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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Rape and Firearm charge |
Sentence: |
22 yrs with 15 yrs suspended & 15 yrs probation |
Years Imprisoned: |
2.33 |
Year Crime: |
1988 |
Year Convicted: |
1988 |
Year Cleared: |
1997 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Virginia |
County or Region of Crime: |
Newport News |
City of Crime: |
Newport News |
Result: |
Pardoned |
Summary of Case: |
"Yvonne Crittle Johnson and Steve Lawton were codefendants wrongly convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl in Newport News, Virginia in June 1998. Convicted in separate jury trials, the prosecution's case was based on the testimony of Tammy Wilson that Lawton raped her while Johnson held a firearm over her. There was no evidence of a crime other than Wilson's testimony. Johnson was sentenced on December 20, 1988 for: Use of a Firearm-two years; Aggravated Sexual Battery-five years suspended, fifteen years probation; Robbery--five years suspended, fifteen years probation; Rape--ten years, five years suspended, fifteen years probation. She was released from prison on parole in October 1990. On August 16, 1996 Lawton submitted a petition for Executive Clemency based on the recantation of Wilson that she committed perjury during the trials of Lawton and Johnson, because she had consensual sex with Lawton and Johson wasn't present. Wilson passed a polygraph test that showed she was truthful that no rape occurred. Steve Lawton was awarded an Absolute Pardon by Virginia Governor George Allen on January 15, 1997. Johnson then submitted a petition for Executive Clemency on January 31, 1997, based on the new evidence she had not committed her convicted crimes. Yvonne Crittle Johnson was awarded an Absolute Pardon by Virginia Governor George Allen on April 30, 1997, which terminated her parole. In 1998 the Virgina State legislature passed a awarding Crittle $28,000 compensation, but a bill to award Lawton $500,000 failed. Lawton was then imprisoned serving a lenghty prison sentence for forgery and grand larceny." |
Conviction Caused By: |
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Innocence Proved By: |
"Yvonne Crittle Johnson was awarded an Absolute Pardon by Virginia Governor George Allen on April 30, 1997." |
Defendant Aided By: |
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Compensation Awarded: |
"$28,000 (State of Virginia, 1998)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
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Age When Imprisoned: |
24 |
Age When Released: |
26 |
Sex: |
Female |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
White |
Information Source 1: |
"List Of Pardons, Commutations, Reprieves, And Other Forms Of Clemency (January 1, 1997 Through January 14, 1998), Senate Document No. 2, Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmaond, 1998 (Entry for Johnson, Yvonne Crittle)" |
Information Location 1: |
http://leg2.state.va.us/dls/h&sdocs.nsf/By+Year/SD21998/$file/SD2_1998.pdf |
Information Source 2: |
"Jury Recommends 72-year Sentence In Rape, By Michael S C. Clafffey (Staff Writer) Daily Press, September 8, 1990" |
Information Location 2: |
http://articles.dailypress.com/1990-09-08/news/9009080084_1_light-sentence-sexual-battery-jury |
Information Source 3: |
"Pardoned Nn Woman Wants State To Pay: Prison Turned Addict's Life Around, But She Wasn't Guilty Of The Crime, By Amy Gardner (Staff), Daily Press, February 23, 1998" |
Information Location 3: |
http://articles.dailypress.com/1998-02-23/news/9802230011_1_convictions-accuser-drug-addicts |
Information Source 4: |
"Johnson, Yvonne Crittle. (HB 190, 1998-Patron-Hamilton), INDEX TO ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, 1996-2000" |
Information Location 4: |
"https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiBzJD75PDSAhVJ5mMKHZD0DKsQFgg5MAY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublications.virginiageneralassembly.gov%2Fdownload_publication%2F49&usg=AFQjCNEFMMm3iD7ubdZewLs_zOsuE-pbtg&sig2=ImlNmvfZciVbrS9ZeydMrw&bvm=bv.150729734,d.cGc" |
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Information Location 5: |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org