John Cheistman

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Charge:	Larceny
Sentence:	1 year
Years Imprisoned:	0.17
Year Crime:	1885
Year Convicted:	1886
Year Cleared:	1886
U.S. State or Country of Crime:	Massachusetts
County or Region of Crime:	Worcester
City of Crime:
Result:	Pardoned
Summary of Case:	"John Cheistman aka Chesterman was wrongly convicted of larceny on January 21, 1886 in Worcester County, Massachusetts. Cheistman, an immigrant from Poland who spoke little English, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. After his conviction the prosecution's key witness confessed to the District Attorney that he had committed perjury. The Worcester County District Attorney petitioned for Cheistman's pardon. On February 12, 1886 Cheistman was granted a full pardon by Massachusetts Governor Benjamin F. Butler based on the new evidence he was innocent, and had been convicted based on perjury. The witness who admitted perjury was arrested and held for trial."
Conviction Caused By:	Perjury by the prosecution's key witness.
Innocence Proved By:	"On February 12, 1886 Cheistman was granted a full pardon by Massachusetts Governor Benjamin F. Butler based on the new evidence he was innocent, and had been convicted based on perjury."
Defendant Aided By:
Compensation Awarded:
Was Perpetrator Identified?
Age When Imprisoned:
Age When Released:
Sex:	Male
Skin/Ethnicity:	White
Information Source 1:	"Stanley Z. Fisher, Convictions of Innocent Persons in Massachusetts: An Overview,” 12 Boston Univ. Public Interest L.J. 1, 13-14 (2002)."
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Information Source 2:	"Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Court of Massachusetts in the year 1887, Published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Wright & Potter Printing Co., Boston, p. 1190"
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John Cheistman

Charge:

Larceny

Sentence:

1 year

Years Imprisoned:

0.17

Year Crime:

1885

Year Convicted:

1886

Year Cleared:

1886

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Massachusetts

County or Region of Crime:

Worcester

City of Crime:

Result:

Pardoned

Summary of Case:

Conviction Caused By:

Perjury by the prosecution's key witness.

Innocence Proved By:

"On February 12, 1886 Cheistman was granted a full pardon by Massachusetts Governor Benjamin F. Butler based on the new evidence he was innocent, and had been convicted based on perjury."

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

Age When Released:

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"Stanley Z. Fisher, Convictions of Innocent Persons in Massachusetts: An Overview,” 12 Boston Univ. Public Interest L.J. 1, 13-14 (2002)."

Information Location 1:

Information Source 2:

"Acts and Resolves Passed by the General Court of Massachusetts in the year 1887, Published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Wright & Potter Printing Co., Boston, p. 1190"

Information Location 2:

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Book About Case:

Book Information:

Book About Case (2):

Book Information (2):

Movie About Case:

Comments About Case: