|
Wrongly Convicted Database Record
|
Charge: |
Murder |
Sentence: |
12 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
7.5 |
Year Crime: |
2004 |
Year Convicted: |
2005 |
Year Cleared: |
2012 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
United Kingdom |
County or Region of Crime: |
England |
City of Crime: |
London |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Sam Hallam was wrongly convicted of the murder of 21-year-old Essayas Kassahun in London in October 2004. Hallam was 18 when sentenced to 12 years in prison. Hallam's conviction was affirmed by the Court of Appeals in 2007. The UK's Criminal Case Review Commission accepted Hallam's case and after an investigation referred it to the Court of Appeals on July 28, 2011. The key new evidence was video on his cell phone that tended to prove his alibi that he was with a friend somewhere other than the crime scene. Neither the police nor his lawyers had examined his cell phone prior to his trial. On May 16, 2012 the Crown Prosecution Service informed the Court of Appeals "the application was not going to be opposed" and he was released on bail after 7-1-2 years of incarceration. The next day, on May 17, 2012 the UK's Court of Appeals quashed Hallam's conviction. While incarcerated Hallam's father committed suicide. On April 11, 2016 the Court of Appeals denied Hallam's appeal of the English government's denial of compensation to Hallam, ruling that his innocence was not proven “beyond reasonable doubt”, so he could not legally be considered a “miscarriage of justice” victim entitled to compensation." |
Conviction Caused By: |
|
Innocence Proved By: |
"On May 17, 2012 the UK's Court of Appeals quashed Hallam's conviction." |
Defendant Aided By: |
|
Compensation Awarded: |
No |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
|
Age When Imprisoned: |
17 |
Age When Released: |
25 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"Sam Hallam murder conviction finally quashed after seven years in prison, By Martin Evans (Crime Correspondent), The Telegraph, May 17, 2012" |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9272389/Sam-Hallam-murder-conviction-finally-quashed-after-seven-years-in-prison.html |
Information Source 2: |
"Hallam's case will send shockwaves through criminal justice system, By Kim Evans (staff), The Guardian (London), May 17, 2012" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/may/17/sam-hallam-shockwaves-criminal-justice-system |
Information Source 3: |
"Court deals compensation blow to man whose murder conviction was quashed, By Tom Foot, Islington Tribune, April 15, 2016" |
Information Location 3: |
http://www.islingtontribune.com/court-compensation-blow |
Information Source 4: |
|
Information Location 4: |
|
Information Source 5: |
|
Information Location 5: |
|
Book About Case: |
|
Book Information: |
|
Book About Case (2): |
|
Book Information (2): |
|
Movie About Case: |
|
Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org