Wrongly Convicted Database Record

 

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Michael Ray Graham Jr

 

Charge:

Murder and Robbery

Sentence:

Death

Years Imprisoned:

13.5

Year Crime:

1986

Year Convicted:

1987

Year Cleared:

2000

U.S. State or Country of Crime:

Louisiana

County or Region of Crime:

Union

City of Crime:

Downsville

Result:

Judicially Exonerated Released

Summary of Case:

"Michael Ray Graham Jr. and Albert Ronnie Burrell were wrongly convicted a double murder and robbery in 1987 that occurred in Union Parish, Louisiana. The men's convictions were based on the testimony of three witnesses that the jury didn't know had personal motives to provide false testimony against Burrell and Graham. The charges were dismissed after Albert Burrell and Michael Graham were awarded a new trial based on their discovery the prosecution failed to disclose key evidence undermining the reliability of their witnesses. Michael Ray Graham Jr. was released on December 28, 2000, and Albert Ronnie Burrell was released a few days later on January 3, 2001. Thirteen of the men's almost 14 years in prison were spent on death row. The State of Louisiana denied compensation to both Burrell and Graham."

Conviction Caused By:

"The prosecution failed to disclose exculpatory evidence undermining the credibility of their key witness, an informant who provided false testimony."

Innocence Proved By:

The charges were dismissed after Burrell and Graham were awarded a new trial based on the prosecution's failure to disclose key evidence undermining the reliability of their key witness.

Defendant Aided By:

Compensation Awarded:

Denied by State of Louisiana.

Was Perpetrator Identified?

Age When Imprisoned:

23

Age When Released:

37

Sex:

Male

Skin/Ethnicity:

White

Information Source 1:

"Michael Ray Graham, Jr., Innocence Project New Orleans, December 28, 2000"

Information Location 1:

http://www.ip-no.org/exonoree-profile/michael-ray-graham-jr

Information Source 2:

Death Penalty Information Center

Information Location 2:

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/Innocentlist.html

Information Source 3:

Actual Innocence - Exonerated Individuals whose cases involved prosecutorial misconduct

Information Location 3:

http://www.publicintegrity.org/pm/default.aspx?sid=sidebarsb&aid=38

Information Source 4:

Information Location 4:

Information Source 5:

Information Location 5:

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

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