|
Wrongly Convicted Database Record
|
Charge: |
Second Degree Murder |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment without possibility of parole |
Years Imprisoned: |
9 |
Year Crime: |
1997 |
Year Convicted: |
1998 |
Year Cleared: |
2007 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Louisiana |
County or Region of Crime: |
Jefferson |
City of Crime: |
Bridge City |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Travis Hayes was co-defendant of Ryan Matthews. Both men were wrongly convicted in 1998 of a 1997 murder based on eyewitness identification and Travis Hayes' false confession. Ryan Mathews was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Travis Hayes was convicted of second-degree murder for allegedly being the getaway driver and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Mathews was exonerated in August 2004 and released by DNA tests of the ski mask thrown away by the killer. The DNA evidence excluding Mathews implicated another man who was near the scene of the crime. In December 2006, a Jefferson Parish judge overturned Hayes' conviction based on his false confession and inconsistent witness statements. Hayes pled guilty on November 17, 2010, to possessing more than 400 grams of cocaine, and to being a habitual offender because of his unrelated conviction for narcotics-related charges. Hayes was arrested on the cocaine charge in July 2010. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Travis Hayes was paid $145,000 compensation by the State of Louisiana." |
Conviction Caused By: |
Erroneous eyewitness identification and false confession. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"In December 2006, a Jefferson Parish judge overturned Hayes' conviction based on his false confession and inconsistent witness statements." |
Defendant Aided By: |
Innocence Project of New Orleans (Lead) and Innocence Project NY (Secondary) |
Compensation Awarded: |
"$145,000 (State of Louisiana)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
Yes |
Age When Imprisoned: |
18 |
Age When Released: |
28 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Judge overturns murder conviction in DNA case, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), December 20, 2006" |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-29/116660094540370.xml&storylist=louisiana |
Information Source 2: |
"Wrongfully convicted of murder, Marrero man is sent back to prison on drug counts, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans), November 18, 2010" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/11/wrongfully_convicted_of_murder.html |
Information Source 3: |
|
Information Location 3: |
|
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