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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Murder and Robbery |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment without possibility of parole |
Years Imprisoned: |
39 |
Year Crime: |
1975 |
Year Convicted: |
1975 |
Year Cleared: |
2014 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Ohio |
County or Region of Crime: |
Cuyahoga |
City of Crime: |
Cleveland |
Result: |
Judicially Exonerated Released |
Summary of Case: |
"Ricky Jackson, and brothers Wiley Bridgeman Ronnie Bridgeman (aka Kwame Ajamu) were codefendants wrongly convicted in 1975 of the aggravated murder and aggravated robbery of Harold Franks in a Cleveland, Ohio convenience store. The prosecution's case was based on the testimony of a 12-year-old boy who testified he witnessed the crime. Jackson and Wiley Bridgeman were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and Ronnie Bridgeman was sentenced to life in prison. Ronnie Bridgeman was released in 2003. In 2012 the witness recanted his testimony, asserting he was coerced by the police into lying. Based on the new evidence Jackson and Wiley and Ronnie Bridgeman filed motions for a new trial. Jackson's convictions were overturned on November 21, 2014, and in the same courtroom Wally Bridgeman's convictions were overturned two hours later. Both were released that day after 39 years of wrongful imprisonment. The convictions of Ronnie Bridgeman, now known as Kwame Ajamu, were overturned on December 9, 2014. The Cuyahoga County District Attorney's Office filed documents on December 9, 2014 that it considers Ricky Jackson, Wiley Bridgeman, and Kwame Ajamu (aka Ronnie Bridgeman) innocent of the slaying of Harold Franks. The DA's Office also announced it would not oppose the three men filing for compensation under Ohio's compensation law that can provide them with more than $40,000 for each year they were wrongly imprisoned. On February 11, 2015 the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas issued a judgment that Jackson had established he was wrongfully imprisoned. On February 20, 2015, Jackson filed his complaint for wrongful imprisonment with the Ohio Court of Claims. The State of Ohio did not oppose Jackson's claim filed on February 20, 2015. On March 18, 2015 Judge Patrick M. McGrath issued his Order detailing that Ricky Jackson was wrongly imprisoned in wrongfully incarcerated in state correctional institutions from January 21, 1976 until November 14, 2014. On April 6, 2016 Jackson's case was settled for a total of $2,647,055.80. An additional payment of $56,200 was ordered for payment of professional fees and expenses of his lawyer, Michele L. Berry." |
Conviction Caused By: |
Perjury by the 12-year-old boy who was the prosecution's star witness against Ricky Jackson and brothers Willy and Ronnie Bridgeman. |
Innocence Proved By: |
"Ricky Jackson, Willy Bridgeman, and Ronnie Bridgeman (aka Kwame Ajamu)'s convictions were overturned based on the new evidence that the lone eyewitness recanted his testimony. Jackson's convictions were overturned on November 21, 2014, and in the same courtroom Bridgeman's convictions were overturned two hours later. Both were released that day after 39 years of wrongful imprisonment. Ronnie Bridgeman (aka Kwame Ajamu) had been released in 2003 and his convictions were overturned on December 9, 2014." |
Defendant Aided By: |
Ohio Innocence Project |
Compensation Awarded: |
"$2,647,055.80 (State of Ohio, 4-6-2016), plus $56,200 in legal expenses" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
18 |
Age When Released: |
57 |
Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Ricky Jackson leaves prison: "The English language doesn't have the words to express how I'm feeling right now," By John Caniglia, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), November 21, 2014" |
Information Location 1: |
http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2014/11/ricky_jackson_leaves_a_life_be.html |
Information Source 2: |
"A free man: Ricky Jackson to leave prison 39 years after a boy's lie helped put him behind bars, By John Caniglia, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), November 18, 2014" |
Information Location 2: |
http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2014/11/a_free_man_ricky_jackson_to_le.html |
Information Source 3: |
"Wiley Bridgeman leaves prison after 39 years: "The bitterness is over with; I carried that too long', By John Caniglia, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), November 21, 2014" |
Information Location 3: |
http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2014/11/wiley_bridgeman_leaves_behind.html |
Information Source 4: |
"Prosecutors won't fight attempts by 3 men to gain millions for wrongful imprisonment of 1975 slaying, By John Caniglia (Staff writer), The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio), December 9, 2014" |
Information Location 4: |
http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2014/12/prosecutors_wont_fight_attempt.html#incart_related_stories |
Information Source 5: |
"Ricky Jackson v. State of Ohio, Case Number: 2015-00127 WI (Ohio Ct. of Claims) (Order Approving Settlement, 4-6-2016)" |
Information Location 5: |
http://cases.ohiocourtofclaims.gov/cgi-bin/wspd_cgi.sh/streamfile.p?Serial=160406001413049&Seq=1 |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org