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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Second Degree Murder and Robbery |
Sentence: |
40 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
9.67 |
Year Crime: |
2001 |
Year Convicted: |
2005 |
Year Cleared: |
2013 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Missouri |
County or Region of Crime: |
Boone |
City of Crime: |
Columbia |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Ryan Ferguson was wrongly convicted on December 5, 2005 of second-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the death in 2001 of Columbia, Missouri newspaper editor Kent Heitholt in the newspaper's parking lot. Ferguson was arrested on March 10, 2004. Ferguson was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Ferguson was convicted based on testimony by two key prosecution witnesses. Ferguson filed a post-conviction petition based on the new evidence that both witnesses recanted their testimony as false and coerced and that the prosecution had failed to disclose exculpatory evidence prior to his trial. Ferguson's petition was denied by the District Court. Ferguson appealed and his conviction was overturned on November 5, 2013 by the Missouri Court of Appeals on the basis the State had failed to disclose material favorable evidence to Ferguson prior to his trial. Ferguson was released on November 12, 2013 after Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced that because of a lack of evidence he would not be retried. Ferguson was incarcerated for 9 years, 8 months and 2 days. On June 28, 2017 it was announced that the City of Columbia had agreed to a settlement of Ferguson's federal civil rights lawsuit against six police officers. On July 5, 2017 U.S. District Court Judge Nanette Laughrey awarded Ferguson $10,000,000 for psychological damages -- approximately $1 million for each year he was jailed; and, $1,004,000 to the Law Offices of Kathleen Zellner -- $854,000 for attorney's fees for her work on Ferguson's civil case and $150,000 in fees for her work on his criminal case. The settlement agreement provided for the immediate payment of $2.25 million from the city's insurance carrier -- Clarendon Insurance, and $500,000 from its self-insured retention fund. To collect the $8.25 million balance Ferguson will likely have to sue the city's other insurance carrier -- St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. -- that denied the officers coverage for any damages awarded to Ferguson. In addition to the settlement, the City of Columbia paid $297,750 to the law firm of Schreimann, Rackers & Franka for its defense in the Ferguson case." |
Conviction Caused By: |
Perjury by two key witnesses for the state. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"Ferguson's conviction was overturned on November 5, 2013 by the Missouri Court of Appeals on the basis the State had failed to disclose material favorable evidence to Ferguson prior to his trial. Ferguson was released on November 12, 2013 after Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced that because of a lack of evidence he would not be retried." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
"$10,000,000 (City of Columbia, MO, 7-10-17)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
19 |
Age When Released: |
29 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Ryan Ferguson a free man after newspaper murder case collapses, By Matt Pearce (staff), Los Angeles Times, November 12, 2013" |
Information Location 1: |
"http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-n-nn-ryan-ferguson-free-20131112,0,32292.story#axzz2kYibq5aH" |
Information Source 2: |
"Missouri murder conviction based on dreams is tossed, By Matt Pearce (staff), Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2013" |
Information Location 2: |
"http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-missouri-murder-appeal-20131106,0,62125.story#axzz2kYibq5aH" |
Information Source 3: |
"Missouri prosecutors won't retry man in 'dream killer' case, By Matt Pearce (staff), Los Angeles Times, November 12, 2013" |
Information Location 3: |
"http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ryan-ferguson-prosecution-20131112,0,365689.story#axzz2kYibq5aH" |
Information Source 4: |
Free Ryan website |
Information Location 4: |
http://freeryanferguson.com/ |
Information Source 5: |
"Ryan Ferguson awarded $10 million in damages after vacated conviction, By Caitlin Campbell (Staff), Missourian, July 10, 2017" |
Information Location 5: |
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/ryan-ferguson-awarded-million-in-damages-after-vacated-conviction/article_b694d516-65ca-11e7-aa57-3bb21d1f7d6a.html |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org