the charges were dropped and the indictment dismissed.
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Defendant
Aided By:
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Compensation Awarded: |
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Was Perpetrator Found? |
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Age
When Imprisoned:
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Age
When Released:
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Information Source 1: |
Mississippi Man Wrongfully Jailed for Murder, By Bonnie Kinney (staff), WREG Chnl 3 (Memphis, TN), April 29, 2010 |
Information
Location 1:
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http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-alexander-wrongfully-jailed,0,6087178.story |
Information
Source 2:
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Man Wrongly Convicted Wants Pay, By Stephanie Scurlock (staff), WREG Channel 3 TV (Memphis, TN), August 27, 2010 |
Information
Location 2:
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http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-john-randall-alexander-story,0,3556580.story |
Information
Source 3:
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Innocent of murder, man seeks justice for jail time, By John Howell Sr (staff), The Panolian (Batesville, MS), April 27, 2010 |
Information
Location 3:
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http://www.panolian.com/v2/content.aspx?module=ContentItem&ID=173735&MemberID=1180 |
Information
Source 4:
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Information
Location 4:
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Information
Source 5:
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Information
Location 5:
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Ethnicity/Skin:
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White |
Book
About
Case:
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Book
Information:
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Book About Case (2): |
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Book Information (2): |
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Movie About Case: |
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Comments About Case: |
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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org