Wrongly Convicted Database Record

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Richard Alexander


Years Imprisoned:

5.5

Charge:

"Attempted Rape, Robbery and Burglary"

Sentence:

70 yrs

Year Convicted:

1998

Year Cleared:

2001

Location of Trial:

Indiana

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

"Wrongly convicted of two rapes based on the eyewitness identifcation by the victims. In 2001 one fo the perpetrators confessed and provided details only one of the victimizers could have known. DNA tests were then conducted on the attacker's hair collected from the crime scene. The DNA didn't match Alexander's DNA, but it did match that of the man who confessed to one of the rapes Alexander had been convicted of committing. Alexander' was released after 5-1/2 years of wrongful imprisonment, and he filed a civil rights lawsuit claiming his rights had been violated during his prosecution. Alexander's lawsuit was dismissed by the US District Court judge. In January 2006 the federal Seventh Circuit Ct of Appeals upheld the dismissal of Alexander's civil rights lawsuit - ruling that he had not proven his rights were violated during the course of his wrongful conviction."

Conviction Caused By:

Eyewitness error. He was charged with rape on the basis of being picked out of lineups by witnesses who said his voice and build were similar to their attackers.

Innocence Proved By:

DNA tests conducted following the confession of one of the actual perpetrators.

Defendant Aided By:

Innocence Project

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Found?

Yes

Age When Imprisoned:

Age When Released:

Information Source 1:

Innocence Project database

Information Location 1:

http://www.innocenceproject.org/case/display_profile.php?id=100

Information Source 2:

"Man Fails to convince court his rights were violated, Indianapolis Star, January 5, 2006"

Information Location 2:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060105/NEWS01/601050441/1006/NEWS01

Information Source 3:

"Alexander v. city of south bend, no. 04-2535 (7th cir. 01-03-2006)"

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Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org