Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Alan Crotzer

 

Charge:

"Rape, Kidnapping (abduction) and Robbery"

Sentence:

130 years

Years Imprisoned:

24.5

Year Crime:

1981

Year Convicted:

1982

Year Cleared:

2006

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Florida

County or Region of Crime:

Hillsborough

City of Crime:

Tampa

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

"Alan Crotzer was wrongly convicted in in 1982 of abducting a 12-year-old girl and a 38-year-old women from a Tampa, Florida home in 1981 and raping them. The key evidence against Alan Crotzer was the eyewitness testimony of the two victims. After a four-day trial, the all-white jury convicted Crotzer of two counts of sexual assault, armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Crotzer's alibi defense is he was in St. Petersburg, 25 miles from Tampa, at the time of the crime.He was sentenced to life in prison. In 2006 DNA testing unavailable at the time of his conviction excluded him as the assailant and his conviction was vacated and he was released after 24 years, 6 months and 13 days of wrongful imprisonment. Crotzer was awarded $1.25 million in compensation by the Florida legislature in May 2008. Crotzer received an initial $250,000 lump sum payment on June 1, 2008, and he was then to be paid $6,700 per month for 20 years."

Conviction Caused By:

Erroneous eyewitness testimony by the two rape victims.

Innocence Proved By:

"In 2006 DNA testing unavailable at the time of his conviction excluded him as the assailant and his conviction was vacated and he was released after 24 years, 6 months and 13 days of wrongful imprisonment. "

Defendant Aided By:

Innocence Project NY

Compensation Awarded:

"$1.25 million (State of Florida, 2008)"

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Yes

Age When Imprisoned:

20

Age When Released:

45

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

Black

Information Source 1:

"DNA evidence frees man after 24 years, Lenny Savino (staff), Tampa Bay Tribune, January 23, 2006"

Information Location 1:

http://news.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBZ1RZ1TIE.html

Information Source 2:

"24 years stolen, but 'not bitter, Phil Long, Cara Buckley and Gary Fineout, (staff), Miami Herald, January 24, 2006"

Information Location 2:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13695980.htm

Information Source 3:

"Florida Cabinet votes to expunge Crotzer's other convictions, by Jennifer Liberto (staff writer), St Petersburg Times, October 22, 2008"

Information Location 3:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article865488.ece

Information Source 4:

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

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