Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Marion Coakley

 

Charge:

Rape

Sentence:

5 to 15 years

Years Imprisoned:

4

Year Crime:

1983

Year Convicted:

1985

Year Cleared:

1987

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

New York

County or Region of Crime:

City of Crime:

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

"Marion Coakley was wrongly convicted in June 1985 of raping a woman in a New York City motel room the autumn of 1983. The woman, her male companion who as locked in the bathroom during the assault, and the woman's brother all identified Cloakley as the assailant. The jury rejected Marion Cloakley's three alibi witnesses that included a minister, who testified that at the time of the rape he was four miles away, attending a Bible study meeting near his home in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. Cloakley was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison. A blood test after his conviction established Cloakley's blood type "A" was different than the attacker's type "B" blood. Cloakley filed a motion for a new trial based on the new evidence he had a different blood type than the assailant. He was released on own recognizance on September 29, 1987, and the charges were later dismissed after Clockley had been incarcerated for four years. On appeal Cloakley was represented by Barry C. Scheck, then director of clinical education at the Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School, and Peter Neufeld."

Conviction Caused By:

"Eyewitness error by the victim, her male companion and the victim's brother."

Innocence Proved By:

"Cloakley filed a motion for a new trial based on the new evidence he had a different blood type than the assailant. He was released on own recognizance on September 29, 1987, and the charges were later dismissed."

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

28

Age When Released:

32

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Black

Information Source 1:

"After 2 Years, Test Result Casts Doubt on Rape Verdict, By Selwyn Raab (staff writer), New York Times (New York and Region section), September 26, 1987"

Information Location 1:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D61230F935A1575AC0A961948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

Information Source 2:

"Based on New Evidence, a Rape Suspect Is Freed, New York Times, September 30, 1987"

Information Location 2:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0DE1F3EF933A0575AC0A961948260

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

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